Just a few weeks ago, I returned home from the 36th annual gathering of the Mississippi Conference on Church Music and Liturgy.
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| The faculty and staff of the Mississippi Music and Liturgy Conference are: Back row l-r: Dr. Thomas Lee, Dr. Jeff McLelland, Dr. Mark Butler, David O'Steen, the Rev. Dr. Bryan Owen, Ellen Johnston; Front row l-r: Sue Mitchell Wallace, the Very Rev. Carol Wade, Marilyn Haskel. |
The Conference’s home is the Duncan Gray Conference Center, located in the community of Way, just north of Canton, MS. The complex boasts three cabins, an inn, a dining hall and meeting rooms, and a large chapel—all air conditioned to beat the heat and humidity. The campus also has a labyrinth and a fine outdoor chapel that are best visited in the early morning.
Our guest faculty members were Marilyn Haskell, Sue Mitchell Wallace, and the Very Rev. Carol Wade. They were all enthusiastic and engaging as we explored themes surrounding the sacrament of Holy Baptism and the seasons and times on which it might fall. Carol Wade told a story from her childhood about rituals with her grandmother over cookies & tea that repeated and taught her family history and her valued place in it. She told us that liturgy is for the people--not something that is merely rote and tradition, and stressed that the repetitive acts in our worship cause us to learn continually about our life together in Christ. Carol also stressed the important role of the musician as theologian when we select hymns and service music for the parishes that we serve. Marilyn Haskell introduced Music that Makes Community, working with us to demonstrate the merits of teaching and singing paperless music. She related experiences from St. Paul’s Chapel in New York City, in which worshippers, though often from different countries and cultures are all found on the same level playing field. And with little spoken instruction, all sing and move together through liturgies with a strong sense of community. Sue Mitchell Wallace gave a workshop on the liturgical use of handbells, and was the composer of our commissioned anthem, “Signs and wonders lead the dancing.”
Ellen Johnston, the conference’s long-time director, led us in a reading session of “greatest hits”–anthems that had been commissioned by the conference and later published.
Worship is an essential part of the Mississippi Conference. Daily services in the chapel made up the very rhythm of the week-long schedule with conferees serving as musicians, singers, and readers. On Thursday, we travelled to St. Philip’s Church in Jackson, to sing Evensong, and on Sunday morning, we sang a festival Eucharist at the Cathedral Church of St. Andrew in Jackson.
Cliff Hill maintains a presence for his music store at conference and hosts an evening reception of champagne, chocolate, and a true southern guilty pleasure--caramel cake.
Each year brings the return of the fabled “Rose Hill Cabaret-Back from Exile,” an evening of side-splitting fun—allowing everyone to “let their hair down.”
The permanent conference staff work hard each year to prepare thoughtful liturgies and workshops for vocal techniques and care of the voice, serve as accompanists, as well as the general administration of the conference from room keys to meals and transportation. They are: Dr. Mark Butler, Dr. Thomas Lee, The Rev. Canon Bryan Owen, David O’Steen, Dr. Jeff McLelland, and James Martin.
This year, Ellen Johnston passed the baton of directorship to a newly created board of directors with David O’Steen as convener. While we will miss Ellen’s inimitable leadership style, the conference is in good hands, and Bishop Gray has pledged renewed support to the continuing ministry of this conference.
If you’re looking for a true value for your continuing education dollar, I’d like to suggest that you attend next year’s Mississippi Conference. Scheduled for Tuesday, July 31 through Sunday, August 5, 2012, conference will feature The Rev. Ann Gillespie, Richard Webster, and David Ashley White as guest faculty.
Matthew Woods is the Director of Music and Organist at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church, Valrico, FL
