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Blog – Centered In Song

Blog – Centered In Song

A blog connecting you to deep conversations, valuable resources, and challenging ideas

Centered In Song is a blog that features a core team of writers who care deeply about the congregation’s voice and who seek to have deep and meaningful conversations. Our team of bloggers are always on the lookout for great events, fresh ideas, and artists who are passionate about congregational singing. Because the team is made up of folk from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, this blog offers a variety of viewpoints and opinions on congregational song, celebrating the diversity that the church’s song embodies each and every week.

 

Blog Team


13th of May 2025

Elbows Up?

“Elbows up!” Canadians have been encountering this phrase a lot over the last few months. As a Canadian living in Ottawa, the nation’s capital, I most regularly come face-to-face with […]


25th of February 2025

A Tale of Two Melodies – When Hymns Are to Be Sung in Cantonese Part V of V

A Tale of Two Melodies – When Hymns Are to Be Sung in Cantonese (Part V of V: The Road Onwards)   In the previous four blogs, I have explained […]


21st of January 2025

Christmas Tunes: Don’t Forget About the Harmony

Less than a month ago we were given the opportunity to sing the same carols that we do every Christmas season. Songs like “Deck the Halls,” “O Christmas Tree,” and […]


18th of December 2024

Repetition Is Not the Enemy

I love old people. That might sound strange considering that my last blog post (click here) focused on young people; nevertheless, my mom worked in long-term care for the first half […]


27th of September 2024

Who Will Lead Our Music?

Introduction Over the summer, I was assisting several scholars with a project that explores how young people (aged 12 through 30) engage in worship. Utilizing ethnographic methods, our research team […]


28th of August 2024

Hymns by Abusers, Cancel Culture, and Pastoral Responsibility

This blog contains language about sexual assault and abuse. It contains the names of a few accused abusers for the benefit of those who are unaware of those allegations and […]


30th of July 2024

A Tale of Two Melodies – When Hymns Are to Be Sung in Cantonese Part IV of V

A Tale of Two Melodies – When Hymns Are to Be Sung in Cantonese (Part IV of V: Theological Reflection and Biblical Foundation of Singing Tone-matching Lyrics)   In the […]


18th of July 2024

Not-So-Ordinary Time

What a Hymnal Does I love hymnals for lots of reasons. I love that hymnals, especially denominational hymnals, showcase the breadth of the whole Christian tradition, as well as the […]


12th of July 2024

What is “showing off”? – PART II

This blog is a continuation of Part I. If you haven’t read Part I, click here. In Part I you’ll remember that we explored the cultural and practical dimensions of […]


5th of July 2024

What is “showing off”? – PART I

Blogger Shannan Baker is a postdoctoral fellow in music and digital humanities at Baylor University, where she recently finished her Ph.D. in Church Music (2022).        What is […]