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.
Mykayla Turner holds a Master of Sacred Music with a Liturgical...
Mykayla Turner
Blogger
Mykayla Turner holds a Master of Sacred Music with a Liturgical Musicology concentration and a Master of Theological Studies She obtained her ACCM in Piano Performance from Conservatory Canada Currently, she is a PhD student in the Faculty of Theology at Saint Paul University in Ottawa, ON Apart from her academic work, she is an active church musician and liturgist She also co-directs Ontario Mennonite Music Camp and chairs the team of volunteers who maintain Together in Worship, a curated collection of free worship resources from Anabaptist sources
Shannan Baker is a postdoctoral fellow in music and digital...
Shannan Baker
Blogger
Shannan Baker is a postdoctoral fellow in music and digital humanities at Baylor University, where she recently finished her PhD in Church Music (2022) Her research interests focus on contemporary worship She studies the theology and content of the lyrics, the music of the songs, the worship music industry, and how contemporary worship is used in the church While her current role focuses on research, she searches for ways to connect that research practically to the church Recently, she received the Vital Worship Teacher-Scholar grant from the Calvin Institute for Christian Worship which allowed her to start the contemporary worship training workshops for the Church Music program at Baylor
While Shannan currently lives in Waco, Texas, she is originally from Michigan She received her BA in Music (Worship Arts) from Cornerstone University (2016), and an MA in Worship (2018) and ThM with a concentration in worship (2019) from Calvin Theological Seminary Also in Grand Rapids, she served as the worship director for Monroe Community Church for three years Currently, she volunteers at her local church where she leads worship and plays various instruments including drums, keys, acoustic guitar, and bass
After obtaining her first and second bachelor degrees in Translation...
Yvette Lau
Blogger
After obtaining her first and second bachelor degrees in Translation and Chinese (HKPU), and Music (CUHK) respectively and worked in music related work in the government and later in the church in Hong Kong, Yvette Lau furthered her study at Calvin Theological Seminary for M A in Worship (2010) Recently, she has finished her Doctor of Pastoral Music at Perkins School of Theology, SMU (2024) under the supervision of Prof C Michael Hawn She has served as a worship pastor in Hong Kong for several years after her graduation at Calvin She had been one of the executive committee members of the Hong Kong Hymn Society from 2011-2017 She served at the Worship Committee for the CMA Church Union of HK from 2006-2021
In 2017, she founded Anabas Ministry which is an organization for worship renewal and started to work as a freelancer for worship related ministries including consultancy work Her passion lies in choral conducting, song writing, hymn translation from English to Cantonese (main translator for New Youth Hymns), event organization, translation of books on worship including The Art of Worship, Beyond the Worship Wars, The Worship Architect, and Glory to God, and training and teaching on worship She has been the guest instructor on Worship for Alliance Bible Seminary, China Graduate School of Theology, Bethel Bible Seminary, Hong Kong Baptist Theological Seminary, and Thailand Baptist Theological School
Maria Monteiro nació en Recife, Brazil y actualmente ocupa el...
Maria Monteiro
Blog Editor - Spanish Language
Maria Monteiro nació en Recife, Brazil y actualmente ocupa el puesto de Lecturer en Música Sacra en Baylor University, en la ciudad de Waco, Texas Ella también trabaja como Directora de Música en la Primera Iglesia Bautista Mexicana de San Antonio, Texas Antes de unirse a Baylor, Maria enseñó música y adoración por diecisiete años en la Universidad Bautista de las Américas en San Antonio Su experiencia como docente universitaria y directora de música congregacional le ha provisto una conexión esencial entre sus intereses académicos en la música sacra y la vivencia práctica musical en una congregación local Maria cumplió su carrera universitaria (1987) y su maestría (1991) en el área de historia de la música en Baylor University Así también tiene un certificado de estudios de posgrado en musicología (1998) en Duke University En 2021, Maria obtuvo su doctorado (PhD) en el área de música sacra en Baylor University
Originally from Recife, Brazil, Maria Monteiro serves as Lecturer in Church Music at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and as music director at Primera Iglesia Bautista Mexicana (First Mexican Baptist Church), in San Antonio Before joining the Baylor faculty, she taught for seventeen years at Baptist University of the Américas, also in San Antonio These roles and activities have provided the essential connection between her academic interest in church music and the practical involvement in the musical life of a present-day congregation Maria holds a Master of Music (1991) and a Bachelor of Music (1987) degrees in Music History and Literature, from Baylor, a certificate of graduate studies in Musicology from Duke University (1998), and a PhD in Church Music (2021) from Baylor University
Carolyn Moomaw Chilton writes and blogs as a spiritual discipline...
Carolyn Moomaw Chilton
Blog Proofreader
Carolyn Moomaw Chilton writes and blogs as a spiritual discipline and an invitation to conversation with others She a leadership development coach with clergy, clergy spouses and lay employees, as well as a spiritual director She also works as a consultant with churches and vestries in the areas of formation, development and evangelism She can be contacted through wwwepiscopalevangelistcom
Wendell is a composer, choir director, and music educator, with...
Wendell Glick
Blog Proofreader
Wendell is a composer, choir director, and music educator, with a particular interest in contemporary hymnody and choral music He holds degrees in music composition from Wilfrid Laurier University (BMus), the University of Toronto (MMus) and Western University (PhD), and is a life member of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada Wendell’s compositions and choral arrangements have been performed by middle school, high school, college, community and touring ensembles in more than 20 states and provinces, as well as in Ireland, England, Scotland, Poland and Jamaica In addition to his music work, he enjoys model trains, tree houses, aviation, rainy days, and life with his best friend Janelle and their four lively children
David Calvert is the Creative Arts Director for Grace Community...
David Calvert
Blogger - Album Reviews
David Calvert is the Creative Arts Director for Grace Community Church in rural North Carolina, and a PhD graduate in Theology and Worship from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Does your congregation introduce a “hymn of the month” every four or five weeks? I once watched John L. Bell, a well-known figure in the world of congregational song, […]
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). She is a member of […]
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