The World Sings: Part II

During the coming year, we are sponsoring a webinar series entitled “The World Sings, Part II” featuring expert voices on congregational singing around the globe.

All the presentations will be broadcast live on Tuesdays at 1:00 p.m. ET and will be available as recordings for registrants to view for an extended period. Here is the schedule of programs:

  • October 11: Jonathan Tan, “In Our Own Voices: Asian and Asian American Catholic Liturgical Song”
  • November 8: Brandon Waddles, “…And They Sang…A Hymn: Thomas Whitfield and the Contemporary Hymn Setting”
  • December 13: Janet Wootton, “Jesus Christ Is Raging: Congregational Song and the Legacy of Colonialism”
  • February 14: Jo-Ann Richards Goffe, “Revival, Reggae & Nyabinghi: Congregational Music for the Jamaican Soul”
  • March 14: Gerardo Oberman, “Out of the Closet: Latin America Seeking Its Own Identity”
  • April 25: Matthew Boutda and Panel, “What Are the Songs We Need to Be Writing?”

Registration for a single webinar is $25 for members, $35 for non-members, $15 for students. Registration for the full series of six webinars is $125 for members, $175 for non-members, and $75 for students.

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October 11: Jonathan Tan, "In Our Own Voices: Asian and Asian American Catholic Liturgical Song"

Jonathan Y. Tan is Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan Professor of Catholic Studies in the Department of Religious Studies and affiliated faculty in the Chinese, Ethnic Studies, Asian Studies, and International Studies programs at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio (USA).

Jonathan holds a Ph.D. from The Catholic University of America (Washington, DC), a M.A. from the Graduate Theological Union (Berkeley, California), and a LL.B. (Honours) from the National University of Singapore Law School. Previously, he taught at Australian Catholic University (Sydney, Australia) Xavier University (Cincinnati, Ohio) and The Catholic University of America.

Jonathan is the author of Introducing Asian American Theologies (Orbis Books, 2008), which was funded by the Louisville Institute’s First Book Grant for Scholars of Color, 2005 and remains the principal one-volume survey of Asian American Christian theologies. His second book, Christian Mission among the Peoples of Asia (Orbis Books, 2014) has been named by the International Bulletin of Missionary Research as one of 15 outstanding books of 2014 for mission studies. His most recent book The Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC): Bearing Witness to the Gospel and the Reign of God in Asia (Fortress Press, 2021) is a definitive study of the contributions of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) to an emerging contemporary Asian Catholic way of being church and doing theology.

Jonathan is also the lead editor of World Christianity: Perspectives and Insights (Orbis Books, 2016), which has been named by the International Bulletin of Mission Research as one of the 10 outstanding books of 2016 for mission studies, and co-editor of Theological Reflections on the Hong Kong Umbrella Movement (Palgrave Macmillan, 2016). He is also one the editors, together with Elaine Wei Fun Goh, Kah-Jin Jeffrey Kuan, and Amos Yong of From Malaysia to the Ends of the Earth: Southeast Asian and Diasporic Contributions to Biblical and Theological Studies (Claremont, CA: Claremont Press, 2021).

Together with Rubén Rosario Rodriguez, he curated the Political Theology Network’s Symposium — Making Sense of Minority Christian Voting Trends: Complicating the Liberal/Conservative Binary (June – July 2021), which seeks to make sense of the rise in conservative Christian minority voters for Trump in the November 2020 election.

For a complete listing of Jonathan’s scholarship, please visit his Publications page.

 

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November 8: Brandon Waddles, “...And They Sang...A Hymn: Thomas Whitfield and the Contemporary Hymn Setting”

Brandon’s choral compositions and arrangements have been published and performed by choral ensembles around the world. In 2019, he was awarded as the inaugural recipient of the ACDA Diverse Voices Collaborative Grant. In addition, he has worked as a transcriber of Black gospel music for numerous choral octavos, hymnals and hymnal supplements published by GIA, including his work as a contributing editor for the One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism hymnal. Brandon’s release of Just In Case You’ve Forgotten is the first selected compendium of works by the late Thomas Whitfield, the subject of his dissertation. Dr. Waddles’ scholarship on Black sacred music has been experienced in the halls of Harvard, Yale, Morehouse and Hampton, and most recently on American Black Journal as seen on PBS.

Recently serving as Music Director for Grammy award-winning recording artist Ledisi, Brandon has collaborated with the celebrated singer on multiple occasions, including her Nina & Me concert series, the LEDISI: THE LEGEND OF LITTLE GIRL BLUE show-run at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, and Ledisi Live: A Tribute to Nina Simone as seen on PBS.

Dr. Waddles persists in his commitment to community as National Music Director for NAACP ACT-SO, Artist in Residence at Midland Centre for the Arts, as well as Assistant Director of Music at Christ Church Cranbrook.

 

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December 13: Janet Wootton, “Jesus Christ Is Raging: Congregational Song and the Legacy of Colonialism”

Janet Wootton, Executive President of the Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

Janet Wootton, MA, PhD, served as a Congregational Minister in rural and city churches, before becoming Director of Studies for the Congregational Federation. She edits Feminist Theology Journal and was editor of Worship Live for many years. Her recent books include a celebration Constance Coltman (URC, 2021), a pioneer of women’s ordained ministry; and Women in Christianity in the Age of Empire, (Routledge, 2022) part of a series on critical cultural history. In retirement, she is actively involved in anti-racism projects, and in the exploration of Dissenting Christianity, focusing on hymnody as a significant cultural shaper and reflector.

 

 

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February 14: Jo-Ann Richards Goffe, “Revival, Reggae & Nyabinghi: Congregational Music for the Jamaican Soul”

Jo-Ann Richards Goffe is a Christian Cultural Advocate who is an author, speaker, singer/songwriter and ethnodoxologist. She is the founding Director of CREW 40:4, a non-profit organization whose mission is to spread the message of the Kingdom of God through culturally relevant expressions of worship.

Jo-Ann served with Wycliffe Bible Translators in West Africa and The Americas for seven years, affirming people in their cultural identity and guiding them in writing new songs for worship using their own languages and music genres. Over the years her work has taken her to over 30 countries on five continents.

In Jamaica Jo-Ann is becoming increasingly popular for reading from the Jamaican New Testament (aka di Patwa Bible) and singing her original worship songs in the Jamaican language and music genres. She also recently served as head of the Music and Media Department at the Jamaica Theological Seminary where she still serves as part-time lecturer.

Jo-Ann is a member of the Global Ethnodoxology Network and has been certified by them as an Arts Training Specialist. She also represents the international Lausanne Movement as Arts Catalyst Coordinator for the Caribbean and currently serves on the board of the Global Consultation on the Arts & Music in Mission.

Jo-Ann’s publications include the albums Kom Mek Wi Worship and Kom Mek Wi Worship 2: Di Revilieshan, and the books Godincidences: Adventuring with an Awesomely Sovereign, Sovereignly Awesome God and Auntie Jo-Jo Goes Vegan: A Jamaican Story with Tips & Recipes for a Healthier You.

Jo-Ann is married to visual artist Marcel Goffe and they currently reside in Kingston, Jamaica.

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March 14: Gerardo Oberman, “Out of the Closet: Latin America Seeking Its Own Identity"

1965 – Nacido en Kampen (Holanda), pastor y actual presidente de las Iglesias Reformadas en Argentina, coordinador de la Red Crearte de música y arte litúrgico desde su creación en el año 2004. Miembros del Comité de Liturgia de la Comunión Mundial de Iglesias Reformadas, integrante del Comité de Vida Espiritual del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias.
Poeta, escritor de textos litúrgicos, compositor. Casado con una hija y un hijo.

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April 25: Matthew Boutda and Panel, “What Are the Songs We Need to Be Writing?”

Matthew Boutda is a conductor, organist, and singer from Toronto, Canada. He holds a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Sacred Music degree from the University of Toronto. With a passion and desire for choral music, Matthew is delighted to be a part of the rich music program as Director of Music at Leaside United Church, in Toronto.

Matthew is also the co-founder of Uniting Voices Collective. This is a group of musicians that are dedicated to sustaining community through shared song during this pandemic. Uniting Voices Collective has provided and continues to provide interactive virtual sessions that inform and uplift choristers, directors and musicians.

Jess Grace Garcia is a cofounder of Q Worship Collective, Co-Host of Lavender Mafia Podcast and the Worship Pastor at NoHo Community in Los Angeles where she lives with her wife and girlfriend. They spent a number of years leading worship in non affirming spaces until she took a break to rediscover what it looks like to be a queer person of faith. After spending 20 years in Baltimore Jess and their beautiful wife Erica moved to Los Angeles in hopes of finding better care and weather for Erica’s health. After moving, she quickly got connected to an affirming church community and with their love and support got super engaged in ways to give back to the LGBTQ+ Progressive Christian Community. In 2021 they met their gorgeous girlfriend Janna at a QCF (Virtual) Conference.
Jess is passionate about writing and producing songs that provide healing and reflection on the beauty, holiness and God’s image within us. She loves to love people, creating safe spaces for healing from religious trauma/spiritual abuse and to deconstruct/ reconstruct at their own pace.
When Jess isn’t leading and loving her community she owns and operates a video production company & studio called Springwood Productions that she started over 10 years ago. She loves to help artists tell their stories in unique and compassionate ways of connecting with their audience.

 

Anneli Loepp Thiessen is an active song leader, classical musician, and music educator across Ontario. She is the Canadian director of the Anabaptist Worship Network and is passionate about empowering congregations to create vibrant worship.

Anneli holds her Master of Music in Piano Performance and is a PhD student at the University of Ottawa, where she studies women songwriters in the contemporary worship music movement. She is a graduate of Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg and holds her ARCT in Piano Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music. Anneli completed a graduate diploma in Arts Management from Queens University and is a Yamaha Fellow at the Eastman Leadership Academy. She is the director for Ontario Mennonite Music Camp and co-chair of the Popular Idioms Committee for Voices Together.

Marty Haugen is a liturgical composer, workshop presenter, performing and recording artist, and author from Eagan, Minnesota. For the past 30 years, Marty has presented hundreds of workshops and concerts across North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and the Pacific Rim. He has over 30 recordings and more than 400 separate printed editions available through GIA Publications, Inc. and other publishers. He has a number of published mass settings for Roman Catholic communities, including Mass of Creation, and several worship settings for Lutheran congregations, including Holden Evening Prayer and Now the Feast and Celebration, as well as a communion setting for the new Evangelical Worship Book (ELW-Augsburg Fortress).

Marty has served as an editor or consultant to a number of GIA hymnals and has been a contributor to hymnals or supplements for many denominational groups including the ELCA and ELCIC (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and Canada), the United Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church USA, the Mennonite Brethren, the United Church of Christ, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the United Church of Canada, the Church of England, the Church of Scotland, and Roman Catholic groups in Great Britain, Canada, Ireland, and Australia.

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