Music Ministry Update: Please Welcome Scott Farrell as our Permanent Music Director!

Jade Lowry, Board President

We have been in transition in many ways in the past four years. This year’s board was confronted with navigating our bridge and music ministries and how to contract with our bridge minister and our acting music director when our called minister isn’t coming until so late in the year, which was not what this community had initially planned for.

In an effort to be inclusive, transparent and collaborative, the board engaged in an open and unstructured process – for better or worse – of inviting everyone in to our consideration of next steps with our bridge and music ministries toward the end of the fall. We invited all experiences to be shared – all voices to be heard. Through the past few months, we have had many conversations with many of you in the community, in writing, in person, on Zoom, on the phone, in small groups, and even at our recent Leadership Assembly. It has been an amazing opportunity, and many good things have come out of this. Along the way, it has also been messy, imperfect, and at times – draining. However, everyone has been hanging in there. There has been a willingness to honestly look at what we learned; to engage in right relationship discussions; to explore patterns that may not be serving us in the best way; and to make efforts to shift and change where we felt it was needed.

Today, I offer gratitude for deep congregational engagement in co-creating our beloved community. We honor that there are a multiplicity of truths among us, and give thanks for the courage and compassion we have extended to each other.

And now, we welcome Scott Farrell to step fully into the ownership of this role – to invest in us as we are investing in him; to grow with us; and to co-create this music ministry with us. I appreciate this opportunity to thank everyone who shared input. And to thank Scott for walking through this journey with us with openness, patience, and grace.