Shareables: Taize music for free

 Characterized by candlelight, prayer, and beautiful music, Taize services are more and more popular in New Thought.   Ecumenical, mystical, and contemplative, these services attract a wide range of worshippers, young and old.

Fortunately, the Taize community in Burgundy, France posts its whole library of songs, plus learning tools for each part.  They REALLY want you to be able to sing these pieces. Taize songs come from various global chant traditions and languages including Latin, German, Russian, French, Portugese, Spanish, English, Lithuanian and more.

In Action: Jennifer Ferren

Atlanta-based Jennifer Ferren isn't a show-off, so it takes a while to realize how many distinct superpowers she has.  An accomplished event band leader and frontwoman, producer, music director, singer/songwriter and mom, Jennifer brings a wealth of experience and hip grace to her gigs.   She's well-liked by other artists and leaders for her flexibility, humor, and perspective.

Jennifer supports Red Cross for disaster relief and United Way. She travels in both Unity and CSL circles, but sends special love to Spiritual Living Center of Atlanta, as well as Atlanta CSL Midtown and CSL Sarasota.  Learn much more at http://jenniferferren.com/.

Shareables: New Thought Music Director Listing

This list, updated every month has basic contact info for hundreds of music directors from CSL's, Unities, and independent NT ministries all across the nation.  Right now the CSL's are a bit under-represented, so you're encouraged to send in the contact info for your church's program.

"Why should I do this?  Will it mean someone will bother me?  Will I get nuisance email?"  

So far, no, that's not been a problem, but in any case, NT centers in general could do more 'being seen' and less 'hiding out'.   One of the major ways we advance as a movement is through collaboration and networking, so don't skip this very easy way you can support the greater good, just by speaking up and being counted.     

Want another "being seen" easy freebie?   Make sure your church's website has a music ministry page, with contact info easily available for prospective guest artists and volunteers. 

In Action: Chanda Rule

Based in NYC, Chanda Rule brings her soul/jazz voice to diverse venues from the Apollo to Lincoln Center, BAMcafe to Union Theological Seminary, where she was recently awarded one of seven Hough Scholarships from Union Theological Seminary at Columbia University to study Interfaith Dialogue through the Arts.  

She also tours the east coast regularly, though right now she's on "mini-maternity leave" and staying close to the NYC metro area.  (Mazeltov!) 

Chanda's outreach includes  BethelAfrica, which serves children in Uganda, and was started by one of her own workshop students.  Shout-outs go to CSL Morristown, as well as CSL North Jersey, and CSL Atlanta.

Learn much more about Chanda and hear lovely clips at http://www.chandarule.com/.

Call for Shareables

You’re strongly encouraged to send materials and suggestions for posting on this blog in the category “Shareables”.

Shareables could mean free original materials you’d like to give away, like your compositions, recordings or articles -- something that would be helpful for New Thought music staff, ministers, artists and seekers.  Or it could be links to libraries or hub sites where leaders and artists can access a wide range of resources all at once, for example a site that represents many different NT artists, or a symposium that will offer a wide variety of networking or professional development opportunities.   

One very important way we grow our music ministries is by seeing other spiritual communities'  services and music, but it's not always easy getting a Sunday off to go visiting.  So if you have links to streamed services and service videos, send those, definitely!    My place has a sweet volunteer who puts up videos on Youtube.   Doesn’t have to be Emmy-winning quality to be really helpful. Send it in!   

In Action: Faith Rivera

Hawaiian treasure Faith Rivera sings, writes, blogs, nurtures, loves, keynotes and teaches all over the US.  One of the first NT artists to regularly give virtual concerts, she’s savvy with tech and social media, while also maintaining a strong reputation for in-person warmth and authenticity.   

She supports many causes, but today highlights education group the Unstoppable Foundation as well as Jana Stanfield’s amazing orphanage project -   She sends special love out to Namaste CSL  in Long Beach, CA and to the Global Truth Center in North Hollywood. 

Learn much more at http://www.faithrivera.com.

Shareables: EmPower Music and Arts

You may know Empower as the sponsor of the Posi Music Festival and the Posi Music Awards, but the website has lots of other goodies, too.  Repertoire boosters, a music rights database, connections to hundreds of musicians, authors, and organizations.  Empower has grown significantly in the past two years, and now has truly national reach.  

This year’s Posi Fest is in Orlando from Jan16-20, with song school, workshops, keynotes, pajama jams, dozens of amazing NT musicians including Daniel Nahmod, Jana Stanfield, FaithRivera, Sloan Wainwright, Robert Anderson, David Roth, JD Martin-Jan Garrett, Karen Drucker, Jami Lula, Amy Steinberg, Laura Berman and many more.    

Empower Music and Arts: www.empowerma.com