Summary

What is it like to be a church musician today in the same place that J.S. Bach once worked? In what ways can Bach's music be a model for us?

Listen Online

Details

How can some of Bach's music still be used? What about contexts where Bach's music could not be used directly, but could still inform how we approach music in the church? How are people remembering Bach, and how are patterns of remembrance changing over time? Learn from the insights and practices of a resourceful German organist and conductor, who ministers every day in a city that is constantly abuzz with people looking back to Bach.

Recent Media Resources

Seeing Christ in the Face of the Other: Singing the Psalms for Reconciliation with Karen Campbell

In 2020, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland published the book Considering Grace, which narrates the stories of 120 people and their proximity to the troubles in Northern Ireland. Though clergy were applauded for often acting as first responders to the victims, wider questions regarding the denomination were raised. Could they have spoken up more and been a prophetic voice? In response, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland commissioned Karen Campbell to convene groups to produce a suite of songs, prayers, and liturgies from the psalms of lament to be used in congregational settings to voice lament, confess complicity, and raise deeper questions surrounding justice. This workshop will discuss the process involved and the questions raised and will include some of the songs, liturgies, and prayers that were produced.In 2020, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland published the book Considering Grace, which narrates the stories of 120 people and their proximity to the troubles in Northern Ireland. Though clergy were applauded for often acting as first responders to the victims, wider questions regarding the denomination were raised. Could they have spoken up more and been a prophetic voice? 

June 29, 2026 | 87 min video
How to Preach and Hear the Psalms

A workshop which shows participants how to preach genre-conscious sermons from the book of Psalms. Attention will be given to historical, literary, and theological issues with the aim of improving hermeneutical, generical, and homiletical practice. Participants, including hearers of sermons, will expand their knowledge of the psalms as a genre, develop genre-conscious forms and structures, and cultivate new strategies for homiletical practice.

June 23, 2026 | 82 min video
Psalms for Every Tribe and Tongue

Drawing inspiration from Revelation 7:9, Terry and Darlene Wildman will lead this workshop exploring how the First Nations Version: Psalms speaks into—and flows out from—the hearts of Indigenous North American cultures today through storytelling, songs, and interactive activities. Participants will experience how these ancient prayers continue to inspire worship that celebrates cultural diversity and unity in Creator’s Sacred Family.

June 4, 2026 | 79 min video