We’re starting a new series on the podcast to feature you- yes you! NPM Spotlight is a new series for Ministry Monday that allows you to nominate yourself or others to be featured on the podcast. Are you or somebody you know ministering in a unique way? Maybe it’s a limitation due to budgetary constraints, or creative ways to engage a parish in light of the current pandemic. Or maybe you recently merged parishes and your ensemble director is engaging music ministers from both parishes in a very unique way. Or maybe you’ve heard of a local church that is live streaming their liturgies in a way that’s just inspiring!
Whatever it is, we want to hear from you. NPM Spotlight will feature pastoral musicians across our country- and our world. Email us to nominate a fellow pastoral musician to be interviewed. Our email address is ministrymonday@npm.org.
Today on the podcast we explore the question so many of you have been asking: how do we minister in the liturgy with music, without singing? So many of us listening are pastoral musicians or clergy serving the church, and it seems as if each Diocese is addressing the risk of public singing a little differently. But as we settle into whatever this new “normal” is, we’re discovering that there are ways to safely incorporate musical elements back into your music ministry that don’t involve singing.
Our first guest on the podcast is Kathy Ebling-Shaw. Kathy is the Director of Sales and Marketing for Malmark Incorporated, and today she talks about the creativity that can be found in handbells always, but especially at this time in the history of our Church.
Kathy joins us from her office in Plumsteadville, Pennsylvania.
Our second and final guest on today’s episode is Mark Lawson. Mark is the president of the ECS Publishing Group, including MorningStar and E.C. Schirmer Publications. Mark shares some ideas of how we can incorporate instrumentalists into our liturgy safely, accessibly and affordably. Now, just one heads up as we hear from Mark: Mark’s interview includes a visual tour of the MorningStar website, specifically in the instrumental music area. We encourage you to head to NPM’s YouTube channel to watch it. I’ll include the link to the video in the “show notes” portion of the episode. You can also find it on your own at youtube.com/NPMlivestream.
SHOW NOTES
For the video portion of this episode, click here.
For more information on safe handbell ringing, please check out these additional resources:
Guidelines for Ringing Safety during COVID-19 (Malmark)
Handbell Industry Council: A QUICK GUIDE TO HANDBELLS AND HANDCHIMES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC (PDF)
BIO- KATHY EBLING-SHAW
Conductor of the Westminster Concert Bell Choir, Kathleen Ebling Shaw is a member of the sacred music department at Westminster Choir College of Rider University, where she teaches classes in handbell training and conducts a second handbell choir. She is the Director of Sales and Marketing of Malmark, Inc. and serves as the Creative Director of ChimeWorks® - an online resource community for educators who use handchimes. She is a graduate of Westminster Choir College.
Well known as a handbell clinician, Mrs. Shaw has conducted sessions for the International Handbell Symposia in Japan, England, Korea, Australia and for the Handbell Musicians of America both on the local and national levels. Other engagements have included sessions for the American Guild of Organists; various State music conferences; Choristers Guild; Presbyterian Association of Musicians Conferences; Lutheridge Music & Worship Week and the St. Olaf Church Music Conference.
BIO- MARK LAWSON
Mark W. Lawson is the President of ECS Publishing Group, parent company for E.C. Schirmer, Galaxy Music Corporation and MorningStar Music Publishers. Mr. Lawson has been active in developing digital delivery methods, strategizing about the development of music web-sites, and has been involved in numerous recording projects. As a publisher, he enjoys working with both new as well as established composers. He is actively involved in the Music Publishers Association, the Church Music Publishers Association, and serves on the board of directors of Chorus America.