How COVID-19 Has Impacted the Role of Sacred Musicians – The 2020-2021 Poppen-Young Lecture in Reformed Worship

Looking at How the Current Pandemic May Be Changing Reformed Worship

As the Church moves through a time of unusual social and economic turmoil related to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an opportunity to evaluate and discover the ways in which the familiar roles of sacred musicians have changed. While the liturgical arts have long been at the center of vital worship, the ways in which music directors, instrumentalists, and choristers have assisted in leading worship, interacted with one another, or found community during the pandemic has led to seismic shifts in understanding the pastoral role of music ministry.

These shifts will be examined by Justan Foster in “’Now the Silence, Now the Peace’: How COVID-19 Has Impacted the Role of Sacred Musicians”, an online webinar on Monday, April 12, 2021, at 7:00 pm.

Justan J. Foster is Music Director at the Greenbush Reformed Church in East Greenbush, New York, and the Alvin J. Poppen-John R. Young Fellow in Reformed Worship for 2020-2021. He has served as Dean of both the Hudson-Catskill and Eastern New York Chapters of the American Guild of Organists, and specializes in the organ works of American composers. In addition to his musical and liturgical pursuits, Justan serves as a Senior Administrative Analyst for the State of New York. His research looks into ways in which liturgical arts and music have been impacted and ways those serving to lead these parts of worship have responded during the 2020-21 COVID-19 pandemic.

There is no charge for attending this webinar, but all participants must register here.