On March 9, 2016, Metropolitan Joseph issued this Archpastoral Directive. Please note that the early bird deadline is June 8: rooms are going fast so book soon!
Dear Reverend Pastors of this God-Protected Archdiocese,
Greetings and Blessings during this Holy Triodion Season!
The Department of Sacred Music has been charged to elevate the beauty of our liturgical music in our parishes and missions. The Sacred Music Institute (SMI) provides necessary instruction, education and tools to our choir directors, singers and chanters, without which we cannot properly glorify the Lord with our chanting and singing. With a history of over thirty years, the Sacred Music Institute has a proven track record of helping church musicians of all ages and levels progress in their ministry.
This will also be the fifth year of the Youth Music Ministry Program. I know that each Diocese in our God-protected Archdiocese has benefitted from this beautiful program. Young people with a love for God and a gift of music come together to fan the spark they have for the music of the Church into a flame that will, God willing, blaze throughout their lives. The experience is the same for the adults who faithfully lead the music in our churches week after week. Not only do they learn from clergy and educated laity, but also from one another. The liturgy is the "work of the people" and nothing is more effective than a gathering of hundreds of individuals of like-mind coming together to further their ministry of music, their gift from God.
This year, the Summer Sacred Music Institute will be held from July 13-17, 2016 at the Antiochian Village. With this in mind, I am making it a mandatory requirement that each parish and mission allocate the funds to send at least one person (choir director or chanter) to the Sacred Music Institute. If necessary, you should plan a fundraiser for this purpose. We encourage you to send more than one, but the requirement is for at least one. It has happened in years past that entire choirs have gone to this Institute. Let this be the year that you make an investment in what we know to be one of our greatest gift to our congregations and one of the most effective tools for evangelization in Orthodox Churches worldwide.
For more information, please contact the Chairman of the Department of Sacred Music, Mr. Paul Jabara at sacredmusic@antiochian.org. I expect that my review of the attendance records will show 100% compliance from our parishes and missions.
May your Lenten Journey bring peace and spiritual joy.
Your Father in Christ,
+ Joseph
Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of All North America
| Attachment | Size |
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| Metropolitan Joseph 2016 Sacred Music Institute Mandate (PDF) | 162.61 KB |