Presbyterian Mission Agency tom trenney Archives

Servants’ Entrance

Posted November 4th, 2021

For a minister of music who’s also a choral music and conducting professor, Tom Trenney is a born storyteller. During the fourth of his five Routley Lectures delivered to the Presbyterian Association of Musicians’ Worship and Music Conference, Trenney told this story about a man he’s long admired, the Presbyterian pastor and children’s television pioneer Fred Rogers.

Worship and Music Conference content now available online

Posted September 1st, 2021

This summer’s Presbyterian Association of Musicians annual conference at Montreat Conference Center in Montreat, North Carolina, was held in person and online. But if you missed it — or simply want to share your experience with others — another option is available.

‘A blessing and a great gift to my spirit’

Posted August 18th, 2021

Editor’s note: Recently, the Presbyterian Association of Musicians connected with 2021 Worship & Music Conference Adult Choral Director G. Phillip Shoultz, III for an exclusive interview. PAM discussed his reflections on the June conference, the impact of singing spirituals, our shared heritage in Christ and the future of music in worship.

With help from its youngest attendees, PAM conference ends on a high note

Posted July 2nd, 2021

Since Friday’s closing worship at the Presbyterian Association of Musicians’ Worship and Music Conference focused on communion, dozens of loaves of bread from all over the world were spread on the communion table before worshipers. For this service, children were also front and center — right where Jesus wants them to be, according to Mark 10:13-16, one of the texts selected by the conference preacher, the Rev. CeCe Armstrong of St. James Presbyterian Church in Charleston, S.C.

Servants’ Entrance

Posted July 1st, 2021

For a minister of music who’s also a choral music and conducting professor, Tom Trenney is a born storyteller.

Words matter

Posted July 1st, 2021

To prove his assertion that, in music and in other life pursuits, words matter, Tom Trenney led off his Routley lecture Wednesday with examples of paraprosedokians — sentences that begin innocently enough, then veer off in unexpected directions.

Whistle while you worship

Posted June 29th, 2021

One Sunday morning, Tom Trenney, the Routley Lecturer this week for the Presbyterian Association of Musicians’ Worship and Music Conference and the minister of music at First-Plymouth Church in Lincoln, Nebraska, invited the choir and whoever wanted to in the congregation to whistle during the hymn “Lord of the Dance,” except during the somber fourth verse. He tried the same thing Tuesday, inviting class participants to pucker up behind their masks and whistle.

‘I can’t believe I get to be part of something so beautiful’

Posted June 29th, 2021

It’s Tom Trenney’s job to deliver the Routley Lecture each day this week during the Presbyterian Association of Musicians’ Worship and Music Conference. Rather than lecture students meeting both in person at Montreat Conference Center and online during his opening talk on Monday, Trenney told them a story from a few years back about a college student of his named Summer.

‘Attending with faithfulness to the church’s worship and community’

Posted June 21st, 2021

The first-ever hybrid version of the Presbyterian Association of Musicians’ Worship and Music Conference began in person Sunday from Montreat Conference Center and includes an entirely online offering June 27 through July 2. View the conference livestream schedule here. Register for the online conference here.