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Working In a Church You Wouldn’t Attend       ​

In the last three years I’ve been employed by five different churches in four denominations: ECUSA, UMC, ELCA and PCUSA. These moves have been for one of three reasons: enrolling in graduate school, completing graduate school, or for a better opportunity/salary. I haven’t always agreed with the churches I’ve served, whether it be theological or political issues, and that’s okay. Church musicians often struggle with separating their beliefs from the beliefs of the churches they serve. My hope is that, in an increasingly polarized society, we can serve in churches that don’t necessarily preach what we want to hear.

1. You’re not alone. Most churchgoers do not agree with every belief of their church. Whether it be a disagreement with denominational leadership or a local pastor on staff, it’s impossible for an entire congregation to agree fully with doctrine from leaders. It’s next to impossible for people to agree as a congregation. Have you ever sat in a meeting with church elders or vestry? Ask a pastor how much disagreement exists in the pews, you might be surprised what you find. As a staff member it’s important to maintain a sense of loyalty when you’re on the clock and representing the church, but that doesn’t mean you have to agree with every decision.

2. Research. Why do you disagree with the church? Are you well-versed in related scripture texts? Do you fully understand the other side of the argument? It’s easy for us to see what divides us over what unites us. Is the opposition inspired by Satan? Likely not. While you may wholeheartedly disagree with someone on an issue vital to your own existence, that doesn’t mean they are out to get you. Chances are they don’t understand your opinion and you don’t understand theirs. Greet disagreement humbly and keep conversation respectful with those you disagree with.

3. Have Patience. Our world is increasingly impatient. When my iPhone doesn’t recognize my fingerprint on the first try, I feel the rage brewing. I often remind myself that just a few years ago we were forced to hit the number 9 four times to type one Z in a text message. Waiting a whole week for the next episode of our favorite television series to air seems absurd when entire series are available to binge watch. Before you reach conclusions about those you disagree with, take the time to listen to their opinion. It might take weeks, months, or even years but if you approach a problem with an open mind and heart you won’t regret the time you put in.

4. Communicate openly. After I left my last job I explained in an exit interview that lack of communication was a big problem in the position. I was told “You don’t exactly come from a profession known for practicing good communication.” It’s true, many organists would rather retreat to the bench than deal with a conflict head-on. Like any relationship, communication is the key to success. Working in a church is a unique place because staff members are Christians who (typically) genuinely care about each other’s well-being, family life, and are interested in your life outside of work. Trust me, it’s not easy. Try telling a conservative pastor that you’re in a committed same-sex relationship. But my pastor knowing about my home life has helped in more ways than I can count.

5. Embrace your differences. Whatever your differences may be, embracing each other is Christ-like. I’m no theologian, but disagreement didn’t stop Jesus from approaching people. I think of Mark 2 when Jesus dined with tax collectors, John 4 when Jesus talked with a Samaritan woman, John 8 when Jesus encountered the accused woman.… Whatever you think of these stories, Jesus did meet and talk with these people. We too should strive to work with all people without first checking their beliefs.

6. Separate work and personal life. It’s one thing for fellow staff to know about your personal life, but another for them to be a part of it. I have never joined a church I served. Joining a church as a member while working on staff can create conflicts. This isn’t true in every situation, but there comes a time where you’ll be thankful to represent yourself as a paid member of staff, and not a member of the congregation. In formality you are still an employee of an organization. I don’t check work emails from home unless I’m working from home, and I don’t get work emails on my iPhone. I know a very gentle, non-confrontational Pastor who, in a session meeting, was told “As a Pastor you are to be on call for members 24/7.” He delivered an eloquent speech explaining how that claim is false. Everyone needs time away from the office, even if the office is a church. See Exodus 20: 8-11.

7. Have a “line” and know what to do when the line is crossed. Decide which disagreements can be swept under the rug, which are worth fighting for, and which are worth leaving for. As a gay organist, I have no problem serving in a church that does not bless same-sex weddings. If my Pastor ever preached against homosexuality I would log into ONCARD and start the job search. Determine a course of action for yourself if you’re forced into awkward situations. How will you handle a homophobic comment from a prominent church member? Do you address your concerns, smile and nod, or run away screaming? I hope it’s not the latter.

8. Remember why you serve. I was a Music Education major as an undergrad. One of our first assignments was to develop a personal “Philosophy of Education;” what we believed about teaching and learning, why we wanted to be teachers, etcetera. To find meaning in your work it’s important to know why you’re doing what you do. It’s especially important if your position or salary ever comes into question. My purpose in serving as a church organist is simple: to lead people in praising God. The wording is intentionally abstract; it’s not limited to a specific genre of music or instrumentation and it doesn’t limit me to a specific audience. Theological disagreements don’t inhibit my ability to lead worship through music and thus such disagreements take a back seat to the task at hand.

I once heard a story about a senior pastor interviewing candidates to serve as executive secretary at a large suburban church. One of the final candidates, whose previous experience was largely in law offices and government roles, was asked “Why are you compelled to serve in this role, at this place?” The candidate’s answer: “I’ve been looking for a more peaceful, more relaxed, less political place to work!” You can probably guess – that candidate was not hired. Churches are political places and Jesus was political. Navigating difficult situations is part of being a Christian. As church musicians we have the unique responsibility of serving as influential leaders in worship without the ability to preach as ordained clergy. It’s up to each of us to find balance between our own beliefs and those of the church we serve.

– Monty Moniker, Southeast Guest Columnist

Greetings from the North Central AGOYO. This month we are focusing on American Organ Music! American organ music is unique in its origin and exciting in both tone and color. The following American composers’ compositions provide excitement to American organ literature.

Nineteenth Century

• Arthur​ ​Foote​ ​helped found The American Guild of Organists and served the AGO as its National Honorary President. The majority of his compositions are written in the chamber music genre, however organists are fortunate that Foote wrote this interesting work for the King of Instruments. ○ Recording (Oriental Sketch, Op. 41, No. 5)
• Dudley​ ​Buck​ ​taught organ in Hartford, Connecticut with a medium sized organ and later relocated to Chicago. The great Chicago fire later burned both the church and his studio. After the fire he focused more on composing. His Concert Variations on the Star Spangled Banner provide a unique flare to an American favorite. ○ Recording ​ ​(Concert Variations on the Star Spangled Banner)

Twentieth Century to the Present

• Leo​ ​Sowerby​ ​starting composing at the young age of ten. Later at age fifteen Sowerby developed in interest in the organ. “Comes Autumn Time” is one of Sowerby’s well known works and is based on Bliss Carman’s poem “Autumn.” This piece has also been arranged for orchestra. ○ Recording​ ​(Comes Autumn Time)
• William​ ​Albright​ ​studied in Paris with Olivier Messiaen. This study influenced his composing and resulted in his works having both tonal and non-tonal colors. The Jig for Feet is an exciting work for pedal solo. ○ Recording (Jig for the Feet, from Organbook III)
• Daniel​ ​E.​ ​Gawthrop​ ​is more widely known as a choral composer, however and Gawthrop’s previous organ study has helped him become a strong proponent of music for the solo organ. Each movement in Gawthrop’s O Jerusalem is based on a verse of scripture from the book of Isaiah in the Bible’s Old Testament. The first movement displays exciting rhythmic drive, the second movement is peaceful and slow. The third is humorous in nature and the Finale concludes the work with virtuosic flare. (O Jerusalem–Symphony No.1 for Organ) ○ Recording (Allegro) ○ Recording (Largo) ○ Recording (Scherzo) ○ Recording (Finale)

For more information on Nineteenth-century organ music please see the following by Barbara Owen: Nineteenth-century American concert organ music.

A lot of us in the job market really struggle with narrowing down what we want out of our job and how we know what job posting might be right for us. Check out this Forbes article that can help you determine what you want out of your career in the church. While it mostly focuses on career change, there’s a handy little fill-in-the-blank section in the middle of the article that is designed to help you focus your career goals. What do you want most from a position? What are deal breakers for you? What are your strengths? Weaknesses? These are all questions we need to ask ourselves when approaching a job listing or even our current position!

9 questions that will help you find your dream career.

Hello from the West region! This year we will be posting about everything from professional development, planning events, organ repair and maintenance, and self care! We hope to cover a broad range of topics that will help us all grow and develop, regardless of where we are in our present careers.

Church Organist Shortage (Baltimore Sun)

Greetings from Southwest AGOYO! This year, we will be featuring posts about how to maneuver in our job market. From dealing with congregations and clergy, to the best way to prep for an interview with a pastor, to knowing when it’s time to move to a new church position, we have you covered! We are looking forward to sharing insights with all of you as we transition from college to the workforce or within the workforce itself.

–Logan Herod

Hello from the Southeast! This month, I blog about the biggest source of stress for college students, and how to alleviate it while pursuing a field you love.

​As a graduate student nearly finished with this chapter of my education  at Mississippi College, I often consider the stark numbers published in a recent issue of The American Organist regarding the number of organ performance majors in the country. It will not shock anyone to hear that the numbers have dropped each year.

This results from a variety of factors, but I hope to address the most stressful aspect of life as an American college student, according to a recent study by Ohio State University: money. Of 19,000 students surveyed, 70% voiced tuition costs and day-to-day expenses as their greatest source of anxiety.

With majors such as visual arts and music topping many unemployment lists, and top music programs for organ performance costing more than $160,000 just to attain a Bachelor’s, it seems inevitable that fewer students enter the field each year. According to the Guild, 90% of available organist jobs are part-time, which may not appeal to students spending up to $300,000 for top-tier graduate schools.

But these numbers don’t tell the whole story.

While I can’t guarantee scholarships or good jobs, I want to dispel the myth that organ degrees are too expensive and don’t “pay off.” 

Many young college graduates in a variety of fields struggle to find jobs. According to Business Insider, majors that may appear more practical such as biology, mass media, environmental science, and communications yield the highest percentage of unemployed graduates. In fact, music did not appear on that list.

Although music degrees can require a hefty price tag, many schools have noticed their suffering and increased scholarships accordingly. A degree in organ or sacred music with an emphasis in organ can often qualify for organ-specific endowments.

1. The availability of part-time jobs allows for students to work while in school.

Just recently in my city, five churches were offering part-time and two were offering full-time organ positions. Because Jackson, MS is not nearly as big as other metro areas, the multiple job openings tells me that other cities probably have equally large needs for organists, if not more. All the student organists I’ve known have been steadily employed on Sundays and Wednesdays since sophomore year of my undergraduate degree—a direct result of beginning to learn the organ in my freshman year.

Many students across other work fields pick up minimum-wage jobs that require more hours, and often inflexible, but part-time church work tends not to interfere with school. A colleague of mine didn’t study the organ until nearly the end of undergraduate career, but picked up a job that fits his schedule within a short time of moving to MA.

2. Organ degrees often provide transferrable skills.

As one of my fellow AGOYO-SE board members pointed out, many music majors who don’t find full-time jobs in music after graduation generally succeed in non-music fields. The discipline, flexibility, and resourcefulness that accompanies an education in organ will transfer to other employment opportunities. Within the field of music, organists can also compose, arrange, lead choirs, write liturgy, cantor, teach, and the list goes on.

While majoring in organ doesn’t mean that everyone will acquire every one of those additional qualities, it is likely that an organ degree will provide instruction in at least some of those areas.

3. An in-state or smaller school can offer unique opportunities.

Everyone wants to attend the most prestigious schools, but this can result in overcrowded practice organs with outrageously low availabilities. Schools that don’t offer doctoral programs also tend to have fewer TAs, and thus eliminate the issue of dealing with an inexperienced assistant for classes like theory or aural skills. Similarly, smaller classes sizes can allow professors more time to thoroughly evaluate lengthy assignments.

Out-of-state tuition is responsible for some of the worst price tags, and nearly every state has at least one option for aspiring organists. If you live in the Southeast, check out our website database of local organ schools. Save the travel expenses and out-of-state tuition for your Master’s, when you can nab a paying assistantship!

And let’s face it: departments for all majors can become highly competitive in areas where job positions fill quickly, and students are vying for particular professors’ studios. Smaller colleges promote camaraderie with less local competition. In a time when mental health among undergrads and graduate students is notoriously low, a welcoming and unified student body is essential to a positive experience.

There’s more than one way to receive a substantial music education, and even more ways to offset tuition. 

No matter what path you choose, there are probably more options than you think. In the post-Recession economy, the idea of following one’s dreams may seem impractical, but I knew from a young age that I wanted to make music in the church. The three above points are just some of the ways that can offset the cost. There are many myths surrounding a major in music, especially organ, but I hope this article has put at least some of them to rest.

–Amy Lauren Jones, SE blog coordinator

The Cost of a Career was originally published on the Southeast AGOYO blog.