By now, many of us are probably familiar with the words attributed to Saint Augustine: “Those who sing, pray twice.”  As I reflect back on the growth of our ministry over the past several years, those words definitely ring true here at Saint Joseph!

We are blessed with a ministry that is diverse in its offerings, and continues to expand each and every year.  While most music programs took a hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic, our ministry here at Saint Joseph actually continued to grow!  Although our choirs were not able to participate for several months, we were able to find creative ways to continue ministry, including weekly Hymn Sings, the start of our new Handbell program, and the expansion of our Contemporary Music Ensemble.  Throughout the pandemic, our extremely talented cantors took on a larger role, and continued to help us proclaim the Word of God through song, even when we weren’t all able to participate together as a community.

The main goal of any music ministry is to foster the full, conscious, and active participation of the assembly.  My favorite part about music ministry is that, whether you know it or not, you don’t have to formally join one of our ensembles to take part!  By simply being a part of our worshipping community, each one of us is called to participate in both the spoken and sung Word during each Liturgy that we celebrate together!

If you have ever considered becoming more active in our ministry, maybe now is the time to get involved!  We accept new members in all parts of our ministry year-round, so always feel free to contact us for more information.  If now isn’t the right time for you to become more involved in one of our ensembles, maybe it’s time for you to become more involved from the pews!  God loves to hear His people sing praises to Him, no matter what you think you may sound like.  If you’re still a little uneasy about singing in front of others, maybe you could consider either speaking the text to the hymns, or even just humming along…God loves any efforts we make, as long as we are making the effort!

If you have any questions about the music ministry here, please feel free to email me at [email protected]. 

May God continue to bless you for your support and participation in the musical life of our parish!
-Justin Myers