What does it mean to work toward racial justice? We can all acknowledge the evils of racism and the impact it has had and continues to have on our country. It is another thing to take a careful look at our own lives and see the places where injustice has occurred and do something to change that. 

The Laurel Heights UMC Chancel Choir recently did just that. They examined their practices using works from the African American sacred music tradition, which has richly blessed us. They decided that each time we use music from this tradition in worship, a donation will be made to a scholarship fund at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in acknowledgment of the ways that the original creators of African American sacred music have been denied credit and compensation for these works. (You can read their full statement Music with a Mission below.)  

First UMC in Austin plans to adopt this initiative. Pastor Lisa Straus is working to bring this effort to the attention of others within our district and conference as well. Others can take part by making a designated gift online or through the offering plate. Thank you to the choir for leading us! 

Music with a Mission 

Music from the Black Church, which includes gospel and spiritual songs and hymns, is found in the United Methodist and other Christian hymnals. These traditional works are sung universally across Christian churches and have been mainstreamed for decades. Singing these pieces has multiple effects: maintaining appreciation for the genre; celebrating the many unknown Black composers and musicians who created the songs, (many dating back to the slave era); and preserving African American music in connection with other movements in global music. 

Music of African descent provides the building block of all American music. When a choir or instrumental ensemble presents gospel or spiritual works, they must honor the style and context of the period from which the work originated and present the piece in the most authentic way possible, while respecting its origins and background story. The Laurel Heights U.M.C. Chancel Choir strives to prepare authentic renditions, with the assistance of legitimate choral arrangers, to enhance the Christian experience via a Global Music Ministry perspective. 

Unlike other hymns and worship music, songs from the Black Church were not published until after the names of their creators were long forgotten if they were ever even known. 

In recognition of this reality, whenever we sing gospel and spiritual songs and hymns at LHUMC, we will begin the practice of contributing ‘royalties’ in an offering that will support the development of young Black musicians. 

For this season, these royalties will support the Dr. Gloria Quinlan Endowed Scholarship fund at Huston-Tillotson University, an H.B.C.U. in Austin, Texas that is affiliated with both the United Methodist and the United Church of Christ. Dr. Quinlan grew up in Houston and began sharing her musical gifts with churches there throughout her youth. She earned degrees from Texas Southern University (B.A.), Colorado State (M.Mus.), and the University of Texas at Austin (D.M.A.) While teaching at Huston-Tillotson, Dr. Quinlan remained committed to the Black Church and worked as the Minister of Music at Ebenezer Baptist. 

If you wish to join LHUMC in contributing royalties, please use the envelopes in the pews and mark your donation as a contribution to the Dr. Quinlan Scholarship Fund. You may also contribute through the LHUMC website donation page 

https://www.laurelheights.org/give/. 

Written by Katie Myers