Music Search Update
Dear friends and members of St. Matthew's,
I am delighted to write today with wonderful news. Last week, Andrew Leslie Cooper accepted my offer to serve as our next Director of Music Ministries and Organist. Andrew comes to us after a long period of transition in our music program, as we looked for the right partner in ministry, the person God had already chosen to join us. And I believe that we've found him.
Andrew brings with him tremendous musical and interpersonal gifts. Throughout the application and interview process, I was impressed with not only his credentials and musical ability, but with the way he was thinking through the possibilities of our life together at St. Matt's. From the beginning, he was focused on what he could bring to St. Matthew's and what he could learn from us. From our first conversation to the reference calls I made to mentors and former co-workers, it was clear that everyone appreciates Andrew's creativity, gifts, collaborative spirit, and dry sense of humor. Andrew has a love of teaching, particularly volunteers. He has a passion for working with and teaching children, and we talked extensively about his belief that music education is essential and transformative for everyone. He steps easily into the spiritual conversations that are a part of a choir member's formation, sharing wisdom and encouraging reflection. Andrew will build on the rich tradition of music here at St. Matthew's and I believe he has the gifts and the desire to move us forward, to challenge and inspire us.
As part of the interview process, Andrew met with and rehearsed our wonderful Adult Choir online, where it was clear there was an instant rapport. Andrew also met with other members of the staff and with the Wardens. And all of these folks agreed that this was the best fit and that they were excited about the possibility of having Andrew join the team.
I am so looking forward to the ministry that we will build with Andrew at St. Matt's. We will learn from him and our musical ministry will grow with him. And I've shared with Andrew that he will also grow with you - with this wonderful, generous congregation that has such open arms and open hearts. I am tremendously hopeful about God's plans for us as we enter this new season together.
I'm grateful to our Choir members who have all been so steadfast and dedicated in this time. And to the staff and Wardens who met with Andrew to confirm his call to join this team and this congregation. And I'm particularly grateful to Andrew for his good spirit, his candor, his openness to the process, and ultimately for his willingness to move halfway across the world to join us in our life and work together. There are wonderful things in store for us and I can't wait for you all to meet him this summer, likely sometime in July.
You can read more about him in the letter he wrote to introduce himself to you. And I hope you will! I know that when he arrives you will make him welcome. The summer will give him a chance to settle in and to come to know some of you, particularly members of the Choirs, as we all prepare for a full, festive, and joyful fall. As part of that fall, we'll look for ways to introduce Andrew and his many gifts to our surrounding community.
Until then, I hope you'll keep Andrew in your prayers as he begins to make preparations to join us at St. Matt's. We wish him and his cats (read on in his letter!) a safe trip and look forward to welcoming them soon. May God bless and keep them. And may God bless St. Matt's, our life and work together, and all that is before us.
Faithfully,
--Marissa +
Tags: Welcome from the Rector