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Thom Pavlechko
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HYMN WRITER AND WORSHIP LEADER AT BETHANY OCT. 5 THROUGH OCT. 7
LINDSBORG, Kan.-- A musician, worship leader and composer who played a key role in renewing Lutheran worship will be in residence at Bethany College Oct. 5 through Oct. 7.
Thom Pavlechko, cantor and composer in residence at St. Martin's Lutheran Church in Austin, Texas, will be in residence as part of the Bethany College Encounters series.
Pavlechko composed several hymns in the new Evangelical Lutheran Worship hymnal.
While at Bethany, Pavlechko will lead classes, seminars and workshops for Bethany students and the public. His public events while at Bethany include:
Oct. 5 at 5 p.m. "Hymnody for the Contemporary Church," dinner and discussion in Levin Room of Pihlblad Memorial.
Oct. 5 at 7:30 p.m. "Evangelical Lutheran Worship: An Introduction to the New Hymnal" on Presser Hall stage.
Oct. 6 at 6 p.m. "Encounters with Meditation: Centering Prayer and the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Tool," Lindquist Hall, Wallerstedt Library, followed by a Labyrinth walk at Messiah Lutheran Church.
Members of area congregations are encouraged to take part. All are welcome. For more information or Oct. 5 dinner reservations, contact Noni Strand at (785) 227-3311, ext. 8340.
As cantor and composer in residence at St. Martin's, Pavlechko serves as principal organist, choirmaster and overseer of all music activities. Founded in 1883, St. Martin's has a long tradition of active music ministry, including a symphonic wind ensemble, handbell choir and contemporary band.
Pavlechko is an honors graduate of the Dana School of Music, Youngstown State University. He received the Master of Music from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. His compositions have been sung at national conferences of the Associations of Anglican Musicians and Lutheran Church Musicians. He has presented organ recitals at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City and Washington National Cathedral. His combined choirs at Calvary Episcopal Church in Memphis, where he has served as organist-choirmaster since 2000, have sung at Washington National Cathedral for Tennessee Day.
Pavlechko has served as organist and workshop leader for both national and regional conferences, and has led numerous hymn festivals. He also was selected as Emerging Hymn Composer for the 2002 conference of the Hymn Society in the U.S. and Canada, at which time his first hymn collection was debuted before 450 hymn text writers, composers and publishers from 16 countries.
Encounters is an ongoing forum for discussion on issues of faith and life. Hosted annually at Bethany College, the Encounters series brings to campus a scholar or artist who helps the community explore avenues for leadership, new ideas and theological insights, and new understandings about self and the world within a context of faith.
Bethany College, established by Swedish Lutheran immigrants in 1881, is a college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The mission of Bethany College is to nurture and challenge individuals in their search for truth and meaning as they lead lives of faith, learning and service.
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CONTACT Colene Lind, (785) 227-3311 ext. 8122
