Presbyterian Association of Musicians
Encyclopedia
Presbyterian Association of Musicians (PAM) is a national organization of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
for people who are involved in the areas of Reformed Christian worship
, Church music
, and liturgical arts. The national offices for this 1,600 member organization are located in Louisville at the National Office of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
. "Members of the Presbyterian Association of Musicians (PAM) include choir directors, organists, ministers, and other persons interested in the quality and integrity of music in the worship experience."
. The purpose was to give “comprehensive and practical help to all people concerned with better church music.”
After fourteen years of the Montreat Worship and Music Conference, the Board of Christian Education was unable to continue financial support of the conference. An ad hoc committee was formed to create an association for the musicians. On July 26, 1970 the Presbyterian Association of Musicians was formed to support of the Montreat Worship and Music Conference.
and is repeated the following week. This intergenerational conference offers a wide variety of classes and ensembles that provide musical, liturgical and theological instruction.
The Mo-Ranch/Presbyterian Association of Musicians Conference (MoPAM) is the union of two worship and music conferences. The annual week-long Mo Ranch
conference merged with the PAM West conference in 2009 to create an annual worship and music conference at Mo Ranch.
PAM has held biennial National Gatherings for church professionals since 2005 in partnership with Presbyterian Seminaries. These gatherings, typically held in February, are two-three day conferences focusing on topics that are of importance to church musicians, pastors and educators who are working in the church. The gatherings are open to all church professionals.
Past PAM Professionals Gatherings
Presbyterian Church (USA)
The Presbyterian Church , or PC, is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. Part of the Reformed tradition, it is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the U.S...
for people who are involved in the areas of Reformed Christian worship
Christian worship
In Christianity, worship is adoration and contemplation of God.-Overview:Throughout most of Christianity's history, corporate Christian worship has been primarily liturgical, characterized by prayers and hymns, with texts rooted in, or closely related to, the Scripture, particularly the Psalter;...
, Church music
Church music
Church music may be defined as music written for performance in church, or any musical setting of ecclestiacal liturgy, or music set to words expressing propositions of a sacred nature, such as a hymn. This article covers music in the Judaeo-Christian tradition. For sacred music outside this...
, and liturgical arts. The national offices for this 1,600 member organization are located in Louisville at the National Office of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
Presbyterian Church (USA)
The Presbyterian Church , or PC, is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. Part of the Reformed tradition, it is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the U.S...
. "Members of the Presbyterian Association of Musicians (PAM) include choir directors, organists, ministers, and other persons interested in the quality and integrity of music in the worship experience."
History
PAM's origins are rooted in the Montreat Worship and Music Conference which was created to provide professional support for Presbyterian musicians. The Presbyterian General Assembly asked the Board of Christian Education to make a recommendation to create opportunities to educate church musicians. On August 2, 1956 the first conference was held at the Montreat Conference CenterMontreat Conference Center
Montreat Conference Center located in Montreat, North Carolina, United States, is a conference center serving the Presbyterian Church...
. The purpose was to give “comprehensive and practical help to all people concerned with better church music.”
After fourteen years of the Montreat Worship and Music Conference, the Board of Christian Education was unable to continue financial support of the conference. An ad hoc committee was formed to create an association for the musicians. On July 26, 1970 the Presbyterian Association of Musicians was formed to support of the Montreat Worship and Music Conference.
Worship and Music Conferences
The week-long Montreat Worship and Music Conference is held at Montreat Conference CenterMontreat Conference Center
Montreat Conference Center located in Montreat, North Carolina, United States, is a conference center serving the Presbyterian Church...
and is repeated the following week. This intergenerational conference offers a wide variety of classes and ensembles that provide musical, liturgical and theological instruction.
The Mo-Ranch/Presbyterian Association of Musicians Conference (MoPAM) is the union of two worship and music conferences. The annual week-long Mo Ranch
Mo Ranch
Mo Ranch is a Presbyterian conference center for summer camps, retreats, family reunions, etc., located in the heart of the Hill Country of Texas, at the North Fork of the Guadalupe River.- History :...
conference merged with the PAM West conference in 2009 to create an annual worship and music conference at Mo Ranch.
PAM has held biennial National Gatherings for church professionals since 2005 in partnership with Presbyterian Seminaries. These gatherings, typically held in February, are two-three day conferences focusing on topics that are of importance to church musicians, pastors and educators who are working in the church. The gatherings are open to all church professionals.
Past PAM Professionals Gatherings
- 2005-National Office of the Presbyterian Church (USA)Presbyterian Church (USA)The Presbyterian Church , or PC, is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. Part of the Reformed tradition, it is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the U.S...
, Louisville, KY - 2007-Columbia Theological SeminaryColumbia Theological SeminaryColumbia Theological Seminary is one of the ten theological institutions affiliated with the Presbyterian Church . It is located in Decatur, Georgia. Dr. Stephen A. Hayner is the seminary's president.-Description:...
, Decatur (Atlanta), GA - 2009-Austin Presbyterian Theological SeminaryAustin Presbyterian Theological SeminaryAustin Presbyterian Theological Seminary is a Presbyterian seminary in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 1902 by Presbyterian ministers, Robert Lewis Dabney and Richmond Kelley Smoot....
, Austin, TX - 2011-Princeton Theological SeminaryPrinceton Theological SeminaryPrinceton Theological Seminary is a theological seminary of the Presbyterian Church located in the Borough of Princeton, New Jersey in the United States...
, Princeton, NJ