Worship Design Team
The members of our MWAW Design Team dedicate an entire year prior to our gathering to prepare our daily worship services. Without their creativity, dedication, and faith-filled leadership, Music & Worship Arts Week would not be the same. It is also through their generosity that we are able to provide all attendees the full outline for each worship service at the end of the week, to be used in their home churches and local communities.
Rev. Todd Pick
Worship Design Chair
REV. TODD PICK is an Elder in The United Methodist Church currently serving St. Luke UMC – Haltom City. He is a pastor, painter, and poet. He has crafted meaningful liturgies for regional and national worship gatherings across the United Methodist connection. His work has been featured in The Abingdon Preaching Annual, Magnet Magazine,Worship Arts Magazine, as well as on umdiscipleship.org. Todd is also known for designing worship and visuals for various Fellowship events and conferences. Todd believes that the words we say in worship both shape and transform us as we embody the Word. He holds a Master of Divinity from Drew Theological School where he was artist-in-residence, adjunct faculty, and was twice awarded the Hoyt L. Hickman Award for Liturgical Studies. His work can be found on wordmadeimage.com.
Rev. Dionne P. Boissière
Preacher
REV. DIONNE P. BOISSIÈRE is the Chaplain of the Church Center for the United Nations (CCUN). Rev. Boissière is the first woman of African Descent to hold this position in the history of this New York ecumenical and inter-faith landmark. CCUN, owned by the United Women in Faith, exists to expand the ecumenical community’s capacity and access to the United Nations, to bring a greater voice to the broad moral and ethical concerns of the church in international affairs, peacemaking, and advocacy. As the chief spiritual steward of the CCUN, Rev. Boissière, ensures that the Church Center provides sacred space, worship, hospitality, community advocacy, and a forum for partners and civil society to engage in transformative education that seeks to empower and build the things that make for peace. Rev. Boissière received her Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in NY and served the seminary community for over a decade as Associate Director of Development and Alumni/ae Relations, staff/student facilitator, and guest lecturer. Rev. Boissiere also serves in the local church as an Associate Pastor on staff at the Mt. Aery Baptist Church in Bridgeport, CT. She uses her gift of preaching, teaching & facilitation, conducting workshops for various churches, faith-based, and civil society institutions throughout the U.S. and abroad. Her vocational experience includes corporate, organizational leadership development & global advocacy training, non-profit fundraising, socio-economic, religious & community improvement programming; women’s religious studies; church stewardship, worship, and liturgy design. She continues to provide leadership and support for several ecumenical and multi-faith institutions as well as academic and non-profit organizations in urban areas and international contexts. Rev. Boissiere has been listed among those called the ‘next generation’ of black women ministers and has one of her sermons and prayer devotionals featured in two publications; Those Preaching Women: A Multicultural Collection (Judson Press) and Soul Sisters: Devotions for and from African American, Latina, and Asian Women (TarcherPerigee). Rev. Boissiere has served as the Chair of Ecumenical Women at the United Nations for two terms and currently serves on the World Council of Churches Gender Justice Reference Group as well as several international, advisory and community boards, such as: The Bureau of the Committee of Religious NGO’s at the United Nations; the International Humanitarian Outreach Ministries, Inc.; Center for Reparatory Justice, Transformation and Remediation; The Black Religious Scholars Group (BRSG); and she serves as a World Council of Churches Thursdays In Black global ambassador against gender-based violence, and is the current Board Chair of WomanPreach! Inc.,-the premier non-profit organization that brings preachers into full prophetic voice around issues of equity and justice. She is the recipient of several awards including the Robert Wood Lynn Fellowship for exhibiting excellence in teaching and the ministry of education; The Caribbean Life Impact Award; The Women in Ministry State of NY, Rev. Dr. Renita J. Weems Trailblazers Award; the World Yoga Community Interfaith Leadership Award; Ameri-Corps’ President’s Lifetime Achievement Award in Volunteer Service; she has been inducted into the Class of 2021 Morehouse College Martin Luther King, Jr. Board of Preachers; and received the 2024 Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference “Beautiful Are Their Feet Award” which recognizes the ministry contributions of faith leaders whose work aligns with the organization’s mission, addressing the “critical needs of human rights and social justice within the local, national and global communities.” Rev. Boissière recently received her honorary Doctor of Divinity from Ursinus College in Pennsylvania. This academic honor recognizes her significant contributions and achievements in the fields of theology, public service, and local as well as global ministry within the church, society, and beyond. Rev. Boissiere is a global citizen, a gender justice advocate and defender of the marginalized and the misdiagnosed; she is a conduit for ancestral healing and communal legacy; a womanist; pastor, counselor, and inter-generational convenor; a prophetic preacher and multi-faith educator; a holy agitator, community organizer, and peace activist. Rev. Boissière continues to use her God-given gifts and talents in every area of life and is called and committed to the ministry of relevant, wholistic, integrated teaching and preaching, local and global advocacy, and international human rights activism. She is also a humble psalmist for God and uses the ministry of song as well as speech to proclaim the life and freedom available to the world through the radical and liberating love of God in Christ Jesus.
Lindy Thompson
Liturgist
LINDY THOMPSON is a lyricist and poet who lives in Franklin, TN. She is a lay member of Christ United Methodist Church where she has co-led a girls’ small group as part of the youth program for the past 8 years. She received her B.A. in Religion from Davidson College in Davidson, NC and her M.S.P.T. from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO. She practiced as a physical therapist in Colorado then moved back to her home state of Tennessee with her husband where she homeschooled their 3 children for 22 years until May 2025. She also serves as a doula to women experiencing pregnancy and childbirth. Lindy finds writing to be a means of grace through which she can discover holy ground, and she loves sharing her writing with others in all kinds of creative ways. She has written the weekly Fellowship Reflection devotion for the past 5 years and has been writing a column for The Hymn, the journal of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada, for the past 2 years. Previously her work was printed in the magazine Alive Now and she was interviewed on creativity for the Interpreter magazine. She has spoken to several classes on Bible and Culture at Belmont University, and she and composer Mark Miller have given a seminar on their creative process and resulting work for the theology and songwriting students at Belmont. Her poetry can be found at lindythompson.com and her lyrics, many written in collaboration with Mark Miller, have been published by Choristers Guild, GIA, Hal Leonard, Hinshaw, and Gentry Publications.
Mark Miller
Organist
MARK MILLER believes that everyone is a child of God and that music can heal the world. He adheres to Cornel West’s belief that “Justice is what love looks like in public” and is committed to using his gifts of music to advocate for social change and help create the beloved community. Mark’s music has been called “the soundtrack for the progressive church.” His congregational hymns and choral anthems are sung by communities of faith throughout the world and are widely published. His newest album & collection of songs, Revolution of the Heart (G.I.A. Inc), is available on streaming platforms including Apple music and Spotify. Miller’s popular compositions for pipe organ are published by GIA and Morningstar. His composition Let Justice Roll, originally commissioned by The Riverside Church in New York City, was performed at Carnegie Hall’s Juneteenth, All American Freedom Day celebration in 2019. Mark is Professor of Church Music and Composer-in-Residence at Drew University in Madison, NJ. He is a Lecturer in Sacred Music at Yale’s Institute of Sacred Music and Divinity School and is also Minister of Music at Christ Church in Summit. Mark is Artist-in-Residence at St. Bart’s Episcopal Church in New York City where, in 2022, he helped found Imagine Worship, a midweek gathering in midtown Manhattan. Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis conferred upon him the Doctor of Divinity degree, honoris causa, for his leadership in sacred music and the church. Mark is the grandson, son, brother, cncle, and cousin to United Methodist clergy and has served on the General Commissions for the Status and Role of Women, Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns, and was a lay delegate to three General Conferences, and Director of Music for the 2008 General Conference. A graduate of Juilliard, M.Mus. in Organ Performance, and Yale University, B.A. in Music, Mark was Assistant Organist and Music Associate at The Riverside Church from 1999-2001 and Director of Contemporary Worship at Marble Collegiate Church from 2002-2007, both in the city of New York. When he’s not working, Mark is home in Plainfield NJ with his husband of 30 years, Michael Murden. They have two grown children and a beautiful baby grandson.
Tracy DePue
Spiritual Renewal Leader
TRACY DEPUE is a spiritual director, retreat leader, and Level 1 Internal Family Systems (IFS) Practitioner, based in Little Rock, AR. She leads the ministry InsideOut Spiritual Living, which provides individual spiritual direction, workshops, retreats, and courses to help people deepen their inner connection – with God, Self, others, and creation. Tracy earned her Certificate in Spiritual Direction from the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University (SMU), where she now serves in a faculty role co-teaching the final practicum focused on art, music, and group spiritual direction. Her work is rooted in compassionate listening and creating a safe, nonjudgmental space where people can tell their sacred stories, discern what is happening in their spiritual journey, and pay attention to God’s presence in the midst of life’s transitions. Her training in Internal Family Systems (IFS) complements her spiritual direction work. Tracy completed her Level 1 IFS training in January 2023 as a non-therapist practitioner. Through IFS, she helps people identify and build relationships with their “parts” – those inner voices, beliefs, and embodied sensations that often drive behavior – to help access their core Self, with qualities of calmness, compassion, courage, confidence, connectedness, curiosity, and creativity, and clarity. Tracy’s path to this work was shaped by her long service in church music ministry. For over 25 years, she served in full-time music roles in Presbyterian (PCUSA) and United Methodist congregations in Texas and Arkansas. Her experience in ministry sharpened her listening and relational skills. In 2017, she felt called to shift to a more inward-facing vocation beyond the walls of the church, one that focuses on spiritual formation and the often-hidden work of inner healing. Tracy DePue combines faithful spiritual companionship with deep psychological insight – guiding others toward greater self-awareness, healing, and wholeness through a spiritually grounded, IFS-informed lens.
Dr. Katie Meeks
Dance in Worship
DR. KATIE MEEKS, DPT, received a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and a Bachelor of Science in Allied Health Sciences from Radford University. Katie then attended Radford University – Carilion, where she received her Doctor of Physical Therapy to combine her love of dance with her passion to provide rehabilitative care to others. Katie began dancing at the age of two at her local YMCA. It was there she discovered her love for a variety of dance styles, including ballet, tap, jazz, and lyrical. She continued her training at Blue Ridge Performing Arts Academy under the direction of Jennifer Young and Brittany Holcomb where she competed in various dance competitions across Virginia and North Carolina. During her time at Radford University, Katie studied the Vaganova method of ballet under Aleksey Plekhanov and Inessa Plekhanova, European Contemporary dance under Ji-Eun Lee, and Modern dance under Deborah McLaughlin, James Robey, Rachel Rugh, and Amy VanKirk. Her performance opportunities include various dance department mainstage shows including Nutcracker in Snow Scene, Terra: An Appalachian Dance Flim with Saltare in Elementis Dance Collective, and Oklahoma! as ensemble and dancer. Katie has also had the opportunity to teach dancers of all ages at Blue Ridge Performing Arts Academy and Radford University Ballet Youth. Katie is currently a member of Rocky Mount United Methodist Church serving as choreographer of Moving Word liturgical dance group.
Sarah Celec
Theatre in Worship
SARAH CELEC brings her background as a photographer, actor and director, and religious studies student to her liturgical art. She has recently returned to school to study Religion and Entrepreneurship at Shenandoah University, at which she is a worship artist in the University Chapel program. As a member of the Church Within A Church Movement, she is passionate about focusing on social justice in corporate worship. She has worked inside and outside of the Movement as a worship artist, also partnering with organizations such as the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church. Sarah is a graduate of The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City and enjoys acting and directing in professional and community theatre. She has brought her theatre background to the liturgical pieces she writes and directs. Her firm belief that theatre has much more to offer the Church than children’s skits is evident in her diverse range of work. She brings polish to liturgical settings using her vision developed in set design and theatrical blocking.
Clinicians
We are blessed by the expertise and leadership that our clinicians provide during our seminars and other gatherings at Music & Worship Arts Week. Each clinician brings an array of experience, education, and passion to their offerings and we are able to grow and learn because of their willingness to share their skills and love for God, for teaching, and for music and worship arts.
Dr. Larry Wyatt
Chamber Choir
DR. LARRY WYATT'S career spans elementary, high school, community college, university and Armed Forces teaching. He is Distinguished Professor Emeritus from the University of South Carolina where he taught for 32 years. He previously taught at Loyola University in New Orleans and founded The New Orleans Symphony Chorus, preparing them for over 40 major works with the orchestra. He has taught at the elementary through high school as well. His USC Concert Choir performed throughout the U.S., Europe, and Israel as well as multiple performances on ACDA conferences. Graduates of his conducting programs serve in colleges, public schools, churches and community choruses throughout the U.S. and countries world-wide. He has served as Director of Music in churches for 33 years. He served St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church for 10 year and First Presbyterian Church of Columbia, SC, for 19 years. At USC he was awarded the Cantey Award for Outstanding Teaching in the College of Music. In 2015 he was presented the Award of Excellence from the Southern Division of the American Choral Directors Association and in 2018 he received the Outstanding Alumnus Award from Murray State University. In 2021 he was awarded The Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest honor, for his contributions to the state. He currently resides in Blacksburg, Virginia, serving as Assistant Director of the Blacksburg Master Chorale. He has two grandsons in Blacksburg, for whom he provides transportation to school, soccer, basket ball and music rehearsals.
Dr. Jabarie Glass
Adult Choir
DR. JABARIE GLASS is a conductor and educator whose experience spans university, secondary, community, festival, and church choral settings. He currently serves as Director of Choral Activities in the School of Music at the University of Oklahoma, where he conducts University Chorale and oversees the graduate choral conducting program. Known for his dynamic leadership and compelling programming, Glass brings a steadfast commitment to musical excellence, collaboration, and inclusive practice to every ensemble he leads. Choirs under his direction have been featured at the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Southern Region Conference, the Mississippi-ACDA Conference, and the South Carolina Music Educators Association Conference. In addition to his passion for conducting works from the choral-orchestral repertory, he is a fervent advocate for new music, dedicated to enriching the choral canon by commissioning and premiering works that embrace diverse artistic perspectives. He has presented interest sessions at regional and national conferences of the American Choral Directors Association, led conducting masterclasses, and published in The Choral Journal. He remains deeply engaged in the musical development of young choral artists by conducting honor choirs and all-state ensembles across the United States. Recent engagements include conducting the ACDA Southwestern Region 10-12 Mixed Choir; all-state choirs in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Wisconsin; as well as regional honor choirs in Oklahoma and Tennessee. He also holds leadership positions in professional choral organizations, having served as the Student Activities Coordinator for the ACDA Southern Region and as a member of the National Board for the National Collegiate Choral Organization. A native Mississippian, Glass earned dual bachelor's degrees in business management and music education from the University of Mississippi, where he was inducted into the University's Student Hall of Fame, an honor awarded to ten seniors annually for exemplary leadership, scholarship, and service. He went on to earn a master's degree in music education from the Florida State University College of Music and a doctoral degree in conducting from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance. He also pursued additional conducting studies as a fellow with the Chorus America Conducting Academy and the Yale-Norfolk Chamber Music Festival Choral Conducting Workshop.
James Wells
Young Adult Choir & Evening Prayers
JAMES WELLS is the Director of Worship and Arts at Brentwood United Methodist Church (BUMC) just south of Nashville, where he leads choirs and ensembles of all ages and oversees a gifted team of directors, worship leaders, staff, and student interns. His ministry focuses on creating meaningful worship and caring for the spiritual, emotional, social, and musical needs of all who serve. James also serves as Artistic Director of the Nashville Children’s Choir at Belmont University, a multi-ensemble program for singers in grades 3–12. Before his work in church and community music, he taught general music and treble chorus for ten years in the Franklin Special School District. He holds degrees in Vocal Performance and Music Education from Middle Tennessee State University and a Master’s in Music Education (conducting emphasis) from Belmont University. James is currently discerning a call to pastoral ministry and has been approved by his church’s Staff Parish Relations Committee to begin pursuing licensure within the United Methodist Church. A longtime participant and clinician at Lake Junaluska since 2007, James is thrilled to return to Music & Worship Arts Week – this year leading music for evening prayer and collaborating with young adults. James and his wife, Amy, have been married for 32 years and have two young adult daughters and a grandson, Sonny James. They look forward to seeing you at the lake!
Dr. Ashley Conway
High School Choir
DR. ASHLEY CONWAY is the Chair for the Department of Music and Assistant Professor of Music Education at Brenau University. At Brenau, she directs Vocal Chamber Ensemble (lobby performing choir – GMEA, 2022), and Spectrum Singers, and teaches music education, aural skills, and conducting courses. Dr. Conway’s previous appointments have included public and private schools, colleges and universities, churches, and community music programs in Georgia, Arizona, Kentucky, and North Carolina. She is an active scholar, guest conductor, and adjudicator, and is a founder and conductor of the professional treble choir, Lux (GA-ACDA performance – 2024, ACDA Southern Region performance - 2026). Dr. Conway holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in music education from Brenau University, and the University of Georgia. She earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting from Arizona State University. Her research interests include women’s choirs, and music and hearing loss. When not making music, Dr. Conway loves reading and spending time with her wonderful husband, Bradley, and their fabulous daughters, Mia and Zoe.
Emily Allison
Mid-High Choir
EMILY ALLISON is in her sixth year serving as the choral director at Cherokee Bluff Middle School (CBMS). She previously spent twelve years building the chorus program at East Hall Middle School where she was selected as the 2019-2020 Teacher of the Year. She currently serves as a member of the leadership team and Tome Sponsor, and served as the Grade Level Chair from 2020-2024. She was selected as the CBMS Teacher of the Year for the 2024-2025 school year and the District 14 Music Educator of the Year for 2025. She was also named the Hall County School District Teacher of the Year for the 2026-2027 school year and is currently competing for the Georgia Teacher of the Year. Her 7th/8th Grade chorus was also a featured performer in the 2025 GMEA In-Service Conference. Mrs. Allison holds a Bachelor's degree in Vocal Performance and a Master's Degree in Music Education from Piedmont University. In her free time, she serves as the Children's Director at Jefferson First United Methodist Church. She is also the co-founder and co-conductor of Lux, the professional Treble ensemble of North Georgia who performed at the ACDA conference in October 2024, the GMEA conference in January 2026, and the Southeastern Region ACDA conference in Memphis, Tennessee in March 2026. She loves to read and go on adventures with her husband and two kids, Anthony and Nora.
To Be Announced
Older Elementary Choir
This position is in the process of being contracted. We are excited to share with you the person who will be serving in the role of Older Elementary Choir Director and will do so as soon as the contracting process is complete! Stay tuned!
Melissa McIntyre
Younger Elementary Choir
MELISSA MCINTYRE has been teaching music for 28 years in the state of Alabama. She currently serves as the music specialist at Vestavia Hills Elementary Liberty Park where she teaches 550 students in grades Kindergarten through 5th grade, as well as directs the Liberty Park Singers, the Liberty Park First Grade Ring-Dingers, and the Liberty Park Recorder Ensemble. She received both her Bachelors and Masters Degrees from the University of Montevallo. She is a National Board Certified Teacher, has her Level I Arts Integration Certification from the Institute from Arts Integration and STEAM and has completed Levels I, II, and III in the Orff Schulwerk Method. She was the Vestavia Hills City Schools Elementary Teacher of the Year in 2024 and was recipient of the Lacey Powell Outstanding Music Educator Award for the State of Alabama in 2025. She is a member of NAfME, AMEA, and AOSA.
Brenda E. Austin
Bronze Handbell Choir
BRENDA AUSTIN is in demand internationally as a conductor and clinician because of her dynamic and energetic approach to connecting musicians through handbells. In 2019, Brenda joined the team at Hope Publishing Company in Carol Stream, IL as Editor. In 2023, she was named Music Director for Embellish Handbells. Embellish was one of the premier ensembles to perform at Handbell Musicians of America’s Pinnacle in 2025. Before joining Embellish, she served as the Artistic Director for the Detroit Handbell Ensemble since 2016. Under her baton, DHE was honored to open the HMA Seminar in 2018 and be the featured concert for HMA’s AREA 2 2019 Festival in Lancaster, PN. Additionally, she has served First United Methodist Church in Eaton Rapids, MI, as Director of Music since 2003. She is also active in the community directing Children’s musical theatre. Brenda graduated with degrees in Vocal Performance from Western Michigan University and a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from the University of Missouri – Kansas City. She studied with Craig Arnold, Steve Zegree and Eph Ehly. Brenda is sought after as a handbell clinician throughout the year and has been the conductor and clinician at numerous festivals and workshops including HMA National Seminar, and many of the Areas’ festivals. Additionally, she has had more than 110 titles published for handbells and sacred choral since 2015. For more information about Brenda, please visit her website at www.BrendaEAustin.com
Karen Buckwalter
Copper Handbell Choir
KAREN BUCKWALTER, a distinguished organist, pianist and composer, served as a full time Minister of Music for 37 years in Hanover, PA. A graduate of Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ and The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, she is internationally known in the field of handbell composition. Recognized for her original compositions such as “Soliloquy for Bells” and “Nocturne in A Minor,” she now has over 170 bell/choral compositions in print. She has earned enthusiastic praise for her creative compositions, her colorful harmonies and her use of chromatics that have raised the musicality in handbell music as a genre. Sought after as a handbell conductor / clinician throughout the country, her works have been performed and recorded in the United States, Asia and Europe.
Kathryn Jurado
Tin Handbell Choir & Instrumentals
A musician with over 30 years of performance experience, 20 years of non-profit volunteer work, and lifelong church music ministry service, KATHRYN JURADO has quickly gained prominence in the handbell community as a ringer and director. She is currently the Director of Handbells at Landon School in Bethesda, Maryland, where she leads students from grades 5 through 12. Kathryn also serves as President-Elect on the national board of Handbell Musicians of America, and is the Handbell and Instrumental Editor of Alfred Handbell, a division of Jubilate Music Group. Originally born in Puerto Rico, Kathryn holds both a Bachelor and Master of Music degree in Oboe Performance from the University of South Florida in Tampa. As a freelance oboist and private teacher, she has performed with groups such as Opera Tampa, the Venice Symphony, The Tampa Bay Symphony, The Villages Philharmonic, The Florida Orchestra and performances of La La Land Live, and with Ray Charles, the Irish Tenors, and pop superstars Hanson. Kathryn has served as director of various community handbell ensembles in central Florida including a collegiate handbell ensemble at the University of South Florida, taught music in the Hillsborough County Public Schools for over a decade, served as Province Officer with Sigma Alpha Iota, International Music Fraternity, and was the handbell and children’s music director at Lake Magdalene United Methodist Church in Tampa. In 2022, Kathryn had the privilege to be the clinician for Reaching for Bronze (now known as Crescendo) in New Bern, North Carolina. Most recently, she was the handbell clinician for the Florida Chapter of the Fellowship of Worship Artists’ Worship Arts Week in Fruitland Park, Florida in 2024 and 2025, HMA Area 4’s Bells of the Caribbean in 2024, HMA’s 2025 College Ring-In, and the 2025 Utah Spring Ring. Kathryn was a faculty member at HMA’s 2025 Pinnacle event in Wichita, Kansas, and is looking forward to leading handbell festivals in Delaware, Florida, Montana, Nebraska and North Carolina throughout 2026. In her spare time, Kathryn, along with her husband, William J. Murphy, enjoys traveling to Disney, cruising the Caribbean, and watching movies with their clowder of cats.