INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 16 – “Why Should Music Matter to People of Faith?” will be the theme of a special two-day, free event presented by the Richard E. and Anna Lee Hamilton Series on Theology and Contemporary Issues (the Hamilton Series) on Saturday, Nov. 11 and Sunday, Nov. 12 at North United Methodist Church, 3808 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis.

Dr. Jeremy Begbie of the Duke Divinity School in Durham, N.C. and the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England, will present a multimedia performance/lecture with that title at the grand piano in the church’s sanctuary at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11. His presentation will be preceded by a free light breakfast, and after his talk there will be a catered lunch in the church's Fellowship Hall that is also free to all who RSVP via email by Nov. 4 to Events@NorthChurchIndy.com.

On Sunday morning, Nov. 12, Dr. Begbie will speak at both of North’s worship services at 8:30 and 11 a.m. These services will also feature the world premieres of two anthems commissioned by the Hamilton Series by composers Craig Courtney of Columbus, Ohio, and Reginal Wright of Arlington, Texas. These original works will be presented by North's Cathedral Singers choir under the direction of Mark Gilgallon, North's director of music, who is celebrating his 20th year in that position. Dr. Heather Hinton, the church's organist, will accompany on either organ or grand piano.

Dr. Begbie specializes in the interface between theology and the arts. He is particularly interested in the interplay between music and theology. He has taught widely in the United Kingdom and North America. A trained musician, he has performed extensively as a pianist, oboist, and conductor. He tours widely as a speaker. He has delivered multimedia performance/lectures across the world, from Israel to Australia and Hong Kong. He is an ordained minister of the Church of England.

Dr. Begbie is Thomas A. Langford Distinguished Research Professor of Theology at Duke Divinity School, and the McDonald Agape Director and founder of Duke Initiatives in Theology and the Arts. He is also a senior member at Wolfson College, Cambridge, and an affiliated lecturer in the faculty of music at the University of Cambridge. He is also the author of several books.

Courtney's anthem is entitled "You Make the Sun to Rise" and is based on a poem by Martin Gehring. Wright's composition, "Canticle of Praise!," is based on Psalm 95 and Psalm 96.

Courtney is an Indiana native. He is a former faculty member of the famed Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. His published works include more than 200 choral octavos, nine vocal collections, a piano solo collection, and six extended works for choir and orchestra. He combines his training and background as a pianist, a cellist, a vocal coach, an accompanist, and a choral director to create words that bear his unique style. He has been a frequent recipient of awards from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, and his composition "Peace I Give to You" was awarded first place in the 2003 John Ness Beck Foundation competition.

Wright is a composer, conductor, and educator who creates works in collaboration with choirs and music educators. As a conductor he is a sought-after clinician in both Gospel and Classical genres. As an educator he has earned many awards over the span of his over 20-year career. He has performed throughout Europe and the United States. As a composer his works have been commissioned by middle school, high school, college, and professional choirs. His works have been performed by All-State Choirs and invited convention choirs. His “Invictus” was performed at the 2021 American Choral Directors Association's national convention and by the 2022 Texas All-State Tenor-Bass Choir.

All the events are open to the public. For those who cannot attend in person, North's audio-visual team plans to livestream Saturday morning's presentation as well as Sunday's 11 a.m. worship service on the church's YouTube channel. It can be accessed easily from the home page of the church's website at NorthChurchIndy.com.

The Hamilton Series brings speakers, seminars, and special musical events to North UMC on various issues. The series was established in 2018 with a gift from the William E. Schmidt Foundation. It honors the lives and ministries of the late Dick and Anna Lee Hamilton at North UMC. Mr. Hamilton was the senior pastor at North from 1974 through 1997 and was known for his work in the city and state on social justice and Christian action. Anna Lee was a talented partner in ministry, adding her singing, teaching, and leadership skills to the church and wider community. Additional support is provided by Nick and Susan Blankenbaker Noyes and the Blankenbaker family, as well as gifts from individuals in memory of Dick and Anna Lee. North UMC and the Hamilton family are very grateful for these generous gifts, and they hope the public will attend and enjoy both days of these events offered free of charge to the public.

To learn more about North United Methodist Church see www.northchurchindy.com.