Creator's Worship and Music 2025

Teach us to count our days, that we may gain a wise heart.”  Psalm 90:12 

We tend to name years once they are over, calling them good, bad, hard, joyful, busy, transformational, or whatever, at the end, when we can assess the previous twelve months and judge them according to some scale of success or failure, achievement or challenge.

It is an odd practice  Is it valuable to generally label 2025 like this for Creator?

Throughout 2025, Creator’s worship and music life reflected the collective heart and shared history of the congregation, while growing and transforming into something new. Worship remained deeply rooted in tradition while intentionally opening space for fresh perspectives, new voices, and faithful experimentation. 

A significant shift in the congregation's life occurred through Pastor Emillie’s leadership in worship and preaching. In July, she guided Creator from the Revised Common Lectionary to the Narrative Lectionary, beginning with the book of Jeremiah. This move invited the congregation into a more expansive and story-driven engagement with scripture. Over the summer, Pastor Emillie also introduced a timely sermon series on “Holy Disruptors,” which Creator joined with other congregations in exploring. The series encouraged thoughtful reflection on faithful resistance, prophetic courage, and God’s ongoing work of renewal.

At the same time, Pastor Emillie led Creator’s Wednesday Bible discussions. These gatherings offered a welcoming space to examine the wisdom of scripture in conversation with daily life, enriched by the many perspectives and lived experiences of participants. From September through December, Pastor shared her deep love for Old Testament stories, guiding the group through rich and often challenging texts. The remainder of the Narrative Lectionary in the coming year will turn toward the Gospel of John, continuing this intentional journey through scripture.

We are in a cultural moment where determining what we see as the common good is critically important. There is an idea to this and how we express it, particularly in Word and music, manifested in worship. 2025 was particularly strong, as usual, with music.  

Creator was blessed this year by a variety of musical guest artists who enriched worship in meaningful ways. Bob, a percussionist Matt worked with, played at Easter, María Olaya, a Colombian guitarist, shared her gifts during Lent, offering music that was both reflective and prayerful. Drummer Lasana Kanneh and vocalist Marilyn Keller also contributed powerful musical offerings that expanded the congregation’s sonic and spiritual palette.

Throughout the summer, Creator’s Hiring Team conducted an intentional search for a new Music Minister. During this period, guest musicians were scheduled to provide continuity and care for worship music. The congregation is especially grateful for the steady leadership of pianists Josh Stromberg-Wojcik and Matt Lotz, who were the primary musicians supporting worship through the latter half of 2025.

Advent was a particularly inspiring season. A Midweek Advent service invited the congregation to experience our ongoing Music Minister search through a liturgical lens, weaving discernment and prayer together. Creator also hosted An Evening of Poetry, Prayer, and Advent Music with Mychal and Theresa Lotz. Mychal, who is being considered as a candidate for Music Minister, and Theresa offered reverent, beautifully shaped music that resonated deeply with the season’s themes of longing and hope. Both also shared their gifts during Sunday worship services in the latter part of December.

The Creator Choir continued to be a vital presence, singing on Sundays and leading music for Christmas Eve services. Under Mychal’s direction, the choir’s offerings brought depth, warmth, and joy to worship, closing the year with a strong sense of gratitude and expectation for what lies ahead.

September 14, 2025 - A Special Sunday of Worship and Music Filled with Spirit

From the first welcome, the tone of the service was one of warmth, openness, and shared joy. Children’s voices and movement were not only tolerated but embraced as part of the congregation’s living soundscape, reminding us that worship is not confined to polished performance but is a space where faith is formed in real time.

Musically, the service unfolded with grace and intentionality. The Gathering song, Come, Let Us Worship God from Dancing at the Harvest, set an introductory and celebratory tone that paired well with the Genesis readings. 

The Children's Sermon song "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" was both inviting and grounding, helping prepare the assembly to hear the familiar but weighty story of Abraham and Isaac. It expressed the childlike confidence that allows our hearts to be attuned to God’s promises.

 Later, the Gospel acclamation Return to the Lord (from Marty Haugen's Tree of Life) and the offertory Come, Let Us Bring echoed this theme of trust and provision, layering scriptural depth with melodic beauty. The call and response structure Marty Haugen employed throughout this setting was executed perfectly by Chris and Marilyn with help from Tini, Suzi, and Gary.

Pastor Emillie's sermon tackled the troublesome aspects of God's command to test Abraham and the father's obedience: Sermon 

The congregation’s voice was never overshadowed by the leadership; instead, the music wove seamlessly into the liturgy, supporting rather than distracting from the texts. The Hymn of the Day, Here I Am, Lord (ELW 574), was a particularly moving moment of response after Pastor Emilie’s message. It allowed the community to voice their willingness to serve in the wake of Abraham’s trial and God’s providence.

Musicians Chris and Marilyn particularly deserve special note. Their performance was described by many as a “wonderful pairing” with listeners highlighting the natural chemistry between them. The interplay of voice and the piano accompaniment brought a sense of ease and harmony, underscoring the unity of the congregation’s prayer. Their music felt less like a performance and more like a gift, offered humbly to God and shared generously with the community.

The pair performed a wistful version “He Looked Beyond My Fault (And Saw My Need)” for Communion, the power of each built up the quiet intensity of the music. Set to the traditional Irish melody of "Londonderry Air" this haunting Danny Boy melody, with its strong connection to the Irish diaspora, functioned as a simple and fitting reminder that worship on earth is always a longing foretaste of the great song already being sung in glory. 

They ended with an equally powerful "Shout to the Lord". Overall, the service’s music was not only beautiful but purposeful. It carried the themes of promise, provision, and trust, and it invited the assembly to enter deeply into the story of God’s people. The sound in the room, unlike the Zoom recording, was balanced, seamless, and filled with good chemistry. This was worship that nourished both spirit and community on a drizzly Portland day.

November 10, 2024 - Shirley Peterson's Memorial

All photos by Ron Houser

There didn't appear to be an empty chair in either the sanctuary or narthex at Creator on Sunday afternoon for the memorial - but there was. And the attendees were acutely aware of the one who was absent. 

Everyone's bereavement and grief was an undercurrent as everyone tried to make it a celebration of her life yet the sorrow was still, obviously present. Shirley had a unique place in our lives. We were all bearing the weight of this loss, each of us feeling the absence of a person we cherished deeply.

Shirley chose John 14:1-4 as a message of comfort for the Gospel reading. She knew in this sorrow, we find would ourselves searching for some comfort and assurance. Jesus, knowing the fears and doubts of His disciples, said, 'Do not let your hearts be troubled.' The verse speaks to us today with these same words, inviting us to find peace in His promises.

This was a celebration of a life well-lived. Shirley engaged with and enjoyed everyone around her. She loved travel and excursions. Her love, kindness, and memories remained vivid with all of us and were abundantly shared.

Attendees included family and friends. There were past and current Creator members, the Creator Youth and SE Youth Collective were represented. Many members of choirs, both Creator and Tillicum Community Choir attended and sang. Past musicians including Marilyn Keller, A.J. McQuarters, Luke Stromberg, past Creator lead musicians, Kelly Carlisle and David Lee, together with Kim Lee Annie and Amy Miles who sang a delicate rendition of Wailin' Jenny's One Voice during the prelude.

The music was, as expected, stunning. Highlights included Kelly Carlisle on piano backed Marilyn Keller who sang an ardent, inspiring tribute to God and God's generosity - Great Is Thy Faithfulness. 

Luke Stromberg sang the solo and was backed by choir (that included the Creator and Tillicum choirs) on Carlisle's Nunc Dimmitus. The devotional impact of these words was intense.

Lord, let your servant depart in peace,
Now your promise has been fulfilled,
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
Which you have prepared in the sight of all,
A light to lighten the gentiles,
And the glory of Israel.

According to John's gospel after Jesus raised Lazarus Jesus told the crowd to do something as community after Lazarus came out with these words, “Unwrap him and let him go!” The Nunc Dimmitus served as our unwrapping and letting Shirley go in peace and confidence. 

The memorial ended with Keller and the choir leading everyone in an energetic, while also a prayerful Sending Song, May the Circle be Unbroken.

Shirley was a compatriot that stood side by side with many of us for so many years. She leaves her footprints on my heart and the memorial served as testament that there remains for each of us an empty chair in our lives now.

May 21, 2023 - Seventh Sunday of Easter - A Reparations Road Trip - A Discussion with Juan Carlos

Bishop’s Associate, Juan Carlos La Puente preached the message in today's service. He was also part of a group discussion afterwards. Marilyn T. Keller, other musicians, and others from the Oregon Synod Reparations Team were present and Marilyn led the music at our Sunday worship as well.

Marilyn's vocals were dynamic and inspired others to sing The gospel-based music also had the worship participants moving in time to what everyone was singing. 

This was the seventh "Road" trip for the Synod Reparations Team. I had heard about how moving and unique the stories were being shared at these churches. To be able to share this experience at Creator made me appreciate the true and frank conversations personally, and helped me feel deeply what Juan Carlos preached in his message earlier at the service.

He broke his message into three points: 

1) Don't be alienated from your own body, from your own story. He stressed how important it was for Jesus to be present though the individual rather than depending on the figure of Jesus and / or feeling Jesus will shield and protect you from the world. Jesus understood the need for the disciples to go back to Jerusalem where they were afraid of the authorities.They were encouraged ti take the same journey as Jesus despite the danger.

2) Be willing to walk along with survivors. I'm sure people empathized but Juan Carlos detailed what this makes possible by using Mary, the mother, being at the crucifixion of her son. He gave the context from a Mother's perspective of seeing her son as victim and yet sill providing relief to the disciples who had survived and continuing to walk with them. That context shook me emotionally

3) The distinction between the world and eternal life. There is a beautiful blurring of the lines between separation and communion. Juan Carlos spoke of love being expressed through the diversity we constantly have such trouble in living in this life. We cling to the truths we think we have found in life rather than opening ourselves up to God's bigger truth.

A "road trip" to remember right here at Creator. It was marvelous to see what they have evolved into.