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BPC’s Music chair to help create next edition of ‘The Baptist Hymnal’ from LifeWay Christian Resources

Dr. Glenn Eernisse

By Kelley M. Arnold

BPC Director of News and Public Information

MOUNT VERNON— Brewton-Parker College’s Music Division chair, Dr. Glenn Eernisse, has been honored with an opportunity of a lifetime from LifeWay Christian Resources of Nashville, Tenn.

Dr. Eernisse has been asked to join a “Planning Summit” Jan. 12 in Nashville to discuss the strategy for the construction of the next edition of The Baptist Hymnal produced by LifeWay Worship Music Group.

“It is a great honor to be asked to participate in the Planning Summit for the next edition of the Baptist Hymnal,” Dr. Eernisse said. “The Summit is a significant event that will lead to the publishing of an extremely important worship tool. This process is shaped by and will in turn help to shape the development of church music in our time.”

According to a release by LifeWay, “LifeWay Worship Music Group is embracing the challenge of meeting the worship needs of churches by embarking on an innovative venture to couple an updated Baptist Hymnal with modern technology.” The project is two-fold, “the first being a downloadable audio hymn and worship song repository from which an updated, hardbound Baptist Hymnal will be drawn.” LifeWay explains that this hymnal will be like none other before, nor will there be one like it ever again.

“Dr. Eernisse continues to illustrate to me, as well as his faculty colleagues, that the busy schedule of a faculty leader is no detriment to high achievement in one’s academic discipline.  Dr. Eernisse embodies the very essence of Christian higher education,” said Dr. David R. Smith, president of Brewton-Parker College.

Dr. Eernisse has also recently been honored by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers as the recipient of a 2006-2007 ASCAP Award in the Concert Music Division. This is the seventh consecutive year he has been selected for this award.

According to ASCAP, “these awards reflect our continuing commitment to assist and encourage ASCAP composers. Awards are granted by an independent panel and are based upon the unique prestige value of each writer’s catalog of original compositions, as well as recent performances in areas not surveyed by the Society.”

Dr. Eernisse said this year’s award is based on the volume of work he produced in the past year. His commissioned works include pieces for Brewton-Parker College’s Centennial Celebration, Brewton-Parker College presidential inauguration, the Georgia Baptist Church Music Conference, First Baptist Church of Vidalia, Ga., and First Baptist Church of McDonough, Ga. He has written articles for The Church Musician, The Hymn and Creator. Dr. Eernisse has composed and arranged pieces for a variety of vocal and instrumental groups, including children’s choirs, youth choirs, adult choirs, senior adult choirs, hand bells and a variety of brass and woodwind groups. He currently serves as the president of the Georgia Baptist Church Music Conference.

For more information on the new Baptist Hymnal from LifeWay or the Planning Summit, search their website: www.lifeway.com.

-BPC-