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A dear friend who helped me put together my
first website and set up the PDF songbooks said I should
tell people about myself in a friendly, chatty manner. It's not an
easy thing- talking about oneself- whether it is formal or chatty. But
since you have clicked on this link, you must want to know something.
I will try to make it as painless as possible.
You can skip huge portions and it won't hurt my feelings at all.
had to adapt arrangements, anyway.) What I learned at home, in the
elementary grades, and high school choir was the extent of my formal
training.
My first serious songwriting experience was a musical at Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, MN. I enjoyed writing poetry so combining words and music was great fun. I also had the opportunity to compose for a community theater production in Minneapolis. More fun! Other musicians notated what I was playing by ear.
Teaching, marriage, and children eventually took priority. My husband John- then a teacher; now a staff minister- and I enjoyed singing together. Once in a while we'd work up an "act" to entertain for a church activity, or I'd make vocal arrangements to perform with friends. But it never occurred to me to seriously compose sacred music until one of those friends suggested that perhaps I should put this talent to better use.
In the late 70's, our new junior choir director was looking for contemporary music—something “upbeat and catchy” but with meatier messages than were usually available. Could I compose something for them? The first attempt was “A Prayer to My Friend”—the combination of a contemporary melody with an old favorite, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” Words and melody came quickly and I could play it easily (again, self taught and by ear) on guitar. But it was obvious that keyboard accompaniment would be necessary if I continued doing this. Notation was something I was going to have to buckle down and learn! To this day it is still difficult for me and I do it mostly by what "sounds" right rather than what is technically correct.. Since my knowledge was limited and these early songs were hand-written, I tried to keep accompaniments down to as few notes as possible. "A Prayer to My Friend" was well-received and once the ball got rolling, it just kept on! In 1981 I wrote 17 songs- more than the junior choir had time to learn and sing that year.
I wondered if other WELS schools were looking for "catchy-tune-meaty-message" music for their junior choirs. So I mailed brochures to all our WELS day schools and priced each song at twenty-five cents a copy. Within a few weeks I received 40 orders. It amazed me that anyone was willing to buy from an unknown songwriter who offered only hand-written songs!
This little music ministry has changed a lot over the years. I began when all sorts of technological wonders were becoming available to the average person: dry copy machines, computers, music software and sound keyboards that plugged into computers for easy note entry and a professional-looking copy. It also enabled me to produce more complex and varied accompaniments, many of which I can’t even play! When the songs became too plentiful to sell separately, I put them into comb-bound songbooks that were printed at Kinko’s. People could purchase one songbook with permission to reprint for use within their congregation. To date, I have written over 200 songs and more than six hundred hard copy books have been sold to over 150 schools or churches. Some songs have even been translated into Spanish and Portuguese!
Northwestern Publishing House has used my songs in VBS courses and Christ-Light®, the WELS Sunday and day school religion curriculum. I have also collaborated on two musicals: The Greatest Show of All, for WELS Parish Services, and David, for production at Wisconsin Lutheran College.
Technology has continued to change this ministry and now most orders come via email rather than the United States Postal Service. Although I am currently only set up for snail mail payment, PayPal is probably around the corner. God, in his mysterious wisdom, seems to be dragging me deeper into cyberspace- help! Although I will always be several steps behind the latest developments, at least I have a domain name now. Hard copy songbooks have been replaced by eSongbooks; MP3 files can be downloaded and burned for rehearsal accompaniment or actual presentation, if the recording quality is acceptable to you.
Another changing aspect of this music ministry is who sings the songs. I began writing for junior choirs, but soon discovered that a variety of ages (and abilities) from preschool to adult were using them. So I don't think of myself as a children's songwriter anymore- just a writer of Christian music.
Our three children are grown and have their own families now. John is looking forward to retiring soon (if there really is such a thing!) and my songwriting has slowed considerably. For the last seven years I have been mainly directing our church adult choir, creating variations of my old music and writing new arrangements for public domain songs.
been personal spiritual growth. Searching and
studying Scripture is always an absolute necessity for keeping God's message true and clear- the one area I can't fudge on or "play by ear!"
Someone said that Bach wrote, "To God be the glory!" at
the end of his compositions. I am certainly not a Bach, but I
understand what is meant- we are the humble instruments through which God
works, and all the kudos for what is accomplished belong to him!
I still love making music and am very grateful that God has allowed me to do so in his service. Musical styles change and mine will eventually be replaced by someone else's. But one thing will never change: God's forgiving grace to us through his son, Jesus- the reason faith sings!
Mary Dorn Lippert
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