At times, things simply seem graciously to fall into place. On December 10, we celebrated the 72nd Feast of Lights, the 34th under the direction of our amazing Director of Music Ministries Gayle Sullivan. Early in 2023, Gayle announced her decision to retire in early 2024, thus giving us enough time to conduct a proper search for her successor. Ned Henry stepped up to chair an amazing search team that strived to listen to the congregation’s and choir’s hopes for our next music director, and then conducted a thorough and thoughtful search which invited every ensemble and choir, along with our staff, to offer input. The Search Committee then made a recommendation to our Staff Parish Relations Committee. After thorough and careful review and discussion, the SPRC accepted their recommendation.    

The SPRC is pleased to announce that Dr. Matthew Webb will begin serving as our next Director of Music Ministries on January 29, 2024. Matt grew up in Western North Carolina, learning to love congregational singing and the scriptures, and began working as a church musician at age 15. For 28 years, Matt has served Baptist, Episcopal, United Methodist, and Presbyterian congregations, and even helped launch a new worshiping community in New York City. For the past decade, Matt has guided a large, multi-faceted program of music and the arts at the Presbyterian Church in Morristown, New Jersey. While serving churches, Matt has also served as an academic conductor and music professor at Drew University and as a Musical Theatre professor at Elon University.  

Matt did postdoctoral studies in Music and Liturgy at St. Stephen’s House, The University of Oxford, UK. He earned the Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music degrees in Conducting from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, and a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Philosophy from Wake Forest University. Matt is a member of the American Guild of Organists, the Royal School of Church Music, the American Choral Directors’ Association, and the National Board of Directors for More Light Presbyterians. Matt has also worked extensively as a collaborative pianist and choral conductor, performing at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and throughout the US, the UK, and Europe. 

Matt shared with us, “These experiences have brought me great joy, working as an agent of change in historic organizations that sought revitalization. Each parish is rich with talent, and I believe in an asset-framing philosophy that seeks to explore and encourage individual gifts that are to be used out of an abundance of joy and gratitude to our Creator, who has fashioned us in the image of the Divine.”  

I ask you to begin upholding Matt with your prayers as he prepares to join us and help us be all God is calling us to be in our city.  

Pastor Paul Purdue & Chair of SPRC Charles Bowers