There are two types of events listed in this part of the calendar, Local Practice Groups and Community Events, and are included for the benefit of the wider musical community. They may be organized by Music that Makes Community presenters and/or participants, or musicians and organizations akin to MMC. All of these events are run independently from MMC so please reach out to the local contact with questions.
- Local Practice Groups are organized by Music that Makes Community participants and/or presenters to practice song leading without paper. You don’t have to lead a song if you go; in fact many practice groups welcome singers to join them! If you’re looking to organize other locals to form a practice group, please read this blog article and be in touch!
- Community Events are public events offered by musicians or organizations connected to MMC for the benefit of the wider musical community.
If you have a singing, worship service or other event you think might be relevant to other practitioners of leading song without paper, send a short description including dates and location, a banner graphic, and contact information (name, email and/or phone number) to [email protected].
Upcoming Events
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Monday, August 03, 2026 at 10:00 AM through December 07, 2026
Zoom
Join Music that Makes Community for a weekly touchstone that includes singing, silence, sacred text, and community connection. We'll gather at 10 a.m. EDT (9 CDT / 8 MDT / 7 PST) each Monday for a 30-minute gathering followed by coffee and conversation.
MMC leaders host the gathering, drawing from many musical and spiritual traditions.Register for the Zoom link here!
This Zoom link is good for all sessions in this season. -
Friday, August 28, 2026 at 06:00 PM
Brunswick Unitarian Universalist Church in Brunswick, ME
Brunswick Unitarian Universalist Church is hosting a summer Community Sing series. Come sing with us and nourish connection, well-being, and joy! All are welcome to practice sharing, teaching, learning, and singing "paperless" songs in the context of a supportive community of fellow singers and song-lovers! Whether you'd like to experience how we can share songs in the oral/aural tradition, build your confidence as a song-leader, or just enjoy the "good medicine" of singing with others in community, we'd love for you to join us.Join us in-person from 6-7:30 pm EDT the fourth Friday of each month this summer (May-August).Contact organizer Pat Cannon for more information!
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Tuesday, September 01, 2026 at 06:30 PM
ABQ Mennonite in Albuquerque, NM
Come practice sharing, teaching, learning, and singing "paperless" songs in the context of a supportive community of fellow singers and song-lovers! Whether you'd like to experience how we can share songs in the oral/aural tradition, build your confidence as a song-leader, or just enjoy the "good medicine" of singing with others in community, we'd love for you to join us. All ages and abilities welcome!It is our practice to ROTATE LOCATIONS AND ROTATE HOSTS for our monthly MMC Song Circles. Our "default" meeting time is the first Tuesday of the month from 6:30-8pm, but that day and time is not "set in stone."Contact organizer Sylvia Miller-Mutia for more information!
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Tuesday, September 15, 2026 at 01:00 PM
St. Margaret's Cedar Cottage Anglican Church in Vancouver, BC, Canada
Join Music that Makes Community facilitators and composers for Preparing to Prepare, a hybrid (zoom and in person) exploration of paperless music for Advent, and how to weave this music through worship and programming for advent. Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at 1 p.m. Pacific / 4 p.m. Eastern we invite you to join us either in person at St. Margaret's Cedar Cottage Anglican Church (1530 E 22nd Ave. Vancouver, BC) or online on zoom. We are delighted to welcome Clare Morgan (they/them), Beth Carlson-Malena (she/her), and Caitlin Reilley Beck (they/he/she) as members of this all Canadian line-up of song leaders.
This event will kick off the wider 2026 MMC Advent Planning series, with sessions recorded and available to those interested (more details below).
In addition to our leaders sharing songs, we will invite everyone to participate in conversations about:
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How and where would you / could you / have you used paperless song in Advent worship and programming
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What do you find challenging in preparing for and journeying through Advent musically.
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How can paperless music be part of rest and spiritual practice for Church leaders in Advent.
Register Here!
A suggested donation of $20 supports the work of Music that Makes Community. Attending in-person? Click here for access notes.
Related Events
Music that Makes Community will also be offering four In-Depth Advent Explorations during Monday Morning Groundings from September 21 - October 12 at 10 a.m. Eastern / 9 a.m. Central. During these meetings, we will be teaching, learning, and sharing 1-2 songs along with Advent readings on Zoom
Alongside regular MMG co-hosts/leaders, Amy Steenson and Nancy Willbanks, we are delighted to welcome song leaders:
- Richard Bruxvoort Colligan on September 21
- AnnaMarie Hoos on September 28
- Pam Blevins Hinkle on October 5
- Zachary Stevens-Walter on October 12
The first 30 minutes of these sessions will be recorded, and available to those interested.
Register HERE for Monday Morning Grounding. Your link is good for all sessions. Please reach out to [email protected] by noon on the Friday before if you need to have your information resent.
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TGIF, the new monthly West Coast week-ending cousin to Monday Morning Grounding, will also explore more Advent songs and readings. These gatherings will be co-hosted by Caitlin Reilley Beck (they/she/he) and Josh Zentner-Barrett (he/him), and will be on October 16th and November 13th.
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Monday, September 21, 2026 at 10:00 AM
Zoom
Join Music that Makes Community for the first of four In-Depth Advent Explorations during Monday Morning Groundings from September 21 - October 12 at 10 a.m. Eastern, 9 a.m. Central. During these meetings, we will be teaching, learning, and sharing 1-2 songs along with Advent readings.
Regular MMG co-hosts Amy Steenson and Nancy Willbanks are delighted to welcome Richard Bruxvoort Colligan on September 21!
The first 30 minutes of these sessions will be recorded, and available to those interested.
Register HERE for Monday Morning Grounding. Your link is good for all sessions. Please reach out to [email protected] by noon on the Friday before if you need to have your information re-sent.
Related Events
On Tuesday, September 15, 2025, at 4pm-5:30pm ET / 1pm-2:30pm PT, Music that Makes Community facilitators and composers are offering an hour-long virtual Preparing to Prepare workshop. This session will be recorded and offered for a small donation. More details here.
TGIF, the new monthly West Coast week-ending cousin to Monday Morning Grounding, will also explore more Advent songs and readings. These gatherings will be co-hosted by Caitlin Reilley Beck (they/she/he) and Josh Zentner-Barrett (he/him), and will be on October 16th and November 13th.
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Monday, September 28, 2026 at 10:00 AM
Zoom
Join Music that Makes Community for the second of four In-Depth Advent Explorations during Monday Morning Groundings from September 21 - October 12 at 10 a.m. Eastern, 9 a.m. Central. During these meetings, we will be teaching, learning, and sharing 1-2 songs along with Advent readings.
Regular MMG co-hosts Amy Steenson and Nancy Willbanks are delighted to welcome AnnaMarie Hoos on September 28!
The first 30 minutes of these sessions will be recorded, and available to those interested.
Register HERE for Monday Morning Grounding. Your link is good for all sessions. Please reach out to [email protected] by noon on the Friday before if you need to have your information re-sent.
Related Events
On Tuesday, September 15, 2025, at 4pm-5:30pm ET / 1pm-2:30pm PT, Music that Makes Community facilitators and composers are offering an hour-long virtual Preparing to Prepare workshop. This session will be recorded and offered for a small donation. More details here.
TGIF, the new monthly West Coast week-ending cousin to Monday Morning Grounding, will also explore more Advent songs and readings. These gatherings will be co-hosted by Caitlin Reilley Beck (they/she/he) and Josh Zentner-Barrett (he/him), and will be on October 16th and November 13th.
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Monday, October 05, 2026 at 10:00 AM
Zoom
Join Music that Makes Community for the third of four In-Depth Advent Explorations during Monday Morning Groundings from September 21 - October 12 at 10 a.m. Eastern, 9 a.m. Central. During these meetings, we will be teaching, learning, and sharing 1-2 songs along with Advent readings.
Regular MMG co-hosts Amy Steenson and Nancy Willbanks are delighted to welcome Pam Blevins Hinkle on October 5!
The first 30 minutes of these sessions will be recorded, and available to those interested.
Register HERE for Monday Morning Grounding. Your link is good for all sessions. Please reach out to [email protected] by noon on the Friday before if you need to have your information re-sent.
Related Events
On Tuesday, September 15, 2025, at 4pm-5:30pm ET / 1pm-2:30pm PT, Music that Makes Community facilitators and composers are offering an hour-long virtual Preparing to Prepare workshop. This session will be recorded and offered for a small donation. More details here.
TGIF, the new monthly West Coast week-ending cousin to Monday Morning Grounding, will also explore more Advent songs and readings. These gatherings will be co-hosted by Caitlin Reilley Beck (they/she/he) and Josh Zentner-Barrett (he/him), and will be on October 16th and November 13th.
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Monday, October 12, 2026 at 10:00 AM
Zoom
Join Music that Makes Community for the last of four In-Depth Advent Explorations during Monday Morning Groundings from September 21 - October 12 at 10 a.m. Eastern, 9 a.m. Central. During these meetings, we will be teaching, learning, and sharing 1-2 songs along with Advent readings.
Regular MMG co-hosts Amy Steenson and Nancy Willbanks are delighted to welcome Zachary-Stevens Walter on October 12!
The first 30 minutes of these sessions will be recorded, and available to those interested.
Register HERE for Monday Morning Grounding. Your link is good for all sessions. Please reach out to [email protected] by noon on the Friday before if you need to have your information re-sent.
Related Events
On Tuesday, September 15, 2025, at 4pm-5:30pm ET / 1pm-2:30pm PT, Music that Makes Community facilitators and composers are offering an hour-long virtual Preparing to Prepare workshop. This session will be recorded and offered for a small donation. More details here.
TGIF, the new monthly West Coast week-ending cousin to Monday Morning Grounding, will also explore more Advent songs and readings. These gatherings will be co-hosted by Caitlin Reilley Beck (they/she/he) and Josh Zentner-Barrett (he/him), and will be on October 16th and November 13th.
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Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 12:30 PM
University Lutheran Church of Hope in Minneapolis, MN
Paperless Singing Practice GroupIf you are looking for a new way to foster vulnerability, trust and connection in your worship, meetings or gatherings… if you enjoy oral singing tradition… or if you need a place to rest your soul and be filled…
Join host Maria Anderson-Lippert and other MMC leaders for a Paperless Singing Practice Group. This gathering is for anyone who loves to sing, churchy and non-churchy alike. Questions? Contact [email protected]
Learn more about paperless singing in the style of Music that Makes Community here.
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Friday, October 16, 2026 at 01:00 PM
Zoom
Music that Makes Community is introducing TGIF, the new monthly West Coast week-ending cousin to Monday Morning Grounding.
TGIF will meet monthly on the second Friday, at 1 p.m. Pacific time, to spend an hour together on zoom teaching, learning, and sharing more Advent songs and exploring together how we hope to use them in the upcoming season, and how they speak to us in this moment. These gatherings will be co-hosted by Caitlin Reilley Beck (they/she/he) and Josh Zentner-Barrett (he/him), and will be on October 16th and November 13th.
The first 45 minutes of these sessions will be recorded, and available to those interested.
Register HERE for TGIF. Your link is good for all sessions. Please reach out to [email protected] by noon on the Wednesday before if you need to have your information re-sent.
Related Events
On Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at 4pm-5:30pm ET / 1pm-2:30pm PT, Music that Makes Community facilitators and composers are offering an hour-long virtual Preparing to Prepare workshop. This session will be recorded and offered for a small donation. More details here.
Join Music that Makes Community for four In-Depth Advent Explorations Monday Morning Groundings from September 21 - October 12 at 10 a.m. Eastern, 9 a.m. Central. During these meetings, we will be teaching, learning, and sharing 1-2 songs along with Advent readings.
For this special series Monday Morning Grounding series, regular MMG co-hosts/leaders Amy Steenson and Nancy Willbanks are delighted to welcome song leaders:
- Richard Bruxvoort Colligan on September 21
- AnnaMarie Hoos on September 28
- Pam Blevins Hinkle on October 5
- Zachary Stevens-Walter on October 12
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