Eruditio, intelligentia
(excellent doctrine)INTRODUCTION
The School of Church Music is a private college that believes in concentrated, dedicated music education. It is not influenced by standard music curriculum’s of public Colleges or Universities. We are not a recreational religious music college that entertains entertainers but educate qualified applicants from a wide variety of religious backgrounds, interests and goals in Biblical foundation knowledge and Church music ministry skills that apply to denominational preferences. The Conservatory looks for indications of the student’s overall effective involvement in music and ability to learn in a structured educational setting.
The Beginning:
The School of Church Music was inspired by the lifelong dedication of Ronald G. Calhoun, founding father of The Calhoun School of Music in 1969 that later became Calhoun Conservatory of Music, who served in a ministry of music position in nine churches spanning six different denominations. He received a Minister’s license in one of those denominations.It was during his service to the Christ United Methodist Church in Warner Robins, Georgia that he became legally blind. This was devastating news for one so dedicated to the music of the Church. A member of this congregation stepped forward with a donation of $500 toward his surgery that proved to be successful and restored his sight. Because of this major event in his life, he became inspired to begin the School of Church Music to help educate those called into music ministry and churches and congregations that could not afford to pay travel and expenses for a musician to serve in their church.
His commitment to the music of the church began at a young age, as his father was a Baptist Minister for 32 years before his passing. He had left the Baptist Denomination in 1982 to serve as Organist at the First Presbyterian Church in Warner Robins, Georgia. With a US Government classification as Music & Arts Specialist, he accepted a civil service position with the Morale, Welfare and Recreation Division of the Air Force. This position led to his going to Germany to develop performing arts programs for German-American relations.
Armed with such broad music and ministry experience would prove to be the necessary components to assure the future success of the School of Church Music.
Call to Service:
The Music of the Church is committed to ministry through music, not a mere music program, but a ministry working to and through persons of God. As followers of Jesus Christ we strive to place persons above things and process over product---to equip the gathered saints for the work of ministry. Therefore, music and music making are not an end in and of themselves, but a means to a greater end---that of offering a living sacrifice of praise, of personal time and talent, to our Creator God.Mission:
We dedicate this school to those who have made personal sacrifice and personal commitment in the Ministry of Music of the Church throughout the World and lift high this important ministry contribution in the Church. From those who have come before may we learn and to those who come after may they know the true purpose and reason for such commitment and dedication. May the Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit that inspires these servants, keep them and bless them always in their calling and dedication. Let it not be for praise of this World but that through the messages heard in Music Ministry, the love of The Father and His calling forth to a better World shall help this Mission of the Church to be heard by all humankind of every nation. Amen.
Savannah, Georgia
31412