You’re Inivted…to Sing

Dan Schneller always wanted to join the choir at Good Shepherd. But Dan has a learning challenge he didn’t think he could overcome.

“I have spatial problems,” Dan said. “I can’t drive because of it. So, if you just handed me a regular old piece of music in black and white, everything would jump around on me.”

But when Dan received an invitation from Music Director Jared Stellmacher to join the choir, he decided to ask him to go out to lunch with him and explain his dilemma. Despite what Dan told him, Jared was not deterred.

Jared told Dan, “How can I help you learn? How can I teach you how to read music?”

Two hours later, Dan was willing to give choir a try. But both he and Jared knew they would have to try and do it a different way.

“Jared knows the best way to teach me is with color,” Dan said. “If you give me that same piece of music with colors on it, it all becomes clear.” So, Jared highlighted every piece of music that Dan sings in the choir. Now, Dan is a regular member of the Good Shepherd choir on Sunday mornings.

“The hardest thing when I opened up about my disability, I thought he was going to turn me down,” Dan said. “Instead, he accepted me for who I was.”

However, it got more complicated when the choir decided to sing Faure’s “Requiem” in 2019.

Jared told Dan, “You’re going to sing in Latin!” But Jared also knew Dan was going to need some help for this work. So, he spent several months working with Dan, one-on-one, to go over every section of the piece. Dan had never experienced this type of attention from a choir director before.

Dan has participated in many different facets of Good Shepherd. He has run a half marathon for Team World Vision, he has played on the church’s men’s basketball team, and he has even participated in some of the church’s drama performances. But he is most proud now to call himself a member of Good Shepherd’s choir.

“Jared has turned me from an average individual in the pew into a person that can get up sing with confidence,” said Dan. “And Jared always makes it fun.”

Your generosity to Good Shepherd makes it possible to have sustained musical excellence through the dedication of people like Music Director Jared Stellmacher. As a faith community, we are transforming your good gifts into ways to invite all to fully participate in worshipping our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  We are helping them find connection to others and their own spiritual gifts. Thank you for the ways in which you make this transformation in the lives of members like Dan possible.

Please prayerfully consider what you can do to help support the ministry of Good Shepherd when you receive your Generosity packet in person or in the mail the week of Sunday, October 31.