The Search Committee, the Mutual Ministry Committee and the Congregation Council are pleased to announce the selection of Jungwha Kim as Parish musician for St. Mark's. She will begin her duties here on May 2, 2011, after she concludes her work in Freeport in western Pennsylvania.

She comes to us with experience and excellent training. She began her professional study with a Bachelor of Music degree from Yonsei University in her native South Korea. She also holds a Sacred Music Diploma from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, and a Master of Music in Organ Performance and Literature, also from the Eastman School, and an additional Professional Studies certificate from the Juilliard School in NYC. She has also participated in Organ academies in Goteborg, Sweden; Montreal, Quebec; and Calgary, Alberta. She has presented recitals both in New York and in Pennsylvania.

Jungwha has experience in a variety of situations, most recently as organist/choirmaster in Freeport United Methodist Church and Park Presbyterian Church in Beaver. She has also served in Episcopal, Roman Catholic and Baptist churches when she was engaged in professional studies.

organ She is proud of works that she has composed for hand-bells, for organ, and also for choir. She served as guest organist at St. Mark's on Epiphany Eve, Wednesday, January 5, and returned as guest organist on the Festival of the Transfiguration, Sunday, March 3. She adroitly handled the intricacies of Evening Prayer and the Holy Communion liturgy, and she was pleased to work briefly with our choir and greet many members of the parish.

Negotiations have been completed, and she has accepted the congregation's offer of employment. Housing arrangements are also underway now, and moving is planned for shortly after Easter. Jungwha has chosen to use the office first occupied by Mr. Snell when the building was new. This room at the end of the choir hall will be painted and prepared next month in preparation for her arrival.

It is an important thing for a faithful Lutheran congregation to have competent musical leadership. we look forward to Jungwha stepping into the long tradition of excellence at St. Mark's.

Our special thanks is due to Donna Zierdt Elkin, who has so capably served as musician for seven months while the search was continuing. Working under severe time constraints, she has kept the rehearsal schedule for the ensembles, and even expanded things by leading our string students in playing at Christmastime.

She has begun work on computerizing the catalog of the music library and made good use of the resources at hand. All this and more has been done with unfailing good humor and attention to detail that helps the whole process of worship and music to move ahead, to the glory of God.