Nine religious music directors have won honors in 2009 Ministry of Music Awards program. Paul Thoms, awards chairperson of the National Religious Music Week Alliance, announced the winners on September 21, 2009. The National Religious Music Week Alliance, a non-profit organization based in Hamilton, Ohio, exists to encourage and reward excellence among church musicians and offers scholarships to those wishing to enter the field.
The National Religious Music Week Alliance is the only organization giving national recognition to ministers of music for the work they do within their congregations, and in the community. The judging, by a national panel, is based on leadership, community outreach, broad appeal, program growth and development, and enhancement of the worship experience. The judging is based on a nomination form submitted by each church.
Beverly Clark, music director at Front Royal Presbyterian Church for more than 25 years, received an Award of Distinction, the highest honor bestowed by the Alliance. She is one of only six Award of Distinction winners nationwide, and the only honoree in Virginia.
She is recognized not only for the consistently high quality of the music in worship, but also for her outreach to the community through the Performing Arts Concert Series, which brings musicians from all over the world to perform Sunday afternoon concerts at the church, and for the musical play, “Elijah”, featuring adults and young people, which she produced and directed this year. The play was enjoyed by an enthusiastic audience from the church and community.