With our Worship & Arts Director Omaldo Perez’s departure, we have been looking for people who can fill in on an interim basis until we have a new lead pastor and the Worship Commission has a chance to confer with the congregation to determine what we seek in the future for music at our worship services.

We are happy to let you know that we have found two very talented people to take on these interim positions. We are still searching for an interim organist.

Lida Bournill, Interim Choir Director

Lida will be staring on her Doctorate of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting at the UW-Madison this fall. In May, she received her Master’s Degree in Choral Conducting at the University of Indiana. While at IU, she served as the Music Director at First Presbyterian Church in Bloomington, directing both the adult and children’s choirs.

Prior to moving to Indiana, she worked for four years as a middle school chorus teacher near Richmond, Va., and was Assistant Music Director at River Road Presbyterian Church in Richmond. She also directed the Richmond Recovery Ally Choir for those recovering from substance use disorders and their allies.

In her application to Christ Presbyterian, she wrote, ​“It is important to me that my work does not live in a vacuum, ​‘music for music’s sake.’ Choral music is my way of connecting with my community and affecting positive change in the world, and Christ Presbyterian seems already to foster an environment where such things are possible.”

She will join our staff as a half-time employee on August 3^rd.

Jack Johnson, Interim Worship Band Leader

Jack earned his Bachelor of Science degree in May from UW-Madison, double majoring in psychology and music performance. He has worked as a professional musician in Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois since 2019, focusing on jazz, but is familiar with a wide variety of musical styles.

Since July of 2024, he has hosted, promoted and run the North Street Cabaret Jazz Jam, a monthly event. He was part of the UW-Madison Bridge Ensemble during the 2024 – 25 academic year, traveling to elementary, middle and high schools throughout Dane County to educate students on the performance practice of jazz and classical music.

He played with the worship band at Christ Presbyterian this past Easter and began working with us on Monday, July 20^th.