As we begin Women's History Month, Trinity Lutheran Church & Schools is excited to celebrate the remarkable contributions of women in art and music. This month, we will highlight the creative works that inspire reflection, challenge us to grow, and deepen our worship experience.
Spotlight on Cover Art: Transfiguration by Lauren Wright Pittman
This Sunday, we feature Transfiguration, a hand-carved block print by Lauren Wright Pittman. In this powerful piece, Pittman captures the moment when Jesus is transfigured on the mountaintop, shining in divine glory as God’s voice declares, “This is my Son, the Beloved, listen to him!” (Mark 9:7). The image draws us into the sacred tension between awe and fear, with a call to listen attentively to the voice of Christ.
Pittman reflects on her work:
I’m not a good listener. In the midst of our national reckoning around structural racism and white supremacy in the US, I’ve found that I’ve done a terrible job listening to my Black and Brown siblings. I constantly have to resist the urge to explain myself, to be seen as good and antiracist. I try saying all the right things, I do performative acts of allyship, and quite honestly, I need to be quiet and listen. I need to be ready to accept criticism, and instead of trying to prove anything, I need to gain awareness of my internalized biases and learned racist tendencies and do the difficult work of unlearning them in every moment. “Get behind me, Satan” (Mark 8:33). Here we find Peter stepping in and saying all the right things, rejecting the notion that Christ must suffer and die; but in the end, he’s not listening to Jesus. It seems Peter’s rejection of this narrative reflects his fear of the suffering he also might face in following Christ. “Let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34). Six days later, the disciples are called to listen once again. In this image, I zoomed out to focus on the moment of Transfiguration. Jesus shines like a beacon atop the high mountain while former prophets appear. The disciples are terrified, but also want to live this moment forever, making the glory-filled rock face their home. At once a cloud descends, obscuring things further, and God’s voice echoes down, “This is my Son, the Beloved, listen to him!” (Mark 9:7). It’s almost as though Jesus had exhausted all efforts to get the disciples to listen, and God had to spectacularly reiterate the importance of listening. I think it’s important to note that following God’s words, all the disciples could see was Jesus. —Lauren Wright Pittman
Hymn of the Day: Dazzling Presence on the Mountain by Karen Black
Karen Black, born in Kiester, Minnesota, serves as the Rudi Inselmann Endowed Professor of Organ, cantor, college organist, and professor of music at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. She nurtures the next generation of musicians through her teaching of church music and music theory, while also enriching worship services with her organ playing and conducting of the Kantorei and handbells. A graduate of St. Olaf College (BM, church music, 1984) and Indiana University (MM and DM, organ performance, 1986 and 1994), her talent has taken her across the United States and even to Germany, where she performed at the historic Castle Church, Wittenberg, and St. George's Church, Eisenach.
Her setting of “Dazzling Presence on the Mountain” exemplifies her beautiful, lyrical, and accessible vocal writing, perfectly suited for congregational singing. Karen Black's leadership within the American Guild of Organists (North Central Regional Councillor and Cedar Valley Chapter Dean) and the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians (Region III President), as well as her memberships in the Organ Historical Society and the American Choral Directors Association, further demonstrate her dedication to the art and craft of sacred music—a field where women have historically played a vital, though often underrecognized, role.
Reflecting Together
Throughout March, we celebrate the beauty, depth, and power of art and music created by women. From the inspiring reflections in Lauren Wright Pittman’s artwork to the melodic richness of Karen Black’s hymn, these expressions invite us to engage more fully with our faith and worship. May this month remind us of the transformative power of listening—both to God and to each other—as we grow together in faith and creativity.
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