Dear APMN members,

Please find at this link our latest newsletter APMN Newsletter Vol 16 Issue 1, April 2026.

“We are Easter people, and alleluia is our song.” These words, first attributed to St Augustine of Hippo and later popularised by Pope John Paul II, capture the spirit of this season beautifully.

One of our 2023 conference keynote speakers, Sarah Hart, echoes this message in her composition Hallelujah Is Our Song, co-written with Josh Blakesley, Sarah Kroger, and Trey Heffinger.

As OCP describes:

 “With its mostly pentatonic melody and nostalgic lyricism, Hallelujah Is Our Song creates an upbeat Appalachian feel. Suitable for use during the season of Easter, this song sings of the joy of Jesus’ resurrection, the hope for eternal rest, and the peace of God’s healing love.” 

This edition of the APMN newsletter comes a little later than we had hoped, so thank you for your patience. Our original intention was to provide recommendations for Lent and Holy Week. However, as life so often does, it became busy, and our focus has now turned toward the Resurrection and the journey to Pentecost.

While we have just celebrated the rise and fall, the ebb and flow of life reflected in the Easter Triduum, we remain mindful that our world still needs Jesus. Our world still needs song and music to accompany and deepen our liturgical journey.

In this edition, we are delighted to introduce a new column from esteemed liturgist Dr Jenny O’Brien titled “Ask Jenny.” In this space, she will respond to your questions about liturgy and music. We warmly invite you to write in—especially with the curly, complex, or obscure questions!

You will also find music recommendations for the Easter and Pentecost seasons, along with new releases from our Deputy Chair, Timothy Hart. We include a tribute from Angela Gorman to one of our founders, Rev Dr Russell Hardiman; we have suggestions for the Easter and Pentecost season from Fiona Dyball and Paul Mason, and we also begin an important conversation around AI in the liturgy, with insights from Fr Ricky Manalo and others.

As always, we would love to hear from you—your ideas, feedback, and suggestions for future content are most welcome.

Blessings to you all and may hallelujah be your song.

Beth Doherty, Editor