Singing each other's songs

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For many people, singing together was an Assembly 15 highlight. For the man who led that singing, it was the highlight of his life.

“It’s a dream come true,” says Paul Dueck. Beyond the thrill of music making, he says, was “the thrill of seeing our brothers and sisters from around the globe singing each other’s songs.”

Dueck is music minister at United Mennonite Church and music teacher at United Mennonite Educational Institute, both in Leamington, Ontario. He is also a harpist with three recordings to his credit.

Photo of Paul Dueck by Gordon Houser.

Though Canadian, Dueck was born in Asunción to Mennonite missionary parents and lived there 12 years. He returned to the country as an adult, with Linda, his wife, and their family, for two separate stints of teaching at CEMTA, a Mennonite seminary in Asunción.

The energetic Dueck moved easily at Assembly 15 among the three languages he speaks fluently—Spanish, English and German. He also moved from leading on the stage front to leading behind the piano or harp.

The music committee had debated creating a songbook for the event, since many do not read notes but decided to because a book collection can be enjoyed further at home. This assembly’s songbook, however, had half as many songs. As editor, Dueck made sure a good portion of its 44 songs were in Spanish.

His other main task was to put together the team of international singers, instrumentalists and composers that helped him lead the twice-daily worship sessions.—Dora Dueck for Meetinghouse

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