Name: James Siddons.
Religious organization's name: Chesterbrook United Methodist Church.
Organization's address: 1711 Kirby Road, McLean, VA 22101.
Phone number: 703-356-7100.
E-mail address/Web site: ChesterbrookUMC@aol.com,
www.ChesterbrookUMC.org.
Employment: Pastor of Chesterbrook United Methodist Church, also composer, author, pianist.
Education: B.Mus., Ph.D. (musicology), Univ. of North Texas;
M.Mus., University of London (England);
master of divinity (1997) and master of theology (1999), Duke University Divinity School.
Japanese Ministry of Education research scholar (1972-74) and Fulbright postdoctoral research scholar (1989-90) at Tokyo University of Arts (Japan).
Town: McLean - Chesterbrook area.
How long in that town: Since July 2003
Community ties/activities:
Preparing history of Chesterbrook U.M.C. for its century year - 2006;
Performance of my choral and instrumental compositions in other churches - including my inspirational piano solo programs.
One thing about your community as a whole that you enjoy that you don't think most people know about, or something important for a newcomer to know:
Local history: McLean was a rural community before 1940, and many of those long-established families still live here.
Something special about your religious organization:
100th birthday coming in 2006.
Favorite religious activities or events:
River baptisms - I have done this only once, but the experience is unforgettable.
Favorite personal activities:
Reading, listening to music.
Other favorite things: e.g., favorite place to take a walk, favorite place to see the sunset:
In Ueno Park, Tokyo, where there are museums, etc.
A book, movie, vacation or other experience you enjoyed:
Attending evensong in chapel of King's College, Cambridge (England).
Words to live by:
As a composer, I am setting the Book of Psalms to music as a long-term, ongoing project. One of the reasons I am drawn to these poetic texts is that almost every verse has words to live by.
Other things to note:
My wife, Joy Siddons, organized the Chesterbrook Christian Children's Choir in summer 2003. The choir has presented three semi-liturgical programs so far — the next is on May 8 — and the choir will become a music theater camp in the summer. Joy is an elementary music teacher for Fairfax County Public Schools and will be a biographee in the next edition of Who's Who of American Women (Marquis, Who's Who, May 2004). For photos see www.chesterbrookUMC.org, click on Ministry, then click on Children's Choir.