Mark and Kathy Helge, 2024 Dr. Carlos Messerli Service Award Recipients
Mark and Kathy Helge
LSM is pleased to announce that longstanding LSM friends, supporters, and advocates Mark and Kathy Helge are this year’s recipients of the Dr. Carlos Messerli Service Award for outstanding service to the mission of Lutheran Music Program. The award will be presented to the Helge’s during LSM 2024 at the annual Board of Directors Reception on Saturday, July 27, beginning at 5 pm.
Mark and Kathy live out LSM’s values of music, faith, and community. Countless lives have been changed due to their commitment, leadership, and generosity. Their unwavering support of LSM has enabled the program to thrive and stay true to its core mission. Just as Mark and Kathy were brought together by music and hymnody years ago, so are the students they lift up at LSM, preserving and renewing traditions for the next generation.
Upon notification of receiving this award, Kathy shared,
Mark and I are both honored and pleased to be given this award - the Carlos Messerli - for our contributions to Lutheran Summer Music and our passion that sacred music must remain viable in the Church today. It was at Valpo, now over 50 years ago, that I was introduced to the way worship could be done – with praise and adoration of our God in the midst of a structure so beautiful and music so well done that one can boldly say God IS my strength and stay.
Dr. Carlos Messerli Service Award
In 2018, the Lutheran Music Program Board of Directors inaugurated the first annual Dr. Carlos Messerli Service Award. The award is given each year to someone who follows Dr. Messerli's example of outstanding service to the mission of Lutheran Music Program.
Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:18b-20
Previous Recipients
2023: Charles Sukup
2022: John Lunde
2021: Dr. Carl Schalk
2019: Phyllis Duesenberg
2018: Dr. Carlos Messerli