About Richard Bruxvoort Colligan
Just the Facts
Richard Bruxvoort Colligan is a musician and liturgical theologian currently residing in Strawberry Point, Iowa.
He has a passion for creating congregational songs for the unfolding, risk-taking, ever-emerging church. He teaches, leads workshops, and designs worship across denominations.
Richard holds an MA in Theology and the Arts from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities (2004) and a BA in Psychology from Luther College, Decorah, Iowa (1990).
Passion, Call, and Vocation
“I was raised Missouri Synod Lutheran, I graduated from a UCC seminary, I’ve been published by United Methodists, I currently serve an ELCA church. That’s just to say I have learned a lot from the rich traditions of many denominations, and value the emphasis that each one brings to the whole Body of Christ.”
Richard manages worldmaking.net, a publishing company focused on accessible and imaginative congregational song. His catalog includes “Worldmaking,” congregational songs around Eucharist, and “Seeds of Faith,” songs centered in Bible stories for children and youth Sunday School.
The Psalm Project: “Sharing the Road” is his first full project for Augsburg Fortress. Over the past decade, he has also contributed songs and writing for AFP’s Witness Sunday School curriculum, Vacation Bible School, Akaloo, and Splash! Sleepy-time Tunes.
He is currently four years in to his study of the Psalms, writing congregation songs.
Richard serves First Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa as Minister of Worship Life.
Personal
Favorites include blue, autumn, James Taylor, dumb jokes, sleep, chocolate, Star Trek TNG, Zen koans, The Tick, and sky.
Richard’s a husband. Wife Trish is the program director of Spirations Institute for Interspiritual Formation, a two-year certificate program for women in spiritual direction training. They have a pet name for each other, but it’s hard to explain.
Richard’s a daddy. Their six-year-old son Sam is a full-hearted lover of the world specializing in reading, lego engineering, singing, jokes, and all manner of outdoor play.
They live in an old house in the pretty, hilly part of Iowa with a dog and three cats.
THE RIVER'S VOICE BIO (Trish and Richard together)
Together Trish and Richard Bruxvoort Colligan comprise The River's Voice, an acoustic musical duo and spirituality leadership team. The couple tours as professional musicians, liturgists, spiritual directors, and retreat leaders who have a passion for the human journey and the mystery of the spiritual life. To learn more, visit www.riversvoice.com.
What People are Saying
Richard Bruxvoort Colligan has a true gift for envisioning the future of community prayer. He is not only a talented musician and composer, he is someone who combines an understanding of the deep theological and scriptural roots of liturgical prayer with a sense of how worship must be engaged in the life of the world. His enthusiasm for encouraging the sung prayer of the congregation is authentic and infectious.
Richard is able to combine his musical talents and sensitivity about practical worship needs with theological depth. This lifts his music above the cliched and theologically thin music with which so many churches are currently struggling.
Richard Bruxvoort Colligan is probably the most versatile contemporary church music composer out there right now. He's explored every angle and every medium and excelled at everything. From his current wealth of new liturgical pieces through his history as studio engineer, record producer, folk singer, creativity consultant, theologian, songwriting authority, and rock band guitarist, Richard's experience allows him to see the big picture. He brings that valuable perspective to congregations, classrooms, musicians, and listeners nationwide.
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