Remembering Terry Head

Terry Head

Through the years I've worked with a host of church musicians and even though I'm now retired I've also appreciated the opportunity to work with the music director of the congregation which is our current church home. She is dedicated and amiable, which is not always the case. Some along the way have been of the "make do with who we have" ilk, decent folk who in the early years of tiny congregations would let me know that some of my hymn choices would have to be changed because they couldn't play the tunes. Others have been very talented but...eccentric, I'll stick with eccentric. A couple have been lazy or theologically clueless. 

It is always a gift to work with someone who is talented, creative, kind to the occasional stray or oddball, a team-player, and has a big picture of worship as ministry. For three years at Bridge St. church I had the pleasure of co-ministering with Terry Head, a fine musician who had the skills to play the impressive Casavant organ as it deserved to be played -- he even had an organ stop key chain!

Terry also had a Masters in Sacred Music and it was always worthwhile to talk with him about the role of music in liturgy and to make decisions along with our Worship Team about what we hoped to create in various services to the glory of God. Often for the postlude Terry played a "wowza" piece for which most of the congregation would remain, and it was so spectacular that folk would applaud. This heart-felt response exasperated him because he didn't see what he offered as performance, but he was always gracious. Nonetheless, I would hear him practice for hours, and my study was situated beneath the sanctuary where I listened to demanding passages being played over, and over, and over again. I teased him about the "ear worms" he thrust upon me. 

It was my pleasure to press the cause to have Terry recognized as a Minister of Music by what was then Kente Presbytery. While this term is used widely, it is actually an official designation held by only a few musicians in the United Church and it was entirely appropriate given both his training and perception of sacred music as ministry.

I have been using the past tense as I write because we were shocked to hear that Terry died quite suddenly in London, Ontario over the weekend. After worship on Sunday morning he felt ill enough to go the hospital where he was given antibiotics.He was found later near his vehicle outside the church, which may speak to his workaholic tendencies. He was a perfectionist and seemed to have unlimited energy for his musical endeavours.

Terry died of meningitis which is hard to comprehend. A service will be held on Tuesday, November 26th at First-St. Andrew's. This gathering will be a time to mourn as well as give thanks for his remarkable life in a worship experience which I can only imagine will be filled with music.

We can pray for his family and all those who will feel this loss deeply, including the First-St. Andrew's congregation where Terry has been for the past three years. Honestly, we are all stunned. 

Terry was a Christian who was a musician, as well as a musician who worked in a church setting. We commend him to the loving embrace of a God of resurrection hope. Thank you, Terry, for all your gifts. 



Bridge St. UC Sanctuary