Barry L. Bobb

Barry Bobb was born on August 18, 1951 in Seymour, Indiana. His elementary schooling was at Immanuel Lutheran School in Seymour and his secondary education was received at the local public high school. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education—Director of Parish Music Degree (1973) and the Master of Church Music Degree (1978) from Concordia University (River Forest) Chicago. In 2000 his alma mater conferred on him an honorary doctor of letters degree. He also has a master’s degree in systematic theology from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. From 1973-1986 he served as teacher and music director at Salem Lutheran Church and School in Affton, Missouri and at Christ Community Lutheran School in Kirkwood, Missouri. For the next 17 years he served in several different roles at Concordia Publishing House. From 2002 until the summer of 2008, Barry was director of choral activities at Lutheran High School South in St. Louis (and chairman of the theology department) and continued working as a church musician in the area. In retirement he continues to serve ½-time as Director of Sanctuary Music at Cornerstone Lutheran Church in Carmel, Indiana, and as volunteer Director of the Center for Church Music at Concordia University Chicago. Barry Bobb is a published composer of choral and organ music. He is probably best known as co-author of the 12-part series Proclaim: A Guide for Planning Liturgy and Music (CPH) and as editor of Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish (CPH). He has a deep and abiding interest in the inter-relatedness of the Church’s theology, its music, liturgy and art, and faith formation. He has served on three non-profit boards: the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians, Lutheran Summer Music, and the Lutheran Association of Special Education. Barry and his wife Donna are the parents of two adult sons: Aaron and Ryan.