Guest Preacher and Musician: Christian Brooks and Margot Rood
Welcome to the Pulpit: Christian Brooks
We welcome to the pulpit Christian Brooks, the PC (USA) Office of Public Witness’s Representative for Domestic Issues. A St. Louis native, Christian recently graduated from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. As a seminarian, Christian served as President of the Student Association and co-founded a student advocacy group called Seminarians United for Racial Justice (SURJ), which is committed to giving voice to the concerns of students of color across a broad coalition of allies.
Most recently, Christian served as the Racial Equity Policy Fellow for Bread for the World Institute, a DC-based anti-hunger advocacy organization. This role spotlighted Christian’s professional writing, research and analytical skills, as she regularly wrote and published blogs regarding connections between food security and education. She also co-authored a research paper on racial equity in federal nutrition programs.
Welcome Guest Musician: Margot Rood
Margot Rood, hailed for her “colorful and vital” singing by The Washington Post, performs a wide range of repertoire across North American stages.
The 2019/2020 season marks her debuts with Toronto’s Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, Washington Bach Consort, and South Florida’s Enlightenment Festival. Recent and upcoming solo appearances include those with Cleveland Orchestra, Boston Symphony, Philharmonia Baroque, New Jersey Symphony, Charlotte Symphony, Rhode Island Philharmonic, New World Symphony, TENET Vocal Artists, Seraphic Fire, Bach Collegium San Diego, and A Far Cry. Margot made her solo debut at Boston’s Symphony Hall in 2011 and since then has been a frequent soloist with Handel + Haydn Society.
Margot's recent and upcoming stage appearances include La Renommée in Lalande's Les Fontaines de Versailles and Oreste Nunzia in Francesca Caccini's Alcina with Boston Early Music Festival, Galatea in Acis & Galatea and First Witch in Dido & Aeneas with Handel and Haydn Society, Polly Peachum in Beggar’s Opera and Hyacinthus in Mozart's Apollo et Hyacinthus with Emmanuel Music, and Ramiro in Helios Early Opera’s production of Cavalli’s Artemisia. Margot performed and recorded the role of Emily Webb in Ned Rorem’s Our Town with Monadnock Music which was widely released by New World Records in 2017.
Margot belongs to Beyond Artists, a coalition of artists that donates a percentage of concert fees to non-profit organizations. She supports My Sister’s Place, an institution that provides resources to domestic violence survivors, through her performances.
Margot belongs to Beyond Artists, a coalition of artists that donates a percentage of concert fees to non-profit organizations. She supports My Sister’s Place, an institution that provides resources to domestic violence survivors, through her performances.