20th emPower Music Festival Sept 22-26, 2025

emPower Music Festival Schedule (coming soon)

Conference Music Team: Sue Riley, Richard Mekdeci, Glen Roethel, Claudia Carawan, Susie Hulcher, Lucy Kilpatrick, Kim-Char Meredith, Jeff English,

Monday:  September 22

Music store opens at 3 pm

Registration Opens:  3-5pm.  Pick up your badges.

5:00-6:30 pm:  Dinner (included in registration)

7:00-8:30:  Opening Night Welcome: Join Reverend Jim Blake, CEO of Unity Village; Reverend Mark Fuss, Vice President of Outreach and Overseer of Unity Archives as we plan out time together and join our hearts and voices in song.

8:30-9:30:  Grace Note Award presentation by Unity Worldwide Ministries Music Team

Tuesday: September 23

9:15-9:45 Greet the Day: Inspiration and Music

10:00 am – 11:30 am –

11:30 am – 1:00 pm:  Lunch (included in registration)

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Concurrent Workshops

1. Melinda Wood Allen: emPower World Chorus

We come together for just 3 rehearsals to learn great Posi music, model effective rehearsal techniques, have a blast singing together,    and perform Saturday night.  Attendance at all 3 rehearsals is required to perform.

2. 

3-5pm: Free time: Walk the labyrinth, play golf, explore the Unity archives, relax in one of the garden spaces OR

9:00pm-11:00pm: Namaste Café hosted.  Your opportunity to share one song with the conference body.  Limited to 25 participants.  Sign up when you register.

Wednesday: September 24

9:15-9:45: Greet the Day: Inspiration and Music by Conference Music Team

10:00-11:30: Concurrent workshops:

 11:30 am – 1:00 pm:  Lunch (included in registration)

1:00 – 3:00 pm:  Concurrent Workshops

     1. Melinda Wood Allen: emPower World Chorus

We come together for just 3 rehearsals to learn great Posi music, model effective rehearsal techniques, have a blast singing together, and perform Saturday night.  Attendance at all 3 rehearsals is required to perform.

 3. Song Circles – Share a song with your fellow attendees in this safe format.  We ask that there be no critiques, just an opportunity to share your amazing songs with fellow attendees.  Limited to 15 participants in each circle.  Sign up sheets in the conference bookstore. Song circle leader:

     3-5pm: Free Time: Walk the labyrinth, play golf, explore the Unity archives, relax in one of the garden spaces OR

5:00-6:45:  Dinner (included in your registration)

7:00-8:30pm:   Mega Posi Palooza Concert featuring past Posi Award Nominees and recipients

9:00-11:00: Pajama Jam Late Night Acoustic Music Showcases – taking place in the education wing.  Acoustic music in themed rooms (with COVID protocols)  Wear your favorite pajamas to this musical jammy party. Snacks and cash bar.

Thursday: September 25

9:15-9:45 am: Greet the Day: Inspiration and Music

10:00 am – 11:30 am: Concurrent Workshops

1. Richard Mekdeci: What’s A New Thought Song?

Language is as important in our music as it is in our sermons. In order to define our unique theology and differentiate our music from traditional church music, it should reflect the sometimes-subtle nuances that make a song “New Thought”. We will discuss what “New Thought” is and compare some of our most used songs to the criteria we create. Participants are invited to bring their own songs to examine or suggest songs for comparison.

11:30 am – 1:00 pm: Lunch (included in registration)

1:00 – 3:00 pm:    Concurrent Workshops

1. Melinda Wood Allen: emPower World Chorus

We come together for just 3 rehearsals to learn great Posi music, model effective rehearsal techniques, have a blast singing together, and perform Saturday night.  Attendance at all 3 rehearsals is required to perform.

3:00-5:00pm: Free Time: Walk the labyrinth, play golf, explore the Unity archives, relax in one of the garden spaces OR

1.  Song Circles – Share a song with your fellow attendees in this safe format.  We ask that there be no critiques, just an opportunity to share your amazing songs with fellow attendees.  Limited to 15 participants in each circle.  Sign up sheets in the conference bookstore. Song circle leaders:
2.  

5:00-6:45:  Conference Banquet (included in meal ticket)

 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm: Our emPower World Chorus opens the evening, followed by a Concert featuring the 2024 Finalists.  Celebrate the top rated songs and videos from 2024. Hosted by Sue Riley and Richard Mekdeci.

 9:00 pm-11:00 pm: Namaste Cafe. Your opportunity to share one song with the conference body.  Limited to 25 participants.  Sign up when you register.

Bios:

David Roth is a singer, songwriter, and recording artist who has taken his songs, experience, and expertise to a wide variety of venues in this and other countries full-time for more than three decades.  His work has found its way to Carnegie Hall, the United Nations, several Chicken Soup for the Soul books, the Kennedy Center, Peter, Paul, & Mary and Kingston Trio CDs, NASA’s Goddard Space Center (his song “Rocket Science” sailed on the space shuttle Atlantis in 2009), the Rise Up Singing and Rise Again (sequel) songbooks, the Kerrville (TX) New Folk Award, and 15 CDs on the Wind River and Stockfisch (Germany) labels.  David’s also received 5 Posi Awards over the years and Unity’s Grace Note for Lifetime Contribution to New Thought Music.  www.davidrothmusic.com

Harold Payne is a multi-platinum and Posi award winning songwriter who has written songs for such diverse artists as Rod Steward, Patti Labelle and Carlos Santana as well as with longtime collaborator Bobby Womack; literally from Peter, Paul & Mary to Snoop Dogg. He is a master improviser who combines prepared customized material and “on the spot” songs to create a pinnacle moment at concerts, special events and conferences that truly entertain, inspire and involve the audience and he describes his process in the TEDx Talk “Preparing for Spontaneity.” Harold is the 2021 recipient of the Unity Worldwide Ministries “Grace Note” award.

Glen Roethel is a one-of-a-kind artist, gifted vocalist, and wonderfully musical acoustic guitarist. His rich baritone-tenor, effortless fretting, and vibrant personality light up stages solo, in an ensemble, and when he accompanies others. He is an award-winning songwriter and a real crowd-pleaser, having electrified juried showcases for Folk Alliance, S.M.A.F., Falcon Ridge Folk Fest, Cape May Singer-Songwriter Fest, Posi Music Fest, and more. Glen sings memoirs, anecdotes, tender love songs, and anthemic calls for unity and empowerment. He is a beloved national PosiMusic artist, a popular instructor at SummerSongs songwriter retreats (summersongs.com), a record producer, and a sing-along master.

Greg Tamblyn’s funny inspirational songs and hilarious-to-poignant true stories elevate audiences and individuals in the best possible way:  He helps us see the best in ourselves, and laugh at the rest of ourselves. The result is a healthy dose of comic, lasting stress relief.
Greg brings over 30 years experience as a humorous motivational speaker, inflicting himself on fun-loving, forward-thinking folks across North America and countries as far away as Singapore and Australia. His audiences range from mind-body wellness groups, counselors and social workers to healthcare, and corporate stress and wellness events.

Patricia Bahia   A nine-time Posi Award recipient, songwriter, and singer with hundreds of song placements in TV shows, promos, films and ads, Patricia wrote her first song after a cancer diagnosis prompted her to leave her career as a lawyer, trade her briefcases for guitar cases, and start living her bucket list life as a songwriter. Her songwriting credits include TV shows such as Pretty Little Liars, Riverdale, Nashville, Love is Blind and Selling Sunset; and promos and ads for brands such as Google Pixel, Target, Optimum, and Aetna Health. A songwriter in service, Patricia often shares her uplifting music at centers for spiritual living, unity centers, and music festivals and conferences, delivering uplifting messages of hope, unity and empowerment wherever she goes. After twenty years of writing songs, she says “it still feels like magic to go from blank page to brand new song.”

RICHARD MEKDECI ( mek – DEE – see) Rev. Richard Mekdeci is an ordained Unity Minister (2018), as well as co-founder of empower Music & Arts.  He was part of the Unity Worldwide Ministries Music Team for 15 years, as well as the Music and Creative Arts coordinator for Unity Village retreats for 6 years.  Richard has visited dozens of Unity churches around the world speaking, facilitating workshops and performing his music. He has seven albums of mostly original songs which are well-known throughout the Unity movement.
He is also co-author with Sue Riley of the book “Music In Ministry – A Handbook for New Thought Music Directors”. Richard currently does consulting on all aspects of church music and serves as Minister of Music at Unity Renaissance in Chesapeake, VA.

Kim-Char Meredith is owner of Pahzee Music (MPAKT Music & Media LLC), which specializes in music and media production, championing small churches and creative professionals . She joyfully serves as Music & Creative Director at Unity In Naperville, and is member of the Unity Worldwide Ministries Music Team. A dynamic and award-winning singer/songwriter, Kim-Char’s music career spans over four decades with 17 albums to her credit. “Meredith’s performance, when she opened for Melissa Etheridge…was perhaps the best concert pairing of the year” (Honolulu Star-Bulletin). Her cds? An “Extraordinary exhibition of vocal talent” (Southern Guitar) that showcase Kim-Char’s “nearly immeasurable songwriting gifts…” (Windy City Times). Kim-Char also hosts the Smile Zone Podcast, aiming to brighten mornings and foster online connections: fb.com/SmileZone.Podcast.

Sue Riley believes in the power of music to touch hearts and heal lives.  As one of the co-founders of emPower Music & Arts, Sue helps host the yearly empower Music Festival and Posi Awards recognizing excellence in songwriting for artists who create songs with messages of peace, interfaith, and joyous living.  A prolific singer-songwriter, Sue has created 8 CDs of original, award winning, uplifting positive music. Her newest CD “There Are Moments” was produced by Glen Roethel and released in 2020, just in time for the Covid shut down. Timing is everything (this is an example of looking for humor in everyday life). Sue is a grateful member of the Summersongs Board of Directors as well as a board member of Unity Worldwide Ministries.

OUR GOAL: A ZERO COVID FESTIVAL

At emPower Music & Arts, we are proud of the Posi Tribe we’ve created together over the past 18 years. We have an unspoken shared credo that we act for the greater good of all and honor all individual’s choices and viewpoints.
We know that the Covid virus is still very much active in the world. And we know that we do not live in a bubble. We are gathering from all over the United States, staying in different hotels and coming together for meals. We are also gathering for the joy of singing together and sharing ideas.
Nevertheless, our goal is to have a Zero Covid Music Festival. That means our intention is that all who came here without Covid will leave here without Covid!  In an abundance of caution we have moved the pajama jams to large classrooms, made the pajama jam food self serve.

OUR COVID POLICY

• Help us achieve this goal by masking up when you are in the Music Store or in classes.
• Social distance, when possible, for our concerts and open mics.
• We will have wipes to clean the mikes, stands, and other shared instruments.
• Wear a mask if you are having a prolonged conversation with someone.
• Be extra vigilant while here to protect yourself and to extend that kindness to the rest of our community.
• We suggest bringing a couple of home tests in case you need them and some extra masks.

We affirm an inspiring, life-changing and SAFE experience for all of you attending the 18^th Annual emPower Music Festival.

Refund Policy for Festival 

Refund Policy:  100% refund minus $40 admin fee until Jan 31st, 2025; 

50% refund from April 1, 2025-June 30, 2025.  No refunds after July 1, 2025.