Inge Schultz - 1973 Seventh Day Adventist group singing at a train depot
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MUSIC BIOGRAPHY
Inge Schultz experience spans over 20 years as a local performing artist and songwriter. Her experience as a singer began as a teen when she was involved in Oxford Junior High School Choir in Southern California. Inge's music skill started at the age of nine when she learned to play the accordion. Inge then learned to play the clarinet during her time at Oxford Junior High where she quickly moved to first chair in band. Inge has exploration into many musical genres has given her an appreciation for compositional styles. One of Inge's most memorable musical experience as a teen was when she became involved in an evangelistic group in 1973 through the Seventh Day Adventist church in Perth, Western Australia. The group sang songs at train depots as in the picture above, and on street corners within the city of Perth. The group sang gospel songs such as "Try a little Kindness," and "Heaven came Down and Glory Filled my Soul." Inge states that she was scared to be in the front row, but she loved to sing the songs because they were so joyful and positive.
At Queen Anne High School Inge was in band and in choir. Inge participated in the Seattle All City Band in the summer of 1974. The band was privileged to go to Spokane and perform for Expo. 74. In the fall of 1974, Inge's senior year in High School, she traded clarinet in for a classical guitar at Green River Music. Inge began an adventure of learning classical style picking, and chord progressions. Inge wrote her first composition titled, "Lasting Love". The song speaks of God's lasting love that is ever present in our times of distress. Inge states, "it's a personal relationship we have with God, and not a practiced religion. It is something that is heart felt and changes your innermost being. When you have experienced His presence in an intimate way, your perspective of yourself changes.
In 1982, Inge was voted in by the congregation as the new worship leader and choir director for Grace Fellowship in Kent, Washington. Through this position, Inge was able to hone in on her leadership and interpersonal skills. Inge claims that she encouraged the congregation to get involved in some aspect of worship and praise. Psalms 29:2 states,"give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness," and this means to bow yourself down and render yourself to God in verbal expression of not only His love for you, but of His providence. Inge states, "this is the heart of worship, and it is achieved through a genuine love for God. If you don't have that love in your heart, then worship becomes a legalistic secular event." Inge comments that in Ephesians 5:19, it instructs us to speak "to yourselves in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord," and this is a verbal confession of our faith in God.
In today's contemporary worship, many churches are in a state of transition to a new form of worship in order to reach the present culture. Inge comments how it is disheartening when leadership excludes part of their congregation from the experience of worship due to the new cultural norms. Inge quotes from Tom Kraeuter book titled "The Worship Leader's Handbook," published in 2007 by Training Resources Inc., the importance of "striking a balance that is right for your church's culture and area." This includes the people within your congregation and those within your community. Inge states, "I have learned to appreciate the hymns, for they are our Christian inheritance. All spiritual songs and hymns are relevant in our culture when God is the source of inspiration for those songs. Inge has also served on the Black Diamond Presbyterian Church worship team during the years of 1996 and 1997. Inge has volunteered her time and talent through the Kent Lions Club as Entertainment Coordinator for the Kent Cornucopia Days during the years of 1983 to 1993. Inge has participated in many fairs throughout King and Pierce County in Washington State.