Richard Dwyer, Organist

Richard L. Dwyer, a native of Herrin, Illinois, holds a B.A. in Church Music from Asbury College, a Master's in Organ Performance and Pedagogy from Indiana University, as well as both the Associate and Fellow Certificates from the American Guild of Organists. He has led numerous workshops and seminars in piano, organ, and service playing and has regularly presented recitals not only in the Lexington area but also in other states. He has performed on large pipe organs in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia; in Tallinn, Estonia; and in Riga, Latvia.

In addition to these credentials in music, he has pursued further study in Pastoral Care and Counseling at the Lexington Theological Seminary, Central Baptist Hospital and the University of Kentucky. He also attended Asbury Theological Seminary with course work in Christian Education and the University of Kentucky with thirty-three hours in Russian Language.

He was on the ministerial staff of Calvary Baptist Church in Lexington where he was licensed and ordained to the ministry. From June, 1969, until December, 2000, he served at Calvary Baptist Church in positions of Organist, Minister of Youth, Interim Minister to Singles, Minister of Music, and Executive Director of the Interfaith Samaritan Counseling Center from which he retired. Also, he taught on an adjunct basis at Asbury College, Asbury Theological Seminary, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Eastern Kentucky University, and Berea College. Richard began serving as Interim Choral Director and Organist at Centenary United Methodist Church in August 1999. Presently he serves Centenary as Organist and Handbell Director. In addition, he serves as accompanist for the Lexington Chamber Chorale. Richard also serves as Pastor of Music Ministries at First Church Andover.

Resulting from his interest in missions and international students, he has studied French, Russian and Spanish. He teaches Spanish for a Donovan Scholars Class for the University of Kentucky, English as a Foreign language and is often called upon to serve as translator for the Hispanic community in Lexington and the surrounding areas.