By GLORIA ALEFF, Courier Correspondent WAVERLY --- By day, Jonathan Reuss writes programs as an information technology analyst/designer at CUNA Mutual Life Insurance. At night, his soul sings.
He met his wife, Audrey, when both were students at Wartburg College. He pursued a major in computer science and minors in music and mathematics.
"I thought he was a computer nerd until I got to know him," Audrey says. "We both shared the same Christian beliefs and the priority of family in our lives."
Jonathan, 36, spends hours each week arranging and composing and directs the senior choir at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Waverly. He is also an accomplished organist.
"He is brilliant," says Warren Schmidt, a retired professor and organist at Wartburg College. "Jon is one of the best organ students I have ever had. He could do anything he wanted to do."
"Music is my passion," he says. "I started training my ear in junior high school. The more you understand music, the better a musician you can be."
He played in the honor band at Atlantic High School and marched with the all-state band at the Cotton Bowl on New Year's Eve in Dallas in 1987.
Jonathan shares his gift on Sundays with the congregation at Redeemer. Choir members started singing contemporary songs at one service when he took over as director in 1999. For more upbeat rhythms, Jonathan puts down his baton and plays drums.
"Jon makes interesting selections to appeal to a variety of people. With him, there is always a collaboration," says Diane Beane, music director and organist at Redeemer.
Jonathan holds a service-playing certificate with the American Guild of Organists and is secretary-treasurer of the chapter based in Waterloo. The organ man also has published a book of hymns, titled "Organ Festivity." The 48 pages include "A Mighty Fortress," "Christ is Alive! Let Christians Sing" and "Comfort, Comfort Now My People."
"Jon's arrangement of 'Mighty Fortress,' is one of the finest I have ever heard," says the Rev. Steven Ullestad of Cedar Falls, bishop of the Northeastern Iowa Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.
Ullestad encouraged the composer to submit the arrangements of traditional hymns for publication. Augsburg Fortress, the church's publishing house, agreed and after seeing the work asked for six more. Two honor the baptisms of Audrey and Jonathan's children.
"I composed 'Be Thou My Vision, Lord of All Hopefulness' for our daughter, Hannah, and a partita on 'Dearest Jesus, We Are Here' for Aaron," Jonathan says.
Redeemer Lutheran Church, 2001 W. Bremer Ave., Waverly, holds worship services at 5:30 p.m. Saturdays and at 8 and 10:30 a.m. Sundays. "Organ Festivity" is available online at www.augsburgfortress.org. Cost $18.
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