The Rev. Terry Rothermich ’93 never intended to be a minister.

He was a successful concert pianist in Europe and a Fulbright scholar, making recordings and studying music. Then suddenly the market dried up and Rothermich found himself without a job.

“I very much wanted to touch lives and I knew music did that, but I was afraid at that point I would have to give it up,” he said.

That’s when God called Rothermich into a life of ministry and he found himself at Brite studying divinity.

Now, almost a decade later, Rothermich has found a harmonious marriage of ministry and music. Minister of Memorial Christian Church in Midland, he is consumed with pastoral, educational and youth duties, but he’s managed to record music — in July, he released his second compact disc, Keys to the Kingdom, a collection of piano ballads selected from the classics. His first compilation came out in 1999.

“The best part is when you make a connection with parishioners. It’s like being in the pulpit, but also like being on a concert stage. It’s just a very strong spiritual feeling.”