What Would Visitors Think?

Yesterday one of my fellow choir members asked me what a visitor would think about our church based on the way our chancel is arranged.

What a great question!

Most Presbyterian churches have a communion table (don't call it an altar!) with the symbols of communion on it in the center; a pulpit to one side and a lecturn on the other. A cross is usually front and center in some way.

Our church is having space and logistical issues between a growing traditional choir and music program at the late service and the popular contemporary music of an earlier service. Sharper conceptual minds than mine are noodling about solutions, but meanwhile there is no lecturn or pulpit (the pastors preach without notes and the scripture readings are projected on screens). The communion table is not in place unless it is communion Sunday. The pipe organ console and choir loft are in the center. A very large cross and abstract stained glass wall are behind the choir. To one side is a piano and to the other is a large set of drums, left over from the previous service because there is not enough time to move it safely out of the way.

My friend suggested a visitor would conclude from the arrangement that music was the center of worship. She's probably right.

What do you think your chancel suggests to a visitor about your church's emphasis in worship?

The Last Hymn Sing?

Here's the other experience from the weekend that left me pondering the passage of time and the previous generations: the choir concert/hymn sing that I participated in Sunday afternoon.

The premise of the concert was to present different styles of hymns in chronological order. Our director is a renowned choral conductor and professor at the University of Houston and he did a wonderful job of selecting hymns from medieval chants through modern hymns. We did old English hymns, gospel hymns, spirituals, ethnic hymns, you-name-it. And the concert was interactive--the congregation sang most of them with us.

As I looked out over the audience from the choir loft I saw mostly grey and white hair. Many were quite elderly, leaning on walkers or being assisted to their seats. But they sang out with great feeling and you could see the joy on their faces when they did. I'm sure many of them, like me, had fond memories of singing these hymns in other churches, with loved ones since departed for the church triumphant, a long time ago.

A feature of the concert was a section where we all sang together hymns selected by vote of the church congregation. Surprisingly, the most requested hymn was the Navy Hymn--Eternal Father Strong to Save. Were there a lot of former navy men in the congregation or did a couple of them stuff the ballot box? I don't know, but it certainly brought back memories of my father and uncles--especially my Uncle Wendell because we sang this hymn at his memorial service a few short years ago.

Here's what made me sad: the realization that in 20 years or so a concert/hymn sing like this will probably not fill the sanctuary again. Many in my own generation and certainly in the generations that follow me in the church do not identify and love these hymns because they don't sing them. So the fond memories I have that make them more meaningful to me would not be there for them.

As this concert demonstrated, hymn styles change and evolve over time. I'm not a fan of praise music but appreciate that it speaks to many people today. I wonder whether in 20 years a crowd will gather for a retrospective praise song fest and if so, will those in attendance fondly remember past times they sang "Awesome God" or "I Love You Lord" ? Or will the popular praise songs of today be wholly replaced by something completely different? What do you think?

QG's Best Praise Song Ever

Just What We Need

The website Decently and In Order tipped me off to the fact that the PCUSA is taking applications for people willing to serve on a new committee to produce a new hymnal.

Here's the link to the story on the PCUSA website:http://www.ppcbooks.com/hymnal.asp

I don't know about you, fellow PresbyReaders and Bloggers, but in my presbytery many of the smaller churches are still using the older "red" hymnal and never purchased the current "blue" one. In many churches, the congregation uses hymnal supplements that have more "praise songs" or other types of songs not included in the traditional hymnal.

In an increasing number of churches hymnals are not used AT ALL. Lyrics for praise songs, hymns, and responsive songs like the Doxology, are projected on screens. The hymnbooks languish, forgotten, in the pew racks. As a confirmed advocate of traditional, classic church music I may deplore that--but it is reality and this reality doesn't seem to fit with a new hymnbook to me. I wonder if the new committee will produce a digital hymnal, in place of, or in addition to a traditional format? An IPOD hymnal, like the one in this photo?

And lastly, do we really need to revisit the Worship Wars right now? Just wonderin'.

Worship Wars Department

Perfect for Praise Song enthusiasts!
Worship Songs Fridge Magnets