Hymns and the Visitor, Any suggestions? Options

[mel2]

I nearly said 'hymns for the unchurched' but didn't want to initiate a slanging match; I've no problem with non-churchgoers and genuinely want to make the experience of a service as rewarding as possible for them so would appreciate any thoughts on a situation that arises here monthly.

I am annoyed that after an 11 hour day yesterday that included work, organ practice and choir practice, I found a message on my answering machine requesting that the hymns be changed.

When I returned the call the reasoning was " I'm sorry it is such short notice but I've just got back from holiday and it is the Family/Welcome ~Service this Sunday and they won't know any of the hymns on the list".........[truncate conversation but the next bit was exactly the words used]....." I haven't decided what I'm going to talk about yet".


So we are to ditch 'Now thank we all our God', 'Praise we now the word of Grace', 'Praise my soul the King of Heaven', and 'Bright the vision'.
Let us ignore the fact that I had spent nearly an hour going through these line by line with the non-music readers in the choir.

None of these would have them rocking at Greenbelt, admittedly, but my contention is that the irregular visitor is unlikely to be all that familiar with the alternative hymns that I have been instructed to play i.e 'Morning has Broken, 'Give me oil in my lamp' and 'O Jesus I have promised', either. Clearly, no more thought has gone into this selection than could be managed in the blink of an eye.

So the question is, what do others do when they know a fair proportion of the congregation will be, if not first timers, at least unfamiliar with the culture? I know for a fact that a handful of the regulars avoid this service because of the likely presence of fidgety infants and the vacuous theology that will be presented. (I hasten to add that the service is being conducted by a Reader, not the Vicar, who submitted the original list for my approval).

What hymns would you suggest as an alternative? Because if I am to play this c@rp I shall go on pedal strike and not vary the registration one jot. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) We have Common Praise, Mission Praise and A+M to hand.

[randomsabreur]

I'm a relatively recent churchgoer- started going last November, but been every possible week (barring weddings at the wrong end of the country and being away on holiday) since about May, the quality of the music is massively important to me, and I would certainly attend far less regularly at a church where the music was either ropey or too modern (and probably would only have gone out of duty before getting married, rather than out of a desire to go...). The music isn't the only reason for going now, but before I really felt at home in the church, it was something to look forward to.

We're very lucky that our church (sadly not our parish church) has a fantastic organist (recent voluntaries include Mulet Carrillon-Sortie), excellent choir and a stunning acoustic. The director of music is also one of the churchwardens, so is clearly very involved in the parish. I also get the feeling that the Priest in Charge has a strong musical background, from the quality of his singing at evensong and where singing is required in the communion service.

This church isn't a Cathedral (but there are probably smaller cathedrals around) and is in a small town (approx 12,000 inhabitants, but regularly gets 100+ at the main family service (probably nearer 200 other than during the summer when the choir is on holiday!). Most of the hymns used are traditional, few are recent and with the choir are generally well sung. Think there might be a pattern here (although the town is pretty traditional - being famous for "killing" a Macdonalds by not using it...)