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.

[Swell Box]

It is a disgrace that your Minister (or whoever) allowed you and the choir to waste your time and efforts practicing hymns which wouldn't be used. It shows total disrespect to you all. If the hymns were printed on a service sheet it is fairly obvious that the service was planned at least a few days in advance, so surely you could have had a revised hymn list in time for choir practice?
SB

Thanks, SB; this is exactly my view.

This is a Reader, not the vicar, but the vicar mentioned to me on saturday that there had been a change of plan and how sorry he was. Sorry or not, it shows that several people were in on this and I was not informed until late on Friday afternoon, and choir practice meant I didn't pick up the message until after 7p.m.

The high-handedness is the annoying part and the impossibility of any negotiation. I really wish now I had left him to scramble around for the hymn CD.

A clear notice is going up somewhere prominent stating that any revision to the hymn list must be passed on to me by the Tuesday before the service. After all, there is a deadline for notices to go on the sheet so this doesn't seem unreasonable. If they can't get themselves organized before a Friday I don't see that it should become my problem.

A Reader. Why does this not surprise me? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Mel; I am sure you have a busy day job and a busy home life, so you really do not need this kind of time wasting when it would be so easy for those responsible to give you the hymn list in good time.

Rather than putting up a notice (which would probably be ignored), I feel it would be better, and entirely reasonable, to write formally to the Rector and PCC asking that you are notified of hymns in good time for choir practice on Thursday; adding that hymns notified after this time will be played at the discretion of the organist and choir members.

(Why not ask that the hyjn list be given to you the previous Sunday, so there is time for negociation if required?)

If the matter is raised under 'correspondence received' at the next PCC meeting, your concerns, and any responses should be minuted, so there will be no excuses for Readers or anyone else behaving in this way.

SB

[mel2]

Rather than putting up a notice (which would probably be ignored), I feel it would be better, and entirely reasonable, to write formally to the Rector and PCC asking that you are notified of hymns in good time for choir practice on Thursday; adding that hymns notified after this time will be played at the discretion of the organist and choir members.

(Why not ask that the hyjn list be given to you the previous Sunday, so there is time for negociation if required?)

If the matter is raised under 'correspondence received' at the next PCC meeting, your concerns, and any responses should be minuted, so there will be no excuses for Readers or anyone else behaving in this way.

SB

Seems like a good idea, SB. I shall address it to the new vicar and PCC. Everyone is still tiptoe-ing round him and on their best behaviour so for a while at least, things should be done by the book and minutes taken.

Changing hymns is almost a reflex action on the part of this person. He used to do it shamelessly on the day of services which is why I am so surprised he tried it on again when he knows that it will cause an argument.
Retired Headteacher = Habit of command. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)