I know that there are a number of church organists here - I would be interested to know which of the Christmas services you give the highest priority to. It seems that in our parish most of the choir turn out for 9 lessons and carols and Midnight Eucharist, with Christmas morning and Christmas 1 (even when Christmas 1 isn't on Boxing Day!) very thinly attended. What is general practice in parish churches - and what would you LIKE to see happen?

I give high priority to all of them but especially Midnight Mass and Christmas Morning Mass. We had a beautiful sung Mass on Christmas Morning (Missa de Angelis) and the church was absolutely packed. People were standing 3 rows deep at the back of the church.

We don't have a midnight service - a lot of people like to go to the cathedral for that so I doubt if we'd get much of a congregation. We normally have 2 services on Christmas morning: a quiet service of holy communion at around 8/8:30 and the a main (non-communion) 'all-age' service at 10/10:15/10:30.

Our church carol service is always in the evening on the last Sunday before Christmas. In previous years there's been a crib service on Christmas Eve (aimed primarily at children), but our vicar didn't want one this year (I think there may have been an alternative children's event in the run-up to Christmas, but not on Christmas Eve). We don't do a service of nine lessons and carols on Christmas Eve because again a lot of people like to go to the one in the cathedral.

From a musical point of view, the thing that gets the most preparation is the carol service. For the other Christmas services the music tends to be well known and we just practice before the service (We normally practice on Friday nights for the Sunday services, but nobody fancied practicing on either Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve this year ).

I'm a church musician, but not an organist.

Carol Service (main one on C. Eve) -> most musical content, and largest congregation.

We have a newly re-formed choir and only sing at two services per month, one morning, one evening. However at Christmas, they gave us everything, you could say pulled out all the stops for us. Advent carol service, then 1st evening service in the month (Communion), then Lessons & Carols (19th) and Midnight Mass. No choir on Christmas morning. They did my Principal and I proud and many thanks to them

The big Carol Service in middle December (it is actually our biggest service of the year) and Midnight Mass.

I'm not an organist, but am in a church choir.

We were expected at all six services of 9 Lessons and Carols, plus Christmas Day. The organist seemed to place equal (ie A LOT) of emphasis on them all.

In fairness, the churches I've been at, the choir have generally only sung 'solo' at the 9 L&C which is usually the Sunday evening before Christmas Day. The congregation diminishes for the Midnight Communion, and by Christmas Day, you're lucky if you get 10 including the preacher and the organist. So...highest priority is definitely given the the 9 L&C - it is the most-attended service in the year (often 80-100). There was potential at one point for the choir to sing something 'solo' at the Midnight Communion, but then the minister started bringing CD's to play instead, so our noses were put out of joint and we didn't bother.

In terms of numbers, Christmas midnight mass is our biggest service here, followed by a Civic Carol Service (of nine lessons and carols), at which the local primary school children sing their hearts out for the Mayor and Councillors.

Christmas morning service has been dull for many years, partly because it is in two halves; with a short family service to begin with, followed by a shortened Eucharist. Those who do not want to stay for the Eucharist are asked to leave quietly during one of the carols, but there are so few people remaining that it feels all wrong.

One of the churches in the parish now holds a 9.00 pm 'Midnight Mass'. This is much less popular than the real midnight service, but has it's advantages.

SB

Celeste - it sounds asthough much was expected from you, and yet I am sure your contribution to each occasion was most fine!

Swell Box - 9pm 'midnight' service sounds like a good idea to me!

"...but then the minister started bringing CD's to play instead, so our noses were put out of joint and we didn't bother."

I find it very difficult to contain my anger when I read of this sort of thing. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is so calculated to make parish musicians feel unwanted and unvalued.

It is the height of bad manners and utterly unprofessional. I am shocked and disappointed that this should go on anywhere.

Barry Williams

What made it more insulting was that the things she brought to play were things that were in the choir's repertoire anyway

Then this is the ordinary service equivalent of the crematorium 'Wesley' system, wherein organists are no longer needed. Clearly, your organist and choir are no longer necessary.

I am appalled. Has the matter been raised formally?

Barry Williams

With us it's our Nine Lessons and Carols (a week before Christmas) and Midnight Mass (a service I don't much agree with and wouldn't go to if I didn't have to direct the choir).

No choir on Christmas morning (I had said I wasn't expecting them and wouldn't be there myself), and none on Christmas 1 either (though I had indicated I would like them there for an anthem).

Back to normal on 2 January, when we observed Epiphany and sang Britten's New Year Carol.

hmm it's seeming as though my view that Christmas morning is the time when the choir should be there in force is a minority one!

Our local church was empty of choir on Christmas morning - apparently they were all sleeping in after midnight mass. (There was some speculation that the post-midnight mass celebrations might have left them all a little worse for wear ... although considering the age and fragility of the dear members, it seems unlikely!)

It didn't really matter though. Everyone knows the tunes and words to the traditional carols that tend to get used in the Christmas morning service, so while there might be a bit/lot of harmonies missing, there's still enough noise that things hold together, while sounding suitably jubilant!

"words to the traditional carols"

In 2009 I deputised at a church where the hymns for the Midnight Service of Holy Communion were projected on the walls from Hymns Old and New. The congregation sang the traditional version of the words, to the great annoyance of the vicar, though they were seemingly unaware of why he was so angry.

This year I had to play 'Away in a manger' from Songs of Fellowship, where 'Thee' has been altered to 'you'.

The congregation, without exception, sang 'Thee'.

It takes more than the editor of a hymn book to take away tradition.

Barry Williams

I completely agree, and I come from a very untraditional, non conformist congregation, but, yes, we too sung the traditional words even though the projected words were particularly strange - a whole mix of traditional and 'new'. Nobody bothered to notice, and all sung the traditional lyrics.

Playing with lyrics is definitely a step too far and an insult to peoples' intellegence!

Sometimes I feel the clergy need to be reminded of the vocation they have chosen, and what their responsibilities are. These should not extend to insulting and generally brassing off all those individuals who support and run the church, raise funds, and ultimately help pay clergy stipends.

Sadly, it seems to me that the whole church has become very 'clergy centred' over the past two decades or so. We might still sing 'The Servant King' on occasions, but the whole idea of the clergy serving the church and community is now long lost, (well it is in this parish anyway). Instead, the clergy seem to treat their PCC and congregations with contempt, and see their role as taking services and nothing else. Even arranging a baptism has become nigh on impossible around here, as the clergy are insisting that baptisms must only be held during main Sunday services, and then only one a month at best. The result is that some families have started booking baptisms even before their children are born, rather than waiting several years afterwards.

One of our clergy recently took a three month sabbatical, and in his place we had a retired Priest, who was very much old school. What a refreshing change. Not only did we use the 'proper' words to everything, but nothing was too much trouble for him. Furthermore, he and his wife were very happy to spend time over coffee after services so they could get to know the regulars.

The visiting Preist also had a very interesting approach to 'The Peace', which effectively meant that it didn't happen!

SB

This is my experience too...they are also significantly better preachers!