Electronic hymn number display

[SOP]

Our service sheets go on holiday in August along with the choir so out come the old hymn books and someone eventually remembers where the hymn boards are. All good fun.

[gwyn]

As in "This train is for Norwich, calling at Ely, Thetford, Attleborough and Norwich"

Chortle.

[NorthernTenor]

One factor to take into account is the visual context. A digital board would stand out like a sore thumb in some architectures and interiors, and not in others.

Speaking for myself, though, I'd be happy with the parish in which a hymn board isn't necessary, because it doesn't substitute hymns for elements of the liturgy, or simply add them out of habit or because it's felt necessary. The only concession to hymnody would be a Marian hymn immediately following mass, and that could be announced. I can but dream.

[PaulW]

One factor to take into account is the visual context…

I agree. I've only seen this in one building (in Germany) and to my mind it was out of keeping. It was also a tad confusing, as no-one explained that the music list was going to appear one at a time and only for a short time, so that if you missed the number, you were all at sea. I resorted to looking over the shoulder of the person in front to see what they had open before I realised that the numbers were actually there.

The only concession to hymnody would be a Marian hymn immediately following mass…

Can I just get your idea clear:
Communion procession
post-communion prayer
blessing
[no final hymn]
organ voluntary
marian hymn

or does the marian addition come before the voluntary?

[NorthernTenor]

or does the marian addition come before the voluntary?

Yes. Neither is part of the liturgy (though both are desirable), but the hymn is a collective act of devotion, so is best suited to immediately follow mass.

[monty]

I had the impression it was wanted to let people know the number of the Mass setting in their hymn book. Perhaps 'hymn board' is the wrong phrase and should be 'electronic visual display communication device' and when not in use showing the actual number could display ads for local companies who would pay sponsorship money!!!

[Hare]

or does the marian addition come before the voluntary?

Yes. Neither is part of the liturgy (though both are desirable), but the hymn is a collective act of devotion, so is best suited to immediately follow mass.

BEAR! DOC! OT!!

[mcb]

I'd be happy with the parish in which a hymn board isn't necessary, because it doesn't substitute hymns for elements of the liturgy

Missing the point? Using a "hymn book" doesn't mean you can only sing "hymns" (however you define the term). A good "hymn book" will have settings of the ordinary, with reminders of the melody line; psalm responses, processional antiphons, people's acclamations... It would be quite a limitation to confine a parish's repertoire to items that could be sung from memory, or could only be sung by the choir.

[Hare]

I'd be happy with the parish in which a hymn board isn't necessary, because it doesn't substitute hymns for elements of the liturgy

Missing the point? Using a "hymn book" doesn't mean you can only sing "hymns" (however you define the term). A good "hymn book" will have settings of the ordinary, with reminders of the melody line; psalm responses, processional antiphons, people's acclamations... It would be quite a limitation to confine a parish's repertoire to items that could be sung from memory, or could only be sung by the choir.

This is a problem I am up against mcb - thanks for raising it. Our board just has slots for numbers. Some people only look at it at the beginning, the Offertory, etc, and then moan that they couldn't join in Credo III because they diddn't have the words, but 469 (Credo III in CFE) was on the board all the time!

[NorthernTenor]

I'd be happy with the parish in which a hymn board isn't necessary, because it doesn't substitute hymns for elements of the liturgy

Missing the point? Using a "hymn book" doesn't mean you can only sing "hymns" (however you define the term). A good "hymn book" will have settings of the ordinary, with reminders of the melody line; psalm responses, processional antiphons, people's acclamations... It would be quite a limitation to confine a parish's repertoire to items that could be sung from memory, or could only be sung by the choir.

That's a good point, mcb. Members of the congregation may need to turn to the 'hymn' book for the Latin of the Gloria etc.

[NorthernTenor]

or does the marian addition come before the voluntary?

Yes. Neither is part of the liturgy (though both are desirable), but the hymn is a collective act of devotion, so is best suited to immediately follow mass.

BEAR! DOC! OT!!

It's amazing how observations made in passing can take off. I hope this one didn't take us too far astray. Is there an emoticon for humble penitence? I considered , and , but none seemed to fit the bill.

Oops - that's another aside ...

[musicus]

Until recently in my parish we used service sheets and a Calamus licence for the main Sunday Mass. The church had pew copies of Celebration Hymnal (purple), which they used on other occasions. These were getting tatty, so the PP consulted us (yay!) and we recommended Laudate (faute de mieux). It then struck us that 95% of what we were doing most Sundays was in that book, so we have mainly moved away from service sheets, except for special occasions. Then, of course, we found we needed a board for the numbers (service music and hymns). I tried to source a single number LED device, but without luck. I did find the long-strip moving LED, such as you find in GP's surgeries ("Come in Mr Bear, your number is up."), but they were inappropriate and horrendously expensive. In the end, we reverted to a 'hymn board' and numbers. The new numbers are nice - strong white printing on a black background - but we couldn't find a board with sufficient slots - we need about 12 - so we had to double-up the numbers (very precarious). Latterly, we have been printing full details of the Sunday music in the bulletin, which everyone is given on the way in. This allows us to include the notation of responses and obviated the need for any hymn board and numbers.

[FrGareth]

In 1997, I visited Graz in Austria for the 2nd European Ecumenical Assembly. EVERY Catholic Church I went into seemed to have the same display gizmo - just one number (which stayed up for the whole length of the sung piece) in white dots on a dignified brown wooden backboard. Definitely not glowing LEDs and rather in keeping with the architecture of most of the churches.

Austria also seemed to have the same book on every pew of ebery church, a combined hymnbook and missal with order of Mass, Mass settings and hymns, people's texts for baptisms, funerals etc. Perhaps there's an idea there for what UK should do when the new translation hits the pews.

(Sorry, going OT, duck under bear paw..."

FrGareth

[Hare]

In 1997, I visited Graz in Austria for the 2nd European Ecumenical Assembly. EVERY Catholic Church I went into seemed to have the same display gizmo - just one number (which stayed up for the whole length of the sung piece) in white dots on a dignified brown wooden backboard. Definitely not glowing LEDs and rather in keeping with the architecture of most of the churches.

Austria also seemed to have the same book on every pew of ebery church, a combined hymnbook and missal with order of Mass, Mass settings and hymns, people's texts for baptisms, funerals etc. Perhaps there's an idea there for what UK should do when the new translation hits the pews.

(Sorry, going OT, duck under bear paw..."

FrGareth

So, anyone, where should I look for said gizmo?

[gwyn]

This looks cute:
http://www.fortune3.com/infolite/Church ... Board.html
It's limited though. For example, with a conventional hymnboard you can indicate 'Sanctus' or 'Gloria' by slipping a card beside said number with 'Gloria' or Sanctus' or whatever on it, you'd be unable to do that with yer digital job.

For versatility you're still better off with a scrolling display. You could then run adverts during the homily.

A scrolling board could tell us who the celebrant at this Mass is, that'd help discourage that awful trend developing in some parishes where an individual gets their hands on a microphone ten mins before Mass begins and yabbers at the punters-in-the-pews, informing them who the celebrant is to be, the theme of the Gospel, who the readers will be, and on ... and on ..... and on ......... ad nauseam.

What's all that about?