The editors of Music and Liturgy are considering making changes to the SSG Liturgy Planner. This might just be a simple reformat of what is there already, but it could be more wide ranging. It would help me to move this process forward if you would let me know your views of liturgy planners - some people prefer Decani's planner, and it would be useful to know why.
Let me know:
Good points about SSG planner
Bad points about SSG planner
Where other planners are better than SSG planner
What you would leave out of SSG planner
What additional info you'd put into SSG planner to make it more useful to you
And, of course, feel free anything else you want to say on the subject...
looking for answers within the next couple of weeks so that I can move this forward.
Thanks,
Paul Wellicome, for the editors Music and Liturgy
Well, this isn't an exact answer to your question, but here's how I pick hymns.
1. I look in the Missal as to what the "tagline" for the Sunday is, and read the Gospel of the day
2. I look in Music and Liturgy to see what they have to say about the liturgy, and what their suggestions are
3. I look at the suggestions in the back of Laudate for that Sunday, and look through the appropriate liturgical section for other ideas
4. I look at the notes from our previous (late) organist, to see what she used for the corresponding Sunday last time round
5. I find that it's Saturday evening and I've still not decided - and promise the Holy Spirit that if He will help me out this week then I'll get properly planned out for the next couple of months
6. My prayers are answered.
What is fidgeting me now is that we have a visitation from His Grace on the 29th Sunday, and I've not got a clue what to put on (the gospel for that day doesn't easily suggest a direction).
I have used this Liturgy Planner for as many years as I have had any part in the planning process, back to when it was in A5 format, so I must think it's all right! I have no comparisons to make with other planners.
The overview of Gospels for the season is useful. The Thoughts on the Day often leave me no more focused than before I read them. A deacon attached to our parish once came to a planning meeting and begged to differ with the line taken in the planner for whatever week we were considering. I wonder, could they be more objective and specific, with ideas linked directly to song suggestions? As a random illustration, say, "Taking up the justice theme of this week's OT reading and Gospel," then a list of songs on that theme.
Occasionally you spot omissions of fairly obvious choices or omission of reference to them in a hymnal where they can be found. Would it be too "anorakish" to collect these and pass them on?
Development idea: to quote the source of the Entrance Antiphon (usually verses from a psalm) and Communion Antiphon (often NT verse) which could themselves give inspiration for songs either in the planner itself, of by reference to a scriptural index from elsewhere. These sources are not given in the Missal.
Dot wrote: Development idea: to quote the source of the Entrance Antiphon (usually verses from a psalm) and Communion Antiphon (often NT verse) which could themselves give inspiration for songs either in the planner itself, of by reference to a scriptural index from elsewhere. These sources are not given in the Missal.
Entrance antiphons aren't much use as a source of inspiration as they work on a one-year cycle while the readings work on three. Anyone know how this came to be?
Dot wrote:Occasionally you spot omissions of fairly obvious choices or omission of reference to them in a hymnal where they can be found. Would it be too "anorakish" to collect these and pass them on?
This could be done on-line relatively simply. Would that help?
Dot wrote:Entrance Antiphon... and Communion Antiphon... sources are not given in the Missal.
They are in mine... you must have a cheap missal
Does anyone here ever refer to the SSG on-line planner?
I predominantly use the on-line planner - mainly because I mislay/lose the supplement that comes with the SSG mag.
The on-line planner is very useful indeed as a quick reference.
I tend to use planner for the entrance song/hymn and the song at communion, the choice of song at the Preparation of the Gifts and the Recessional are left entirely to the Holy Spirit as is the choice of mass setting - she has such good taste you know! (Her input into the SSG Lit planner is beyond question )
I did once get hold of the Decani lit planner and found it very informative but as it doesn't plop through my letter-box every few months or so and isn't accessible on-line I've not pursued its use.
Was wondering if you could limit your space for each sunday's information to one column? - so that each sunday starts 'from the top'.
Or at least put a horizontal line to separate each bit. Even with the bold titles it all becomes a haze of words.
Obviously there are occasions when more space is needed, but I find the deluge of text rather overpowering. Room for a little judicious use of religious clipart perhaps? where the notes don't go to a full column, or even advertising space!
This does require less flexibility on the part of the editors however, to ensure that only the essentials go in, unless they decide that every sunday can have a max of two columns. Most sundays look like they could fit into just one - but if one doesn't, those following have a tendency to 'wraparound'.
I've just tried to use the online plannner, but discovered it's a few weeks out of date. There can be problems updating websites and it's a bit of a chore if you are the one who has to do it every week, but 2 weeks ago is not a lot of use.
I find it actually a very useful resource, in the mag.
I came to this one because our parish is trying to involve new people in all activities, and I have just had an offer of help in planning one week a month.
I thought I would tell the 2 very keen and well qualified people concerned where to go, i.e. the SSG online planner....
Just to keep you up to date... I'm looking at a page per week, with a four-fold breakdown: Stuff for readers; Stuff to help with General Intercessions; Stuff for musicians; and stuff for your personal preparation for the liturgy.
Have I missed anything that would really be detrimental to the liturgy preparation team if omitted?
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