thank heavens for this forum:much help needed!

[oopsorganist]

I have not had time to read all posts although many so far have helped.

Where were you when I needed you ?- at Easter I had major stress (which I don't need at church, I can get than at work quite easily) - and still have music in a mess in my parish.

I am organist at small poor parish and also lead "music group", and provide guitar music with one other musician. Have had major problems with others involved in music leading to a dreadful Easter Triduum.

Just because I suggested that we should sing more of the bits highlighted in the front of the CH4E and try to do some psalms too - oh, and at the suggestion of the local cathedral musico, do the Ubi Caritas (Where is Love and Loving Kindness).........

Put it to the group that we should work for participation and inclusion as Gospel Values and that PP wants young people included more and got proper drogging!

And as Merseyside ? says, it is all time time time. Anyone got ideas of how to rebuild relationships or restart music in the parish. Have had to resort to getting families to choose hymns for Sundays after Easter and they just choose happy clappy ones for the children which is annoying the old school. Who should choose the repertoire? Where do we go from here? What should we aim for? We do not know anything that is recommended in the society planner and now we have the congregation singing but the so called choir is in a big sulk. Help.

[Merseysider]

It's as simple and as complicated as this:
Meet the people where they are at and move with them step-by-step.
Find the ground which unites both old and new – the classical forms of music from Taizé for example, the familiar shapes of new music by Farrell and Walker.
Move slowly and listen all the time to the response of the assembly.
Why was Sweet Sacrament Divine so loved in its time? What contemporay music raises the same emotions?
Have long- – rather than short- – term goals.
Don't worry too much about what you're singing now – think about what you might like to be singing in a year or two and find items which can serve as stepping stones.
Befriend people in the parish – from all "camps" if you have more than one.
Don't scare them off.
Smooth, calm, creep, grovel, love.
It worked for me.
Try the Music Leaders workshop at Summer School.

PS – If you have the congregation singing you achieved something wonderful. Bring the choir back on board by giving them verses to sing with congregational refrains and harmonies to add to that wonderful sound of an assembly in song.

[gwyn]

Nicely put, Merseysider. And that's about it in a nutshell. Keep your sense of humour too, it really helps.

If you can establish a sung Holy and a Gospel Acclamation then you've made real headway. Paul Inwood's Sanctus from the Gathering Mass suits choir and music group alike, is easily learned, keeps fresh and is quickly owned by everyone. I've got a few simple yet effective Gospel Acclamation arrangements here which I'm happy to forward to you, though bear in mind that what works for one assembly might not always work for another.

If you need practical help, Eg. music simplifying or melody lines for the punter-in-the-pew then let me know. We're nothing if not adaptable an supportive.

[musicus]

Welcome to the forum, Oops. You will find many folks here who are willing to help with advice, support and prayer. I hope we can be of some use to you - after all, many of us have already been there and got the tee-shirt.

Merseysider has given some good advice. Above all, love 'em.

Musicus - forum moderator