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Philosophy/religion

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Original poster

Religion Chat thread number 1

1002 replies

nickelbabyjesus · 31/12/2010 15:29

I wanted to put some random thoughts and stuff regarding church, without it having to be a debate or a specific topic (and not prayers, either)

It's basically, a "what happened at church (or in my musical/spiritual life) this week" thread.
Please join me!

I'll start:

We had Midnight Mass (on Christmas Eve, would you believe!), and it was half past 11, everyone was sitting and ready for the service to start - I waved the organist to give me my notes: he was just about to plat them when:
" TAXI FOR suchandsuch " came blaring out of our speaker system.
There's a Wetherspoon's over the road and looks like the DJ's mike was on the same frequency as our radio mikes.
So, all the congregation started giggling and we had to wait 5 minutes until everyone was calm and collected enough to carry on.

OP posts:

BaroqueAroundTheClock · 19/01/2011 13:06

hehe at the music not being designed for the organ

Definitely agree with consulting with the congregation. Even if they don't like the "sound" of some of the changes they'll be more likely to accept them if they feel they've been involved in the process

nickelbabysnatcher · 19/01/2011 13:08

TUO - i know what you mean about music - you've got to choose music that sounds like it fits together (which I know Baroque understands!)

so, it's unlikely that a christian rock anthem would sound good together in a service with Immortal Invisible, but something modern like

nickelbabysnatcher · 19/01/2011 13:10

ooh, and I do stand by the (great) idea of having music (or any kind) before the service starts, but be aware that it doesn't coem across as musicians tuning up - I've been in churches before where they've sounded very random whilst people are coming in.
The best ones were where they were ready, in place and already playing their pieces when people were coming in.

AttillaTheMum · 19/01/2011 13:16

Does anyone here go to a 'new' 'spirit filled' church?

BaroqueAroundTheClock · 19/01/2011 13:17

ooooo I'm not keen on Make Way - unless the congregation sing it properly with the women doing the echo

(for some reason only known to God and a past Director of Music - our congregation has the men doing the echo and it sounds shite)

nickelbabysnatcher · 19/01/2011 13:35

our church doesn't know how to do make way at all - i learnt it on my old church - the congregation did the normal bit and choir did the echo.
I do the echo at this church and i'm the only one.

think we need to practise it...

Attilla - never heard of that - can you expand please? :)

AttillaTheMum · 19/01/2011 14:18

erm, something like used to be our old church

nickelbabysnatcher · 19/01/2011 14:43

Is this a type of church then, rather than just a "normal" church with this kind of music and wprship?

I've never been to a service quite so large, but I have been to services in smaller churches that have this kind of music.
It's kind of pretty, but I wouldn't like it as my own church iyswim. It's nice as a "treat"
(it doesn't feel like church, it feels like a special event)

AttillaTheMum · 19/01/2011 14:48

The services are normal but the music atc is much more lively.

We don't go because it was too large, but our church now is similar but with about 50 people.

nickelbabysnatcher · 19/01/2011 15:15

you can tell us about it, if you like.

Any good ideas from the services that you could pass on? :)

madhairday · 19/01/2011 16:24

Attilla sounds good. I like that sort of worship, it's what energises me. But I love it that we're all different and get energised by different styles.

nickel, I can't stand Make Way too many memories of painful renditions of it in the eighties. I'm more a Redman/Hughes/Tomlin et all girl :)

I did mean the music wasn't designed for the organ - not vice versa. I do love it though that some of the older hymns (esp Wesley et al) have their roots in the popular songs of the time, so they were contemporary and with their time and took music off the streets into the churches :)

Sorry, random tangent.

nickelbabysnatcher · 19/01/2011 17:27

good girl

just been sitting here with DH talking about RSCM church music sunday (another good idea for you MHD if you join!)
it's in June, and we've planned to have our guides sing with us during the sunday service.

DH has chosen Let all the the World in every corner sing, so we're trying to decide whether to do a unison version or a 4 parts (for upper voices...) with the "let all the world in every corner sing" being done like a round.

BaroqueAroundTheClock · 19/01/2011 19:52

I'm a........ermm Monteverdi and Robin Mark type of girl (ie I'll listen to anything and evertying in between and either end of the specturm )

AttillaTheMum · 19/01/2011 21:23

erm, well.

We are planting again in Feb and I will be helping with the worship, our first service we are having 'father God I wonder' 'eagles wings' and hosanna.

I love Hosanna because the lyrics are fabulous!

nickelbabysnatcher · 20/01/2011 12:43

sounds very uplifting :)

I've just got a confirmation email from the Guides' leader, and they'll be joining us every 2 weeks from next friday. That means they can still do their own guiding things as well as being in the choir.
It also means that we can do our own things in the weeks they won't be with us.

I think I'll take the guides separately for a few times to get them used to singing and reading music, and do warmups and stuff.
It's going to be a hard slog!

TotallyUnheardOf · 20/01/2011 12:55

Nickel... My dd's joined a 'community choir' in the US. They basically met once a week for about 10 weeks and then put in a Christmas concert. The kids were between 6 and 12 and they did really well in a short time. Some could read music a bit, but not all. The teacher did a lot of voice exercises with them as well as practising the songs, and she was strict with them about learning the words in their own time. The final concert was great and dd1 sang a solo. I was very proud!

TotallyUnheardOf · 20/01/2011 12:59

Sorry. That was a bit random wasn't it? Posting from phone so it took me a while to write! My point was that these were kids who hadn't necessarily done any singing before...

nickelbabysnatcher · 20/01/2011 13:13

thanks, TUO - not random!

The best thing about teaching kids to sing/read music, is that they pick it up quickly.

My problem/worry/scariness is that i'm not a teacher! my junior choir consists of one boiy, and that's scary enough and hard work - and he's enthusiastic!
I'm sure it'll all be fine.

nickelbabysnatcher · 20/01/2011 13:20

don't know what a boiy is - i meant boy.....

nickelbabysnatcher · 22/01/2011 12:14

except he wasn't enthusiastic last night - he was behaving like a lairy teenager and i was getting very close to the end of my tether with him.

John Bertalot says that children push their boundaries just to make sure they really exist, and he suggests sending a chorister out until they're ready to concentrate and join in (usually fewer than 5 minutes, he reckons - they choose themselves when to come back).
you can't do that sanction when you've only got one chorister!
Last night i threatened to leave the room and let him do it on his own. I didn't have to see it through because it worked (for about 15 minutes) gah! children! but then all the adults arrived and he started being "helpful" (getting hymn books for them etc) - which was no good, because he was supposed to be singing with me!

Housemum · 22/01/2011 13:23

Think DD2 (age 7) is enjoying church - overheard her in the bath last night trying to teach her little sister (just 3) to bless herself with the bathwater...

thanksamillion · 22/01/2011 13:38

That's brilliant Housemum My two oldest (5 and 3) have been know to 'preach' in the middle of their shows that they like put on for me, and they always end with a prayer! Too many church services perhaps?

On the organ/piano standoff, I thought you might like to know that my current church has no instrumental accompaniment at all

nickelbabysnatcher · 22/01/2011 13:59

awww, Housemum! that's sooo sweet!

thanksamillion! how do you sing?

thanksamillion · 22/01/2011 18:46

One of the women who has a loud good voice starts off and everyone sings along. I'm not in the UK though and people definitely sing with more gusto. It's quite nice actually as quite a lot of the songs are quite melancholic and people are fairly good at harmonies.

We do have a band who sing sometimes with backing tracks. Their singer has a beautiful voice but the tracks are fairly random - one starts off a bit like 'the final countdown' and there's another which is very Brotherhood of Man and I always want them to start doing a little swaying kind of dance

YorkshireCrockpot · 23/01/2011 20:55

Our town has been pulpit swapping today! We had a preacher from the oasis Christian centre and our second in command went to one if the Methodist churches. Was a different type of sermon today and that was refreshing and I really enjoyed it.
Also in a few weeks time there's going to be an open morning in church where people can go to find out about Christianity and confirmation/ baptism and just have a chat. Really excited to go as after church on a sunday the vicars are always busy talking to loads of people it's hard trefer to them! Am really glad there's been time set aside to talk specifically about this. Really feel like God's been helping me so much since I let him.
Housemum- very cute! My 2 half year old doesn't like church because she says that the bells are too loud for her ears!

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