MMF - What's Your Music Service Like??

[rlvaughn]

I'm curious about the musical practices in the churches represented by the different 'posters' on this board. How about an informal survey?

1. Scope - how many songs are sung/played in your typical worship service (if your order of service is a certain number of songs type of format), or how much time is devoted to singing in your typical worship service (if your format is a basic amount of time given over to singing/music)?

2. Proportion - what percentage of songs are congregational and what percentage are "specials" (solos, choir numbers, duets, trios, etc.)?

3. Agency - do you use instruments, and, if you do, what instruments, and if you use instruments do you ever sing without them?

4. Authority or Responsibility - who selects the songs to be sung?

5. Source - what hymnal do you use or other sources for songs/music?

6. ANYTHING ELSE you may think we will find interesting - just don't take us completely off of the subject.

[ September 10, 2002, 10:10 PM: Message edited by: Aaron ]

 

[Jeff Weaver]

Bro. Robert, you probably already know my answers, but for others, here is the Primitive Baptist version of things in hymns.

1. Scope - how many songs are sung/played in your typical worship service (if your order of service is a certain number of songs type of format), or how much time is devoted to singing in your typical worship service (if your format is a basic amount of time given over to singing/music)?

===As many as we can in 30 minutes. Usually 8-10, depending on how long and how slow they are, whether they are lined-out or not, etc. We line out about 2/3rds in our church.

2. Proportion - what percentage of songs are congregational and what percentage are "specials" (solos, choir numbers, duets, trios, etc.)?

100% congregational.

3. Agency - do you use instruments, and, if you do, what instruments, and if you use instruments do you ever sing without them?

No instruments, ever.

4. Authority or Responsibility - who selects the songs to be sung?

The pastor selects the first one, the others are open to anyone who wants to ask for one. The minister who introduces the service makes the last selection.

5. ANYTHING ELSE you may think we will find interesting - just don't take us completely off of the subject.

 

[Dr. Bob]

When I pastored (NOT in my home church as I am a State Missionary and not pastoring a church presently and my home church's music program "stinketh") ~~

1. Scope - 5 songs (first two great hymns of worship; next two more general psalms/hymns; and final one prior to preaching a introspective or reflect Gospel song). You can clock this at 20+ minutes.


2. Proportion - In addition to the 5 hymns and songs of the congregation, we have a choir number and a "special" (including mostly solos, some duets, sometimes instrumental in the evening service)

3. Agency - Piano and Organ in the formal worship, although I play a sanctified C/W guitar for singspirations. LOVE a capella singing, parts - congregation as a giant choir.

4. Authority or Responsibility - I select all songs for am/pm/Wed. SS Supt chooses for that realm, as does children's church. First Sunday pm is always favorites.

I go through the hymnal and "map out" each Sunday am/pm for the year. Every song in the hymnal is sung at least in one am and one pm service a year (some are sung 3-4 times, but we need to teach more and sing favorites less)

So I see what I am preaching on 1st Sun am in January, what scripture, theme, and then pick hymns. Then 2nd Sun am in Jan -- do this all about October of the previous year. It takes 2-3 days, but it allows musicians to practice the songs, secy to type the bulletin. Everyone knows the preacher is not just nailing THEM with a sermon or singing some special songs - they were in the "plan".

5. What Formal Music do I use - The Hymnal for Worship and Celebration is about the best hymnbook for ifb'ers I've found.

 

[rlvaughn]

I "tweeked" the questions in the first post. Since Bob Griffin brought up the hymnal, I thought that would be a good question to ask everyone.

Now I'll go ahead and add the services from the last church I pastored. This church is not typical of all the churches I fellowship, but represents my preference.

1. Scope - there was roughly an hour devoted to the song service (10-11am). This was not set in stone; if a visiting preacher/preachers was/were present, the song service might be shortened to around 30 minutes and the church would have two sermons instead of one. This was at the discretion of the pastor.

2. Proportion - All songs were congregational.

3. Agency - no instruments, all songs were acapella.

4. Authority or Responsibility - there was a song leader who was responsible for selecting the opening and closing hymns, and keying the music. The congregation could also request songs, or the leader would select them when there was no request. If a talented singer from a sister church was visiting, he might be asked to serve as song leader. This would only be a man; a woman would not be asked to lead the singing.

5. Source - We used The Harp of Ages, Favorite Songs and Hymns, The Sacred Harp, as well as songs from memory and some photocopies of songs that we didn't have in a book.

6. ANYTHING ELSE - the song service (and probably the entire service) would be considered very informal by most standards. There was a general order of service - singing followed by preaching with prayer interspersed - but room was left, hopefully, for the pastor to change the order as led by the Holy Spirit.

[ October 25, 2001: Message edited by: rlvaughn ]

 

[rlvaughn]

Here's one more song service from a church at which I preached for about 6 months until they called a pastor.

1. Scope - approximately 5 or 6 songs

2. Proportion - Usually, all songs were congregational. They might ask a visitor in the service to sing a "special", and did so during their annual protracted meeting.

3. Agency - no instruments, all songs were acapella. With this church it was a matter of practicality more than doctrine or even preference. They do not doctrinally object to the use of musical instruments.

4. Authority or Responsibility - there was a song leader who was responsible for selecting the opening and closing hymns. The members of the congregation could request songs, or the leader would select them when there was no request.

5. Source - Heavenly Highway Hymns (Stamps-Baxter/Zondervan Music) and The Master's Call Church Songs and Hymns (compiled by Eld. Woodrow P. Spiers)

6. The service is always concluded with a song, at which time anyone may place an offering in the offering box, and/or may come to the front and shake the preacher's hand.

WHO ELSE WANTS TO SHARE?? I'm hoping for a little more diversity than just what I do.

 

[uhdum]

1. Scope - 7 to 8 (some hymns and some praise choruses)

2. Proportion - Most are congregational. We'll occasionally have a solo, trio, quartet, etc. song or choir special

3. Agency - piano, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, keyboard that plays a string instrument and organ, and a keyboard that plays drum beats.

4. Authority or Responsibility - My pastor and song leader meet with a few others to plan the music to fit the sermon usually

5. Source - Usually the Baptist Hymnal, various sheet music, books, a computer program called Song Select (since we use screens for the words), various other sources

6. After the closing prayer the band plays an ending song.

 

[wilshine]

1. Scope -

6 or 7, some hymns, some praise music
lasting about 30 minutes or more
always a invitational at the end of service

2. Proportion -

almost all congregational, sometimes a solo,or trio or a choir only
today for instance there was a trombone solo during the offering

3. Agency -

full orchestra, we have almost every instrument there is, even kettle drums guitars and drums
we have on occasion sang without music

4. Authority or Responsibility -

music minister, it seems he works it out with the senior pastor on themes

5. Source -

I do not know what hymnal the songs come from for sure, we do not usually use one,there are hymnals in the pews for those that may not be able to see the screen.We have a full media dept that projects the words above and behind the choir for the congregation.


-Wilma

 

[wilshine]

I just thought about this.
The post about my churches music refers to morning service.
Our evening service is completely different.

Some hymns and praise music with a trio type leading the songs along with the music minister, and the orchestra is smaller.

We may have the youth choir or childrens choir once in a while.
Sometimes a solo.
Service still ending with prayer and invitational.

-Wilma

 

[SaggyWoman]

This is going to be intersting. I grew up and have attended a variety of styles of worship. Most churches, I would have to say, were very "traditional". Most of my "non-traditional" joy comes from camp, conferences, etc, where I felt more free in my worship experience.

At any rate, here goes the Q and A.

1. Scope -

Number of songs: Choir: One Soloists or groups: One or two Congregational--minimally three, maybe up to 5 or 6

Time frame: 1/2 hour to 45 minutes generally, but has gone for an hour. (another 45 minutes to preaching.

2. Proportion - 2/3 congregational, 1/3 choir/solo

3. Agency - do you use instruments, and, if you do, what instruments, and if you use instruments do you ever sing without them?

Rarely do we sing without instruments. We use the piano, the keyboard, the drums, the congos, bass guitars, acoustic guitars, chimes, cymbals, vibra-slap, guire, tamborine, cowbell, egg rattle, maracas, and whatever else we can find.

4. Authority or Responsibility - Music director.

5. Source - He chooses from several sources.

6. ANYTHING ELSE you may think we will find interesting - When our praise band, "Abbey Road" plays, it is definitely a joy and a time of praise and worship.

 

[Mike McK]

1. Scope - It depends on the service. Usually, there are three to four hymns, a chorus or two and one "special music". Every fifth Sunday we have a "fifth Sunday sing", which is all music.

A couple of times each summer, we'll take the service outside to the park which is fun because there are always non-Christians who see us and stop by out of curiousity. When we go to the park, it's very casual and about 3/4 music.

2. Proportion - We're too small to have a choir but we used to have a southern Gospel quartet (I was tenor). Everything but the "special music" is sung by the congregation.

3. Agency - If you can pick it, pound it, pluck it or play it, we've got it. Our band consists of drums, bass, piano, guitar, an old Hammond B-3 that was in mothballs when we inherited the church (which reminds me, I've got to tell you guys some time how we got our church building). It gives our town sort of a Tom Petty and the Heartbrakers sound but some of the hymns are just played on piano. Occasionally, we have an accordion and a flute and sax and depending on how much I overslept, I'll bring my mondolin or, if I get up really early, a steel guitar.

We actually had a "Christian" ceilli last spring. I don't know if I've ever even heard of such a thing, but it turned out to be great and a lot of fun, too.

4. Authority or Responsibility - Since we don't have a choir director (I guess the pastor, who is also a musician and I are in charge by default), we all have a hand in selecting what we sing and we encourage anyone in the congregation can ask for a song (doesn't mean we know it, but we'll try).

Soloists are welcome to pick out their own song but they usually check with the preacher first to make sure that their song(s) compliment his message.

4. Source - We use Baptist hymnals and chorus books or we may sing something that's popular at the moment.

What makes our band so interesting is that several of our musicians are or have been professionals and they come from such a wide varity of musical backgrounds.

Mike