For a long time now, the reason this blog is called The Psaltery hasn't been much in evidence. Oh, the references to getting handbells serviced and being proud of various choirs are a part of my work as a music minister, to be sure. I don't intend to stop posting blurbs of that nature. However, both the discipline of weekly worship planning and the practice of the art of sacred music have been discussed very little here.
That's about to change.
I'm "back in harness" after two weekends away and now two Sunday mornings' worth of worship services. My adult choir -- our church's regular loft choir -- will resume rehearsals on Wednesday. And true to form, I'm L-A-T-E in getting 6-8 weeks' worth of music planned for us to rehearse!
My proposal: To offer to my fellow worship planners (clergy and musicians alike) a "think tank" for planning worship music. This might evolve, if enough people get involved, to include other worship arts and perhaps acts of worship such as litanies and responsive readings. Think of the RevGalBlogPals' "Lectionary Leanings" and "11th Hour Preacher Party" features, but with an intentional focus on music.
Right now, I will be using the United Methodist version of the Revised Common Lectionary as my starting point. I will create a different entry for each week. The title of each of these entries will be a Sunday of the liturgical year, but identified by actual calendar date (such as this coming Sunday, August 10). I will post the UM Scripture references (though not the texts themselves, as I wish to honor copyright law for my preferred translations) and invite comment on what hymn, anthem, solo, and other musical resources I and others plan to use for the week. If you're in a different tradition that uses other texts for these days, I hope you'll participate anyway. If I can manage to keep up with an index feature, this could, in time, turn into a very helpful resource.
Want to play? (Sorry; I couldn't resist that worn-out pun!) Please jump right in and let's spark some creativity in one another!
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9 comments:
OK, then; I have four upcoming weeks' worth of Lectionary references up. I have anthems chosen for them all, but hymns only for next Sunday. And I'm too tired for more tonight.
But tomorrow or Tuesday, I hope to have the rest of August's hymns chosen and posted. And perhaps by then, someone else (or even a few someone elses) may have ventured by to add their plans for one or more of these weeks.
I hope so! Meanwhile, I need to get some sleep, then slip on over to the RGBP site to do a little shameless blog self-promotion.
Have a blessed week, all, and may you each be a blessing to all you meet.
Hi Psalmist.
Our church is doing the lectionary this year and I've got my schedule on a Google Doc that you can see here:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddd3868b_100f6n2ccfz
South Highland Presbyterian Church
Birmingham, AL
Would love to collaborate!
Hi, Philip. I'd love to see that document. I'm afraid the address must either be truncated or is incorrect; I get an error message when I put it in my browser.
(I do wish Blogger would instantly create links in comments!)
Would you be willing to try again?
Love this!
I don't plan worship but love to read about worship planning. I'll be back!
Psalmist...it IS your busy day, I know. Just wondered if you could email me...if you remember and if you have the address. If not, post on my site and it will ping me with your email.
Why? I was wondering about your day job situation...do you have "medical" experience? I know a urologic oncologist who is truly a wonder (can tell you in email)...who I think is needing someone to run his office and know there are people who need care ('cause they usually have cancer). In the DFW area...maybe Ft Worth side of things.
I'm just saying...Paisley
My bad, Philip; I tried it again, and your link works fine.
WONDERFUL stuff! We're relatively "low church" here and my choir is fairly limited in what they're willing to try to learn. But I still enjoy looking at a good "line-up" like yours!
How I'd LOVE to hear "Crown Imperial" on Nov. 23! That is one of my favorite 20th C. British pieces. (Truth to tell, I'd love to hear any of your services. And how fabulous is that, that you've got the preaching texts mapped out so far in advance?! I'm still pretty week-to-week here.)
Paisley, I'll get in touch with you.
Meanwhile, I'm going to post a little bit about why I won't be contacting your doc friend.
Oh, Philip...if you drop back by, would you like for me to cut and paste from your chart into each week's discussion? Or would you like to?
Or spell out how you'd like to collaborate, because I think the more, the merrier.
Mary Beth, I'm so glad you visited. Thanks also for posting my info on RGBP.
I keep up with your blog through Bloglines and enjoy hearing how much you enjoy singing in your choir.
Since I'm just a little way down the road south from you, maybe sometime we could meet. I don't get to Denton often, but maybe I just need an excuse.
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