Episcopal Church Committee Recommends Go-Slow Approach to Any New Hymnal

In a recent report a national Episcopal committee has urged caution before rushing any new hymnal into print. The report runs to 70 pages as posted on line. So far I have read only its conclusion. However, I received a good summary of it by e-mail. For now I post here the beginning of that e-mail. Included in the excerpt is the URL for the actual report. The report states that a majority of those under 30 oppose a new hymnal. This includes both clergy and laity under 30. My first inkling of this new interest in tradition came in an A.G.O. study of a few years ago. This study bolsters those of us who for many years have decried the head-long rush to appeal to the young solely on the basis of newly-composed liturgies and hymns. This report is welcome news indeed! -- Thanks to Henry Evans for making me aware of this report. -- CCM (Concerned Church Musician) **************** From my e-mail box: Highly recommended reading! including comments. ~ djd+ Original URL: http://thecuratesdesk.org/2012/05/15/dont-do-it-for-the-kids-of-hymnal-revision-and-young-adults/ FROM BLOG thecuratesdesk.org Don’t Do It for the Kids: Of Hymnal Revision and Young Adults As part of the preparation for this summer’s General Convention, the Standing Committee on Liturgy and Music has a report detailing the results of a survey conducted that was designed to ascertain the level of support or lack thereof for a revision of the Hymnal 1982. There was little by way of huge surprises in the report. Below, I offer a few highlights from the report without too much comment. One factor emerged which seemed a surprise to those administering the survey. The group that was most resistant to the idea of revising the hymnal are those under 29 years of age. They are the most resistant by a large percentage.

Episcopal Bishop Criticizes the Church Usefully While Protesting Corporate Greed

Retired Episcopal Bishop George Packard, apparently alone among all United States bishops of any church, has elected to stand with those of the Occupy movement who have dared to protest the corporate state of greed which runs America now. Doing what I had thought any Christian leader ought to do, Bishop Packard has risked and endured arrest twice recently for his decision to try to preserve public space for the public good. Bishop Packard has also criticized what he calls stale liturgy. Although I have been a critic of the iconoclasts -- those who would throw the baby out with the bath water -- I support Bishop Packard's statements. Certainly most any liturgy can be done in a dry and irrelevant way. Christ Hedges reports on the life of Bishop Packard, who at this point enters the rolls of the heroic leaders of our time. In his eloquence and his smarts, Bishop Packard inspires those who see injustice and desire to do something concrete. More information here: http://truth-out.org/news/item/8960-the-peoples-bishop

There Must Be Music Here

There must be music in this building somewhere. In any event, the angels in heaven are singing with amazed joy at this radically wonderful take-over of a religious building by the Occuy movement for Christian uses. http://occupywallst.org/article/occupy-san-francisco-creates-social-center-vacant-/

Happy Easter Time One and All

Christ Is Risen.

He is Risen Indeed.

Crystal Cathedral, Once a Paragon of Musical Quality, Is Sold

Sale of The Crystal Cathedral to a Roman Catholic entity has been finalized in the last few days.

The Crystal Cathedral was once a bright light not only to religious believers and seekers but to sacred music lovers everywhere. At one time the level of music was very high with a fabulous pipe organ and a professionally-directed choir of mixed professional and amateur singers. From Arvella Schuller through Richard Unfried, to Frederick Swann and Donald Neuen,viewers could count on inspirational music of high quality, beautifully rendered.

Later, what one might charitably call "religious crooners" were added to the worship broadcast roster, but the organ and choir remained. More recently, a splash-dash Pop-Gospel ensemble has emoted, undulated, and sung with full passion music often without roots in either tradional black gospel or Western art music. In a future post I may have more to say about this religio-tainment group.

But for now, America has lost not only a spiritual icon of hope, but also a bastion of the finest sacred music on television.



http://www.churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/156929-angie-schuller-wyatt-on-the-death-of-the-crystal-cathedral.html

Christmas Blessings

Raphael

Looking for a Savior

As church musicians and others gear up for presentations of the great Messiah by Georg Frideric Handel, here is a bit of background information on the work along with suggested editions, recordings, and other materials.

I, myself, will be accompanying the Christmas portion on organ using the 1961 G. C. Schirmer edition for organ. Playing such music on the organ is challenging, but with such great music, it is difficult to complain!


http://gfhandel.org/messiah.htm

Coming soon: A review of a recent article on issues of professional concerns for the church musician