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Although we have no organ, we have many drums, and we drum when we dance. Experienced drummers keep a steady rhythm so that all move together. We find that if we assume that the natural way to make music is a cappella part singing we get near universal participation. Our entire congregation sings throughout the service, unaccompanied and in harmony. Clear directions, easy-to-read sheet music, and responsive acoustics help our people sing and hear each other sing. Even untrained musicians can read the text on the page, observe whether the notes are moving up or down, and imitate the singing around them. For part music we sing the melody alone on the first verse and invite everyone to sing subsequent verses on a part they like. Having strong singers nearby is also helpful, and to this end our choir members sit at random among the people. With a little choir preparation in advance, congregational part singing goes quite smoothly. Our music is drawn from the Christian worship of many churches. Here are plainchant and part chant, as well as hymns from the Episcopal hymnbook; from the modern collection Wonder, Love and Praise; and from composers encountered by our clergy and members far and wide. There are works from the Eastern Orthodox, Taizé, and early American traditions; African-American spirituals; Greek troparia; Shaker tunes; Navajo chant; and European folk songs. Selections from William Byrd and Bobby McFerrin stand next to the works of St. Gregory's composers. A final thought: when we say we want everyone to participate, we mean it! We don't underestimate the congregation's singing abilities; it is amazing what people can accomplish, given the chance. Of course, in any group there will be some with less singing ability, but we've found that quite a few who considered themselves "tone deaf" can sing melody soon after immersion at St. Gregory's. Even the truly melodically challenged are soon droning along on a suitable note (usually the tonic or dominant) without quite knowing how they learned to do it. Fabian: The late Roman Catholic professor Ralph Kiefer liked to say, "The Bible is not the Word of God. The Word of God is what God says to the Church when the Bible is read." So just as we expect people can read music (at least a little), we expect they want to hear what scholars say the Bible really says, and we give them the critical scoop in every sermon. And then we ask them to share their life experience in response. Not their opinions, or what they've heard or read or dreamt about, but the actual happenings that arose to mind during the sermon, so we can hear what God is saying to the church in their lives. People with very different opinions can share real dialog in this way, and pray aloud for each other despite all disagreement, and go out to lunch and explore God's friendship further. Or work together in our Food Pantry, serving needy families some two tons of groceries every Friday. Beyond following the Revised Common Lectionary (Episcopalian trial version), we treat the whole Christian Year as a lectionary: that is, purely a way of reading the Bible in church. We choose all hymns, music, and prayers to fit the readings and liturgical actions, no matter which conventional "season" they got printed for. And we write eucharistic prayers—or extemporize them—to match the day's scriptural themes. |
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