First United Methodist Church of Bentonville
New Music Document
A Proposal for a Journey
by Miles Fish, FUMC Bentonville Music Director
milesfish@mac.com
www. MilesFish.info
The long-range Vision Committee’s decision is to work toward building one worship space that will accommodate all our church family for one Sunday worship service. The Vision Committee’s more immediate plan is to move from three services to two services and hold them on this campus. Because the "vision" is to become a church with one worship service, it was decided that the two immediate service styles should be identical.
The logic being it would be wiser to address this now rather than later.
So if we are to have one style of worship, the two most obvious models are: 1) A service that was about half contemporary and about half traditional. However, at the end of the day the worshipers would be receiving about half of the service they were used to. 2) A service that would blend versions of contemporary and traditional into one service but again, at the end of the day I believe we would be offering worshipers a watered down alteration of the service they were used to. Neither one of these models looked like it could gain confidence or sustain success.
So the time was right to consider a different style that could stand-alone. So what follows is the plan I presented to the vision committee.
Duke Ellington: “There are just two kinds of music. Good music and the other kind.”
A PLAN
Worship Music for a New Service: Open Ended: All Music Styles Welcome Congregation-singing oriented worship
In the reformation years of the 1500’s re-instating congregational singing, which had been abolished about 1000 years, became a cornerstone for establishing the Protestant Church in Europe and America. The Methodist Church likewise was founded on principles of robust congregational singing and the power of music. John and Charles Wesley contributed more than 6,500 hymns. The first congregational hymnal printed on American soil was the Methodist Hymn Book.
A change in the way we conceptualize worship music is overdue. We must shift the musical emphasis from the chancel stage to the congregation. Change from performance worship to participation worship.
Strong congregational singing is our Methodist heritage. It has been part of our DNA from the beginning. So shifting the worship music emphasis from the chancel music to congregation music seemed like logical consideration.
So, what kind of worship music will we sing?
We profess to be a welcoming church with “open doors, open minds, open hearts.” Why should we abandon that philosophy when it comes to church music? Shouldn’t we be "open" to ALL styles of worship music? Why limit our worship music to one style when God has given us so many? Contemporary, traditional, folk, jazz, Tiaz, classical, spirituals, gospels, world music. Why not, as Duke Ellington might put it, why not do all of the good stuff.
Here’s how a Methodist Church in NYC “explains” their worship music on their website: “ …one might find a single service with traditional Methodist hymns, well-known contemporary worship songs, American folk music or spirituals, newly published modern Methodist hymns….”
Musical accompaniment for the new service will also change. We will no longer exclusive use the “piano/organ” format that is the hallmark of the Methodist traditional service; we will no longer exclusively use the “guitar band” that is the hallmark of the Methodist contemporary service.
The basic instrumental accompaniment for Sunday worship will be a trio consisting of piano, standup bass and percussion. Congregational singers need an accompaniment that allows them to hear themselves sing. And the new service needs a flexible instrumental accompaniment that is conducive to a wide range of music styles. Of course brass, winds, guitars, strings will be added depending on the needs of a particular service.
Hot off the press is the NEW METHODIST CONGREGATIONAL SONGBOOK Worship and Song (2011). It is tailor made for congregational centered worship music. The new songbook is filled with all styles of music.
Methodist composer/musician Carlton Young said about Worship and Song: “John and Charles Wesley worked hard to expand the styles and the repertoire of congregational song. (They’re efforts)…to expand the repertoire was motivated by a single purpose—widen the circle…” not make it more narrow. Worship & Song is (a songbook) for Congregations who seek a ceasefire in the culture war.”
THE PRAISE TEAM and THE CHANCEL CHOIR will combine and become Worship Singers.
· The New Worship Singers will, their “commission,” will be to lead, encourage and inspire congregational singing in worship music. They will lead it from the choir loft.
· They will rehearse each week with the trio.
· The Choir will still rehearse and perform choral programs such as Good Friday Tenebrae and Advent’s Christmas Choirs and occasionally perform anthems in worship. Again, their primary reason for rehearsal is to learn the new congregational worship music so they can lead the congregation from the choir loft on Sunday morning.
· Youth choir will be encouraged to join the adult Choir and sing one service each Sunday; they will rehearse the worship music during their Wednesday afternoon rehearsal and continue to rehearse and sing SATB anthems in worship.
· Guest musicians will be frequently featured for special music during offertory and communion but of course we will continue to feature our own members who excel in solo and ensemble work (Roger, Dave, Tami, Sara, Katy, Lauren, etc. an occasional duet from Martha and Vicki, Sanctity, etc.). Also we would want to promote the new service by advertising our guest musicians: “Join us in Sunday worship when our guest musicians will be Ben Harris and Jazz collective etc.)
One reoccurring recommendation from the “worship vision” committee was this: much more music. One thing that I noticed and documented in writing about my experiences, as a visitor was this: none of the congregations really sang out. It was not inspiring to be there because the congregation was mostly unresponsive. The emphasis was on the stage and not on the congregation.
Inspired congregation singing is the element that we, and a lot of other churches, are missing. At a public event, how many times have we been swept away by the power of music while singing “Star Spangled Banner?” We need that power of inspired corporate singing in our worship.
Our “vision” committee was instructed to bring about radical change. We not only have permission for change, we have instruction to do so. It’s important that we all remember this.
I believe that our service will be unique to all the other services around us. If we work hard and work together it will also be the best.
So…..
QUESTION 1: What kind of service do we have?
ANSWER 1: One with congregation centered worship music.
QUESTION 2: What kind of worship music do we do?
ANSWER 2: All the good stuff.
QUESTION 3: When do we start?
ANSWER 3: August 26.
QUESTION 4: Who is responsible for encouraging our people to join the “Worship Singers?”
ANSWER 4: Us.
This is the beginning. We don’t know where God will lead us on this journey.
But here is what I do know: I know that we are not being asked to leave our familiar styles of worship to settle for something that's second best; I know that we are being asked to join together and create a worship experience that is even better than the one we are coming from.
RETURN TO MILES FISH HOME PAGE
New Music Document
A Proposal for a Journey
by Miles Fish, FUMC Bentonville Music Director
milesfish@mac.com
www. MilesFish.info
The long-range Vision Committee’s decision is to work toward building one worship space that will accommodate all our church family for one Sunday worship service. The Vision Committee’s more immediate plan is to move from three services to two services and hold them on this campus. Because the "vision" is to become a church with one worship service, it was decided that the two immediate service styles should be identical.
The logic being it would be wiser to address this now rather than later.
So if we are to have one style of worship, the two most obvious models are: 1) A service that was about half contemporary and about half traditional. However, at the end of the day the worshipers would be receiving about half of the service they were used to. 2) A service that would blend versions of contemporary and traditional into one service but again, at the end of the day I believe we would be offering worshipers a watered down alteration of the service they were used to. Neither one of these models looked like it could gain confidence or sustain success.
So the time was right to consider a different style that could stand-alone. So what follows is the plan I presented to the vision committee.
Duke Ellington: “There are just two kinds of music. Good music and the other kind.”
A PLAN
Worship Music for a New Service: Open Ended: All Music Styles Welcome Congregation-singing oriented worship
In the reformation years of the 1500’s re-instating congregational singing, which had been abolished about 1000 years, became a cornerstone for establishing the Protestant Church in Europe and America. The Methodist Church likewise was founded on principles of robust congregational singing and the power of music. John and Charles Wesley contributed more than 6,500 hymns. The first congregational hymnal printed on American soil was the Methodist Hymn Book.
A change in the way we conceptualize worship music is overdue. We must shift the musical emphasis from the chancel stage to the congregation. Change from performance worship to participation worship.
Strong congregational singing is our Methodist heritage. It has been part of our DNA from the beginning. So shifting the worship music emphasis from the chancel music to congregation music seemed like logical consideration.
So, what kind of worship music will we sing?
We profess to be a welcoming church with “open doors, open minds, open hearts.” Why should we abandon that philosophy when it comes to church music? Shouldn’t we be "open" to ALL styles of worship music? Why limit our worship music to one style when God has given us so many? Contemporary, traditional, folk, jazz, Tiaz, classical, spirituals, gospels, world music. Why not, as Duke Ellington might put it, why not do all of the good stuff.
Here’s how a Methodist Church in NYC “explains” their worship music on their website: “ …one might find a single service with traditional Methodist hymns, well-known contemporary worship songs, American folk music or spirituals, newly published modern Methodist hymns….”
Musical accompaniment for the new service will also change. We will no longer exclusive use the “piano/organ” format that is the hallmark of the Methodist traditional service; we will no longer exclusively use the “guitar band” that is the hallmark of the Methodist contemporary service.
The basic instrumental accompaniment for Sunday worship will be a trio consisting of piano, standup bass and percussion. Congregational singers need an accompaniment that allows them to hear themselves sing. And the new service needs a flexible instrumental accompaniment that is conducive to a wide range of music styles. Of course brass, winds, guitars, strings will be added depending on the needs of a particular service.
Hot off the press is the NEW METHODIST CONGREGATIONAL SONGBOOK Worship and Song (2011). It is tailor made for congregational centered worship music. The new songbook is filled with all styles of music.
Methodist composer/musician Carlton Young said about Worship and Song: “John and Charles Wesley worked hard to expand the styles and the repertoire of congregational song. (They’re efforts)…to expand the repertoire was motivated by a single purpose—widen the circle…” not make it more narrow. Worship & Song is (a songbook) for Congregations who seek a ceasefire in the culture war.”
THE PRAISE TEAM and THE CHANCEL CHOIR will combine and become Worship Singers.
· The New Worship Singers will, their “commission,” will be to lead, encourage and inspire congregational singing in worship music. They will lead it from the choir loft.
· They will rehearse each week with the trio.
· The Choir will still rehearse and perform choral programs such as Good Friday Tenebrae and Advent’s Christmas Choirs and occasionally perform anthems in worship. Again, their primary reason for rehearsal is to learn the new congregational worship music so they can lead the congregation from the choir loft on Sunday morning.
· Youth choir will be encouraged to join the adult Choir and sing one service each Sunday; they will rehearse the worship music during their Wednesday afternoon rehearsal and continue to rehearse and sing SATB anthems in worship.
· Guest musicians will be frequently featured for special music during offertory and communion but of course we will continue to feature our own members who excel in solo and ensemble work (Roger, Dave, Tami, Sara, Katy, Lauren, etc. an occasional duet from Martha and Vicki, Sanctity, etc.). Also we would want to promote the new service by advertising our guest musicians: “Join us in Sunday worship when our guest musicians will be Ben Harris and Jazz collective etc.)
One reoccurring recommendation from the “worship vision” committee was this: much more music. One thing that I noticed and documented in writing about my experiences, as a visitor was this: none of the congregations really sang out. It was not inspiring to be there because the congregation was mostly unresponsive. The emphasis was on the stage and not on the congregation.
Inspired congregation singing is the element that we, and a lot of other churches, are missing. At a public event, how many times have we been swept away by the power of music while singing “Star Spangled Banner?” We need that power of inspired corporate singing in our worship.
Our “vision” committee was instructed to bring about radical change. We not only have permission for change, we have instruction to do so. It’s important that we all remember this.
I believe that our service will be unique to all the other services around us. If we work hard and work together it will also be the best.
So…..
QUESTION 1: What kind of service do we have?
ANSWER 1: One with congregation centered worship music.
QUESTION 2: What kind of worship music do we do?
ANSWER 2: All the good stuff.
QUESTION 3: When do we start?
ANSWER 3: August 26.
QUESTION 4: Who is responsible for encouraging our people to join the “Worship Singers?”
ANSWER 4: Us.
This is the beginning. We don’t know where God will lead us on this journey.
But here is what I do know: I know that we are not being asked to leave our familiar styles of worship to settle for something that's second best; I know that we are being asked to join together and create a worship experience that is even better than the one we are coming from.
RETURN TO MILES FISH HOME PAGE