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This is a related, but separate thread related to the caper I’m considering which I have dubbed Project Engagement. It’s to proactively improve the quality of our meetings in our Ward — particularly Sacrament meeting. I was hoping to get practical suggestions about how to improve our Sacrament meeting that meet the following criteria: 1. Consistent with the new CHI if you have a copy to consult. If not, just your ideas.
2. Different — new, and help make Sacrament Meeting Interesting.
I realize we have threads like this before, but not necessarily focused on these criteria above. Also, there are new people who have joined us, so it may well be of value for them to contribute to this topic. Plus, there IS a new CHI of instructions out there.
I have a few suggestions to kick it off so you can see the kind of new, but not overly radical suggestions I’m talking about.
Here are a few suggestions: 1. Have one speaker each week who focuses their comments on a specific age-group, such as primary children, or youth. Examples, content, topics etcetera, are targeted at those groups, who are typically missed in our meetings
2. Use a wider variety of instruments in Sacrament meeting, such as flutes, violins, french horns, classical guitar, etcetera — none of these things are prohibited under the new music guidelines.
3. Have regular musical selections that focus on non-traditional hymns that we don’t sing much in our meetings — there are lots in the hymn book I don’t know. Also, use uplifting songs from contemporary LDS artists, and the annual music competitions the Church holds, with the songs published in Church magazines — these are not prohibited under the new CHI but are not currently given much attention in any of our meetings.
4. Consider a two or three class “course” on “How Give A Spiritually Motivating Talk at Church”. I could provide a series of course objectives to go along with this, and if that ended up in a teaching assignment in my Ward…great. This could be held in Sunday School time similar to the Teaching the Gospel Course, but involving less time since it’s a smaller topic.
5. Encourage more singing by small groups of people who practice independently, small groups of youth or adults.
The only suggestion I can think of is to shorten the length of the meetings. However, that would not fit the CHI, so I guess it is unreasonable to expect. I had another thought — you can sing the words to one hymn, while singing the melody to another provided the meter is the same. The Hymn Book describes which songs words can be sung with which other hymn’s melodies. This would be an interesting way to sing hymns in Church. Another idea — I read over my wife’s CHI — did you know the chapel can be used for recitals — even private ones — to promote musicianship in the Church? Can you think about the possibilities that opens up for someone who would like to build a consciousness of new hymns, new ways of singing them, as well as the introduction of little used musical instruments in our hymn playing?
I can feel myself wanting the role of Ward music director with this brainstorming….
I tell you what, I’d like to visit such a ward! We all know the kind of resistance to any type of change in the church. You may want to focus on something very small initially, to avoid feeling stonewalled. I don’t mean to discourage, we just know the deep-seated traditions in our church. I think it would be best for you to find a local allie for the project.
SilentDawning wrote:— you can sing the words to one hymn, while singing the melody to another provided the meter is the same.
:crazy: Holy crap. I couldn’t.Ha ha. I can’t even sing hymns the right way, let alone mixing it up like that. I’m not sure that would make it hard for me … or actually it might make it no different. I would be equally off key either way 😆 Brian Johnston wrote:Ha ha. I can’t even sing hymns the right way, let alone mixing it up like that. I’m not sure that would make it hard for me … or actually it might make it no different. I would be equally off key either way
😆 Yeah, exactly.
cwald wrote:Brian Johnston wrote:Ha ha. I can’t even sing hymns the right way, let alone mixing it up like that. I’m not sure that would make it hard for me … or actually it might make it no different. I would be equally off key either way
😆 Yeah, exactly.
I should invite you guys to sing in an improvised choir where I throw out a hymn and ask you to sing it to a melody of a different song. It would provide tremendous comic relief — is that consistent with the CHI? Hope so!
SD, I actually liked the old music program where after sacrament meeting everyone would stay in their seats and practice hymns for ten minutes. Remember that, back in the mid 90’s I believe? I think it was church wide, or was it just our stake? I actually took it serious and learned some hymns. That was one of those things I thought was a really good idea – because it shortened the other church meetings mostly 
I can sing about a dozen or two songs, the basic hymnal favorites that I grew up with, plus
If You Could Hie to Kolob,which I learned on my mission. I certainly could not do what you are asking to do — but I wouldn’t be opposed to the program if someone wanted to give it shot.
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