GBOD – Leadership Ministries The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist...

GBOD – Leadership Ministries The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church

The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church


2

Present and Past Musical Battles: Traditional, Contemporary, Alternative

The Evolution of the Worship Band

• 1960s: orientation was counter-cultural; theme was social justice

• 1980s: strong cultural identification; theme: attract as many people as possible

• 2000s: lingua franca of our time?

• ALL THREE attacked the traditional heritage of worship and hymnody


3

Worship Music Today: FRAGMENTATION

• Electronic: microphones, guitars, drums

• Organists: 4-part hymnal harmony, hymnal’s homorhythms

• Acoustic

• Historic Performance Practice

• One of Multiple Styles

• Blended


4

Further Complications for Traditional Worship

• Clergy who hate organs or bands

• Lay people sick to death of organs or bands

• “Churched,” “un-churched,” “de-churched”

• The Neo-Monastics

• The Emergent Conversation


5

THE RIVER OF CONGREGATIONAL SONG

• Jewish Temple & Synagogue

• Early Christian Chant

• Early Christian Hymns

• Greek Hymns

• Latin Hymns

• Middle Ages Folk Song

• German Hymns & Chorales

• Scandinavian Hymns

• Genevan, Scottish, French, English metrical Psalms

• Anglican chant

• English Hymns

• Isaac Watts

• The Wesleys

• Early American Hymnody

• American Denominations

• Native American

• African, Africana, slavery

• Spanish, Hispanic, Latino

• Asian

• 19th Century English Hymns

• 20th Century English Hymns


6

THE RIVER OF CONGREGATIONAL SONG

• Taize and Gelineau Psalmody

• Ethnic African American

• Sunday School Songs

• Social Gospel Hymns

• Gospel: historic, modern, contemporary

• Jazz

• Later Derivative Forms

• Other Modern Streams: Rock & Roll, post-Vatican II, Civil Rights & Freedom Songs, Folk Music

• Other Modern Streams: Country, peace/protest, commercial & entertainment music, British hymnic explosion, modern ethnic & global music, women’s movement, charismatic movement, praise & worship, globalization & internationalization

• The Gaithers

• Disposable Hymnody


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What Is TRADITIONAL Worship?


8

Defining Traditional or Majority Worship

• Four-fold pattern: 1-Entrance; 2-Proclamation and Response; 3-Thanksgiving and Communion; 4-Sending Forth

• 2-4 hymns

• Primary use of UM Hymnal with some supplementation

• Support by song leader, choir, organ, piano

• Invests more time and money in “special” musicians than congregational singing

• 15-20 minute sermon on text of the day or a theme


9

More Characteristics of Traditional or Majority Worship

• Worship posture: congregation sits or stands

• Congregation: participants vs. spectators

• 60-minute service

• Concludes with a benediction rather than an invitation

• Monthly Holy Communion, usually first Sunday

• Congregation sings from a print hymnal

• Experimenting or trying out projection of words


10

What Is Driving the Push for Change?

• Technology

• Generations

• Politics

• Globalization

• Commercialization

• Entertainment

• Mainline membership loss


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What is the future? Where are we going?

TECHNOLOGY

• LESS print, MORE electronics

• MORE use of tracks

• MORE technology in worship

• EVENTUAL replacement of print hymnal

• RE-INSTITUTION of privately owned hymnals

• POSSIBLY the end of music and worship publishing as we know it


12


WORSHIP

• MORE frequent Holy Communion

• MORE older and second career pastors

• MORE women pastors

• MORE non-seminary pastors

• SHORTER ritual and liturgy

• LESS reliance on lectionary; MORE thematic worship

• MORE inclusive language for God and people

• MORE alternative worship times


13


MUSIC

• CONTINUATION of hymnal in some form

• MORE supplementation of hymnal

• LESS complex lyrics & language

• SHORTER hymns & songs

• MORE new songs. FEWER historic/traditional hymns

• MORE global, ethnic, and non-English songs and liturgy

• FEWER Wesley hymns


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MUSIC (cont.)

• MORE hymns of emotion, expression, experience

• MORE contemplative & prayer songs in worship

• MORE ebullient, joyful, celebrative hymns

• MORE use of non-keyboard instruments for congregational singing

• CONTINUED use of keyboard instruments for singing

• CONTINUED self-organization by congregations around music style and preferences


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The following slides contain data from the 2004-08 music study conducted by The General Board of Discipleship at the request of General Conference. Complete report is available on the Discipleship Ministries website.


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1. I prefer congregational singing to be accompanied by the organ.

39%

24%21%

10%6%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement

Agreement Don't know, noopinion, neutral

Disagreement Strongestdisagreement


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2. I prefer congregational singing to be accompanied by the piano.

24%

35%

28%

9%3%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




18

3. I prefer congregational singing to be accompanied by guitars or a praise band.

14%19%

24%21% 22%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




19

4. I enjoy congregational singing that is strong, vigorous, and upbeat.

55%

31%

10%

3% 1%0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




20

5. I enjoy congregational singing that is quiet, slow tempo, and meditative.

21%

34%

23%

16%

6%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




21

6. I would rather hear the choir or praise team sing the hymns than sing myself.

3%6%

13%

26%

52%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




22

30. It is important to have a good number and variety of Wesley hymns in the hymnal.

54%

29%

14%

2% 1%0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




23

31. We need more than the 58 Wesley texts in our current hymnal.

18% 17%

45%

13%7%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




24

32. Wesley hymns help to give United Methodists a common heritage, theology, and identity.

42%

35%

19%

3% 2%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




25

33. Wesley hymns are from an earlier time and have little meaning for us today.

2%5%

17%

31%

46%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




26

34. Wesley texts are dense, thick, and difficult to understand.

2%

9%

30% 28%31%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




27

35. Wesley texts should be edited to be made easier to understand.

4%

15%

32%

23%26%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




28

36. A new hymnal should include Wesley texts with their traditional tunes.

33% 32%28%

5%2%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




29

37. A new hymnal should include Wesley texts with contemporary settings.

10%

23%

33%

17% 17%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




30

17. It is important that we have hymns in a variety of musical styles from around the world.

24% 26% 26%

16%

9%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




31

7.a. I wish our hymnal had more traditional hymns.

40%

24% 22%

9%5%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




32

7.b. I wish our hymnal had more new, recently composed hymns.

19%

36%

25%

13%7%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




33

7.c. I wish our hymnal had more praise songs.

22%28%

20%16% 14%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




34

7.d. I wish our hymnal had more praise choruses.

18%

25% 23%18% 16%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




35

7.e. I wish our hymnal had more contemporary Christian worship songs.

20%

27%21%

17% 15%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




36

7.f. I wish our hymnal had more chants and refrains, Taize, and other contemplative music.

8%

16%

23% 24%29%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




37

7.g. I wish our hymnal had more traditional gospel songs.

26%

39%

22%

9%4%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




38

7.h. I wish our hymnal had more contemporary gospel songs.

12%

32% 30%

17%

10%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




39

7.i. I wish our hymnal had more Spirituals.

17%

37%31%

11%5%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




40

7.j. I wish our hymnal had more southern gospel.

13%

25%

32%

18%

11%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




41

7.k. I wish our hymnal had more global songs.

6%

17%

33%

25%19%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




42

7.l. I wish our hymnal had more pop/rock.

3%9%

15%

24%

50%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




43

7.m. I wish our hymnal had more hip hop/rap.

1% 2%7%

17%

74%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




44

7.n. I wish our hymnal had more country/bluegrass.

3%

10%

19%23%

44%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




45

7.o. I wish our hymnal had more avant garde.

1% 3%

22% 20%

53%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




46

7.p. I wish our hymnal had more ethnic songs and styles.

4%

16%

28%

20%

32%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Strongestagreement




47

Links to research data in this presentation:

General Conference Music Study:http://www.discipleshipministries/music-study

Hymnal Researchhttp://www.discipleshipministries/newhymnalstudy

http://www.discipleshipministries/music-study

http://www.discipleshipministries/newhymnalstudy


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