Importance: 10%

The Big Idea

Notes from an conversation with Connie George about worship planning on 9/4/2024

General Principles

One unfamiliar song with the rest being familiar is a good way to help lower the impact of new music and feeling uncomfortable.
Sundays and Seasons by Fortress Press is a good resource for hymn and visual selections
Once you know a tune that is familiar to the congregations you can more easily swap in words that use the same tune compared to teaching a whole new song with new words and new music.
It is more useful to teach a hymn that has a tune that is used multiple times than a hymn tune that is only used once.
One third of music that is sung by a choirs should be from the last five years, one third from the last year and one third new music. This helps there be a flow and continuity to what is sung over time.
It is helpful to think of a core of hymns that a congregation knows. That core helps generations be able to sing together.
It is helpful to choose music by season so that there is a common flow and hymns get chosen for the week they fit best overall.
It is helpful for people to see the music with words even if they can’t fully read music because people can pick up the general flow of the tune easier that with just words by themselves.

Teaching Music to Kids

Have them color and hum along
Have then look at music and show if it goes up or down with their hands as they sing
For older kids, Write out words on a white board and then tap the words as you sing to help them get to flow of the music