GBOD Leadership Ministries The Future of Traditional Worship

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

GBOD – Leadership Ministries The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church Present and Past Musical Battles: Traditional, Contemporary, Alternative The Evolution of the Worship Band • 1960 s: orientation was counter-cultural; theme was social justice • 1980 s: strong cultural identification; theme: attract as many people as possible • 2000 s: lingua franca of our time? • ALL THREE attacked the traditional heritage of worship and hymnody 2

GBOD – Leadership Ministries The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church 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 3

GBOD – Leadership Ministries The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church 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 4

GBOD – Leadership Ministries The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church THE RIVER OF CONGREGATIONAL SONG • Jewish Temple & Synagogue • English Hymns • Early Christian Chant • Isaac Watts • Early Christian Hymns • The Wesleys • Greek Hymns • Early American Hymnody • Latin Hymns • American Denominations • Middle Ages Folk Song • Native American • German Hymns & Chorales • African, Africana, slavery • Scandinavian Hymns • Spanish, Hispanic, Latino • Genevan, Scottish, French, English metrical Psalms • Asian • Anglican chant • 19 th Century English Hymns • 20 th Century English Hymns 5

GBOD – Leadership Ministries The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church THE RIVER OF CONGREGATIONAL SONG • Taize and Gelineau Psalmody • Gospel: historic, modern, contemporary • 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 • Jazz • The Gaithers • Later Derivative Forms • Disposable Hymnody • Ethnic African American • Sunday School Songs • Social Gospel Hymns • Other Modern Streams: Rock & Roll, post-Vatican II, Civil Rights & Freedom Songs, Folk Music 6

GBOD – Leadership Ministries The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church What Is TRADITIONAL Worship? 7

GBOD – Leadership Ministries The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church 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 8

GBOD – Leadership Ministries The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church 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 9

GBOD – Leadership Ministries The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church What Is Driving the Push for Change? • Technology • Generations • Politics • Globalization • Commercialization • Entertainment • Mainline membership loss 10

GBOD – Leadership Ministries The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church 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 11

GBOD – Leadership Ministries The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church What is the future? Where are we going? 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 12

GBOD – Leadership Ministries The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church What is the future? Where are we going? 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 13

GBOD – Leadership Ministries The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church What is the future? Where are we going? 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 14

GBOD – Leadership Ministries The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church 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. 15

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 1. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church I prefer congregational singing to be accompanied by the organ. 16

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 2. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church I prefer congregational singing to be accompanied by the piano. 17

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 3. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church I prefer congregational singing to be accompanied by guitars or a praise band. 18

GBOD – Leadership Ministries The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church 4. I enjoy congregational singing that is strong, vigorous, and upbeat. 19

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 5. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church I enjoy congregational singing that is quiet, slow tempo, and meditative. 20

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 6. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church I would rather hear the choir or praise team sing the hymns than sing myself. 21

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 30. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church It is important to have a good number and variety of Wesley hymns in the hymnal. 22

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 31. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church We need more than the 58 Wesley texts in our current hymnal. 23

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 32. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church Wesley hymns help to give United Methodists a common heritage, theology, and identity. 24

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 33. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church Wesley hymns are from an earlier time and have little meaning for us today. 25

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 34. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church Wesley texts are dense, thick, and difficult to understand. 26

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 35. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church Wesley texts should be edited to be made easier to understand. 27

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 36. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church A new hymnal should include Wesley texts with their traditional tunes. 28

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 37. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church A new hymnal should include Wesley texts with contemporary settings. 29

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 17. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church It is important that we have hymns in a variety of musical styles from around the world. 30

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 7. a. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church I wish our hymnal had more traditional hymns. 31

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 7. b. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church I wish our hymnal had more new, recently composed hymns. 32

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 7. c. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church I wish our hymnal had more praise songs. 33

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 7. d. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church I wish our hymnal had more praise choruses. 34

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 7. e. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church I wish our hymnal had more contemporary Christian worship songs. 35

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 7. f. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church I wish our hymnal had more chants and refrains, Taize, and other contemplative music. 36

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 7. g. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church I wish our hymnal had more traditional gospel songs. 37

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 7. h. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church I wish our hymnal had more contemporary gospel songs. 38

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 7. i. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church I wish our hymnal had more Spirituals. 39

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 7. j. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church I wish our hymnal had more southern gospel. 40

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 7. k. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church I wish our hymnal had more global songs. 41

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 7. l. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church I wish our hymnal had more pop/rock. 42

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 7. m. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church I wish our hymnal had more hip hop/rap. 43

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 7. n. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church I wish our hymnal had more country/ bluegrass. 44

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 7. o. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church I wish our hymnal had more avant garde. 45

GBOD – Leadership Ministries 7. p. The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church I wish our hymnal had more ethnic songs and styles. 46

GBOD – Leadership Ministries The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church Links to research data in this presentation: General Conference Music Study: http: //www. discipleshipministries/music-study Hymnal Research http: //www. discipleshipministries/newhymnalstudy 47

GBOD – Leadership Ministries The Future of Traditional Worship and Music in The United Methodist Church 48