Church of Ireland singing

pathway33

Is it compulsory to have singing of hymns at Church of Ireland services or is it optional like in Roman Catholic masses?

philologos

Entirely optional. I'd say everything is entirely optional bar being there. Don't do anything you'd find uncomfortable.

pathway33

Apologies. I didn't phrase my question correctly. I am wondering about the service rather than the individual. I meant is it a compulsory part of the service as in the gospel is compulsory in the roman catholic mass. Thanks

philologos

It depends on what way the minister does church. In 99% of situations there will be hymns sung. The Book of Common Prayer the liturgical guidelines for the Church of Ireland, don't necessarily prescribe the singing of hymns but in practice they are sung in virtually every CofI service.

Fanny Cradock

I don't believe I ever been in any type of regular Sunday service that didn't have some sort of musical output. In the high church services I've been to it might have involved listening to a choir, but even here hymns would be sung from the pews. In the low church services (and I guess I would mainly have experience with evangelical CoI services) there most certainly is singing. Though here I would say the choir and traditional hymns would be largely replaced by a band playing contemporary songs.

I would assume that some form of musical worship is a compulsory part of a service.

PDN

I think the question is like asking whether having sex is compulsory on your honeymoon.

Why wouldn't a group of Christians gathered for worship want to sing?

JimiTime

PDN wrote: »

I think the question is like asking whether having sex is compulsory on your honeymoon.

Why wouldn't a group of Christians gathered for worship want to sing?

You talk about it like its this joyous event, but lets face it, alot of churches sucked the joy out of music. Sombre hymns etc. Its certainly no big attraction to me. A song of praise should be a song from the abundance of the heart. I haven't seen that in many churches I've been to tbh.

PDN

JimiTime wrote: »

You talk about it like its this joyous event,

That depends how your honeymoon went!

but lets face it, alot of churches sucked the joy out of music. Sombre hymns etc. Its certainly no big attraction to me. A song of praise should be a song from the abundance of the heart. I haven't seen that in many churches I've been to tbh.

We must be going to different kinds of churches.

Fanny Cradock

JimiTime wrote: »

You talk about it like its this joyous event, but lets face it, alot of churches sucked the joy out of music. Sombre hymns etc. Its certainly no big attraction to me. A song of praise should be a song from the abundance of the heart. I haven't seen that in many churches I've been to tbh.

In the correct dosage some of the sombre hymns can be wonderful. I've had the good fortune to attend a few spectacular Evensong services in the past. As a Spectacle I think it is hard to beat a Cathedral festooned in iconography, a massive organ (hehe) pumping out the chords, a full male-voice choir and all the smells and bells that go into this very formalised worship. Then again, I like Ecclesiastes, Psalm 42 and Nick Drake.

Still, I get what you mean. Sometimes you get the distinct impression that people just don't have their hearts into the really dour stuff.

JimiTime

PDN wrote: »

That depends how your honeymoon went!

he he:D

We must be going to different kinds of churches.

I was careful to say 'alot'. I know there are many not like this.

Fanny Cradock wrote: »

In the correct dosage some of the sombre hymns can be wonderful.

I agree.

I've had the good fortune to attend a few spectacular Evensong services in the past. As a Spectacle I think it is hard to beat a Cathedral festooned in iconography, a massive organ (hehe) pumping out the chords, a full male-voice choir and all the smells and bells that go into this very formalised worship.

You don't get that at your average sunday sermon though do you?

Still, I get what you mean. Sometimes you get the distinct impression that people just don't have their hearts into the really dour stuff.

I've attended services where the music is an interlude rather than any kind of joyous praise. I find in some quarters, there is almost a fear of letting go. Its like if you really take it up a notch, its viewed as taking away from the message etc. Thats what I tend to detect though, it may not be the case.

mdebets

JimiTime wrote: »

You talk about it like its this joyous event, but lets face it, alot of churches sucked the joy out of music. Sombre hymns etc. Its certainly no big attraction to me. A song of praise should be a song from the abundance of the heart. I haven't seen that in many churches I've been to tbh.

Different strokes for different folks. Wouldn't it be boring, if everyone liked the same music.

I would have thought that there is a church out there for everyone with the music they like. And even for the ones who don't like music have their church where they don't have music (even so I find that very strange, never seen that before in Germany).

lmaopml

JimiTime wrote: »

I've attended services where the music is an interlude rather than any kind of joyous praise. I find in some quarters, there is almost a fear of letting go. Its like if you really take it up a notch, its viewed as taking away from the message etc. Thats what I tend to detect though, it may not be the case.

JimiTime, this is for you http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Q8ESzK5pCw

It's got to be one of my favorites; I'm Catholic now, but I'm sure it crosses over......?? Well, I think it does anyways

Splendour

lmaopml wrote: »

JimiTime, this is for you http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Q8ESzK5pCw

It's got to be one of my favorites; I'm Catholic now, but I'm sure it crosses over......?? Well, I think it does anyways

Amazing hymn-sends shivers down my spine anytime I hear it. I posted the Aled Jones version on Facebook and I think my friends thought I'd lost the plot!

Splendour

Fanny Cradock wrote: »

Then again, I like Nick Drake.

Great to see a fellow Christian with good taste in music

prinz

My RC wife and her mother were over in Limerick a few years back and were wandering around the city looking for a mass. They wandered into St Mary Blessed Virgin Cathedral (CoI) and were treated to a service there which was full of music and songs during the service. She told me they got a definite 'happy vibe' about the place that is noticeably absent in most Catholic churches in Ireland were masses tend to be dull and dour. Particpation and singing goes a long way

It was only after the service when they were offered tea and cake etc that they realised it couldn't possibly be RC :pac: which reminds me of the How Can I Become A Protestant thread.. develop a taste for tea, biscuits and chat :pac:

Anywho yeah I quite like music and singing it's something that would definitely attract me to CoI services

prinz

mdebets wrote: »

And even for the ones who don't like music have their church where they don't have music (even so I find that very strange, never seen that before in Germany).

+1 on this, I find the Catholic masses in Germany usually include music and singing of hymns/songs etc far more so than Ireland where the Catholic Church seemed to look down on it as something the protestants did and music was discouraged. I remember when I was a kid the local Catholic parish had a great youth band etc and a new PP came and scrapped it.

It's something that is changing though and for the better. Gospel masses ftw!

getz

a lot of the catholic churches in the UK have now modernized,gone has the old latin services,and songs, females now take up the important rolls and not often seen covering their headsin the church,the music is modern,choirs are only in high church,but if you want to pray and have a good singsong try the sally army