More Silliness from the United Cult

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Why not pre-survey the congregation with a few candidate songs instead of just surprising them with one. Leave the music on the table for members to inspect (don't sing it).UtahZion wrote:> > On another BB there was the following post from a United member telling about > how United Church of God members refuse to sing songs accompanied by an organ, > or God forbid, sing a song written by a woman. What stupidity!> > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++> > "Organs" and objections > Posted on 5/12/2001 at 08:13:51 PM by Richard> > I received confirmation today of one noteworthy difference between Worldwide > Church of God and spinoff groups -- a difference involving music. > > Shortly after moving to United Church of God, word got around that I used to be > a "Song Leader" in WCG (Worship Leader, they call it now, of course). The > Pastor invited me to become a Song Leader in UCG, too -- so I did. This Pastor > has admitted he'd like to see different, newer songs in services -- so when I > showed him a good possibility for the pre-Passover season, he approved it for > the congregation to sing.> > When I showed the Pastor ANOTHER possibility today, for Pentecost weekend, he > noted several members had refused to sing the LAST song I tried in March. The > hymn that caused objections: "Nothing But the Blood of Jesus." I'd introduced > it noting the Pastor's pre-Passover sermon a few weeks before on the importance > of "the blood." Yet the Pastor heard rumblings about it. He explained the words > itself were fine -- but the accompaniment, from Ross Jutsum's "State of the > Heart" 8-CD set, featured an organ.> > In WCG, some people openly admitted they preferred piano accompaniment to > organs. (The Justum CD's have a mix, and the congregation had NO active > pianist.) The congregation there seemed to accept it as a matter of preference. > But in UCG, some people simply won't sing if there's an organ playing. "Too > Protestant," is the main complaint -- bringing back bad memories of times in > other groups years ago.> > (Then there's the member who told me he won't sing hymns written by women. > They're "sermons in song," he explained -- and if women are speaking in Church, > "someone's fouling things up." I personally believe this man would attend > Living Church of God, if that group had a congregation in town.) > > The UCG Pastor's guidance was to stick to hymns from the Hymnal for awhile, > lest people label me for better or worse the "Protestant Song Leader." If I can > find an outside song with good lyrics (he's not sure all of Ross Jutsum's songs > qualifiied), maybe they can be reworked to have piano or orchestra in the > background.> > The difference here seems to be one of age. Some of the objections came from > older members (though not all of them were upset by it) -- while younger > members seemed accepting. I should add the day I brought in "Nothing But the > Blood of Jesus," a couple of fellow "baby boom" song leaders came to me > afterward ENCOURAGING me to keep bringing in music like that. They admitted > they were "looking around" to see who sang the song and who didn't, but they > thought it was good to have variety and Christ-centered music.> > What do others think of this? I'll share my reaction later.

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On another BB there was the following post from a United member telling about how United Church of God members refuse to sing songs accompanied by an organ, or God forbid, sing a song written by a woman. What stupidity!++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++"Organs" and objectionsPosted on 5/12/2001 at 08:13:51 PM by RichardI received confirmation today of one noteworthy difference between Worldwide Church of God and spinoff groups -- a difference involving music. Shortly after moving to United Church of God, word got around that I used to be a "Song Leader" in WCG (Worship Leader, they call it now, of course). The Pastor invited me to become a Song Leader in UCG, too -- so I did. This Pastor has admitted he'd like to see different, newer songs in services -- so when I showed him a good possibility for the pre-Passover season, he approved it for the congregation to sing. When I showed the Pastor ANOTHER possibility today, for Pentecost weekend, he noted several members had refused to sing the LAST song I tried in March. The hymn that caused objections: "Nothing But the Blood of Jesus." I'd introduced it noting the Pastor's pre-Passover sermon a few weeks before on the importance of "the blood." Yet the Pastor heard rumblings about it. He explained the words itself were fine -- but the accompaniment, from Ross Jutsum's "State of the Heart" 8-CD set, featured an organ. In WCG, some people openly admitted they preferred piano accompaniment to organs. (The Justum CD's have a mix, and the congregation had NO active pianist.) The congregation there seemed to accept it as a matter of preference. But in UCG, some people simply won't sing if there's an organ playing. "Too Protestant," is the main complaint -- bringing back bad memories of times in other groups years ago. (Then there's the member who told me he won't sing hymns written by women. They're "sermons in song," he explained -- and if women are speaking in Church, "someone's fouling things up." I personally believe this man would attend Living Church of God, if that group had a congregation in town.) The UCG Pastor's guidance was to stick to hymns from the Hymnal for awhile, lest people label me for better or worse the "Protestant Song Leader." If I can find an outside song with good lyrics (he's not sure all of Ross Jutsum's songs qualifiied), maybe they can be reworked to have piano or orchestra in the background. The difference here seems to be one of age. Some of the objections came from older members (though not all of them were upset by it) -- while younger members seemed accepting. I should add the day I brought in "Nothing But the Blood of Jesus," a couple of fellow "baby boom" song leaders came to me afterward ENCOURAGING me to keep bringing in music like that. They admitted they were "looking around" to see who sang the song and who didn't, but they thought it was good to have variety and Christ-centered music. What do others think of this? I'll share my reaction later.