Congregational Participation

It is remarkable how taking well-known texts and singing them in unfamiliar ways can make those texts come alive (even to young people). Those great texts deserve to be savored and reflected on, not just sung in a lifeless, rote manner.

It has often been pointed out that many of the settings of hymnbooks are pitched too high for comfortable singing by untrained voices. It is worth the trouble to transpose them down (by hand or using a music notation program) if your accompanist is not comfortable transposing by sight. (Down a Key, published by Kevin Mayhew Limited, contains lower settings of standard hymns.)

Use choruses judiciously. Long strings of contextually unrelated choruses are not conducive to reflective worship, for there is no time to linger on a single aspect of God's nature or work; but neither should a single chorus be repeated more than once as a general rule. Choruses should be chosen not just for their key or tempo, but to make a particular contribution to a theme or a mood of worship.

Mix hymns and choruses. If a theme gives a reason for being for the songs selected, the juxtaposition of hymns and choruses need not be unduly jarring.

Sing antiphonally with the choir. "Antiphonal Praise" by Steve Green is an excellent example of a worshipful song where line by line may be sung first by the choir or vocal ensemble, then echoed by the congregation.

Sing canons (rounds). Rounds are the simplest form of polyphony, allowing even a musically untrained congregation to sing in harmony. "Seek Ye First," "Behold, What Manner of Love," and "You Are My Hiding Place" are all familiar two-part rounds. With the proper arm motions (bringing in one-half of the congregation at a time) and with the support of the choir or vocal ensemble, these rounds may actually be sung without prior verbal instructions-- thus allowing them to occur naturally within the flow of the service.

Recognize the beauty and power of a cappella singing. Used sparingly, a cappella singing can be enormously moving. The choir or vocal group can add the harmony while most of the congregation sings the melody.

An accompanied chorus of "I Love You, Lord" at a meditative point in the service can be overwhelming, as can be the last verse of "Fairest Lord Jesus." The refrain of "And Can It Be" ("Amazing Love . . .") is a lovely congregational response to a choral anthem which deals with the atoning work of Christ.

A cappella singing can also be used climatically. When singing all verses of "The Solid Rock," building up to an unaccompanied refrain on the last verse can be thrilling. Equally exciting is to sing the first verse of "I Stand Amazed" in unison, crescendoing over a pedal on the dominant until breaking forth into the refrain unaccompanied (with the choir supporting in parts).

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