Congregational singing.

[Andrew Butler]

Sorry.  This is all total balderdash.  I am honestly glad I am out of the UK church music scene. I now live (and play occasionally) in France, where masked singing has been allowed since churches reopened.  AND as for following "guidance" from a load of idiots who couldn't guide water out of a sieve.....!

Edited July 16, 2021 by Andrew Butler
Typo

[sbarber49]

1 hour ago, Andrew Butler said:

  AND as for following "guidance" from a load of idiots who couldn't guide water out of a sieve.....!

The government has lifted restrictions and singing is now allowed. It will be up to the churches to decide whether or not they will allow it.

My church is continuing as we are now until September.

[Keitha]

This is what the Catholic Church is saying (although there have been minor differences in one or two dioceses: 

Social Distancing and Capacity of Churches

From 19th July, there will be no legislation on social distancing in England but regulations will continue in Wales for now, and thus churches may increase their capacity, recognising that for the time being different rules apply for England and Wales.

Care has to be taken to ensure that churches continue to be places where people feel safe to gather to worship. Each local community should examine the local conditions regarding the virus, and adopt an attitude of care for the people who desire to attend Mass. Suggestions to help this include (but are not limited to):

1. In large churches, designating an area of the church where there will be set places, socially distant from each other, and where those seated there will be required to wear a face covering.

2. In places which cannot do this, considering whether one Mass over the weekend schedule would continue providing a reduced capacity with social distancing.

3. Producing simple cards with a phrase such as “Please leave a Space” which peoplecan pick up on entry to church and put beside them so that a space can be left to allow for distancing.

The adoption of methods such as these will build confidence in the people that the church remains a safe place to enter and worship.

Each church should continue to assess the local situation regarding the virus and adapt as necessary to the local conditions. This may mean that in areas of very high transmission, churches may have tighter measures than in areas of lower transmission.

Congregational Singing

Indoor congregational singing will be permitted from 19th July. The use of cantor groups and other choirs is now permitted. It is recommended that singing should be phased in gently aspart of worship over the summer period and that face coverings should be worn by members of the congregation whilst singing together, until infection levels reduce.

[Andrew Butler]

I am SO glad my organ playing days are over!!  I missed it at first but I could not cope with all these rules and regulations as to how we are "allowed" to worship!

[Keitha]

It's not so much that there are 'rules', it's the fact that changes come out at the last minute and are badly communicated (and I sometimes wonder if those who prepare them live in the real world!).  I saw these yesterday morning - passed them to my Parish Priest immediately, then our Diocese announced that it was going to follow them.  He and I then need to devise a plan and communicate it to parishioners, the stewards and cleaning co-ordinator and other clergy, musicians etc tomorrow. We also have to take local conditions into account - only 66% single jabbed and 33% double jabbed here.  Then we need to brief stewards, visiting organists (I'm passing all paid gigs to organists who need the income to live) and prepare signage...and it goes on, and on and on...

On the other hand, we have been fortunate in having a hard working and well-organised team of volunteers, cantor & organ at Sunday mass since last August, the organ being maintained, and a congregation of around 130-150 - with no-one catching the infection.  One very real benefit has been the development of a cadre of parish supporters (many new to the parish),  who will provide a backbone for the parish for a few years to come (looking on the brighter side).  We've also gained a few things - such as having a proper and reverent Communion Procession rather than the traditional 'queue'.

[Tony Newnham]

Hi

We'll be singing - first service is a memorial service on Friday.  The guidelines, taken I understand from the Baptist Union's advice, is to continue to wear masks, and not sing too loud!  (I can't see some of our folk sticking to the last point!)  I'm not sure what, if anything, we're doing about social distancing.  Sunday morning should be fun.

Every Blessing

Tony

[madorganist]

We're starting to sing on Sunday, but it's only going to be the last hymn. The risk averse will be given the option to leave before it's sung

.

[innate]

On 21/07/2021 at 11:22, madorganist said:

We're starting to sing on Sunday, but it's only going to be the last hymn. The risk averse will be given the option to leave before it's sung

.

That’s going to be our plan too, when services are inside. We hope to be outside for many of the Sundays from now until the end of September though and we will encourage everyone to sing.

Social-distancing: I think our plan is to have the North side of the church to be a free-for-all and the South side to remain for those who wish to maintain social-distancing as before with alternate pews roped off.

[bam]

As the holidays have started, we had a small congregation on Sunday who distanced themselves, cast off their masks and sung their hearts out.

I have long been sceptical about the benefits of mask wearing.  It often seems that you can tell when big fibs are told because the argument changes over time - first we were told (correctly) that they make little difference, then we were told that they were worth wearing, then we were told they only work if everyone wears them so everyone had to, and then we were told we wear them to protect others.  The science is well summarised here:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/07/17/cloth-face-masks-comfort-blankets-do-little-curb-covid-spread/

They will catch the big bits from coughs and sneezes, but if you are coughing and sneezing, stay home.

[innate]

4 hours ago, bam said:

As the holidays have started, we had a small congregation on Sunday who distanced themselves, cast off their masks and sung their hearts out.

I have long been sceptical about the benefits of mask wearing.  It often seems that you can tell when big fibs are told because the argument changes over time - first we were told (correctly) that they make little difference, then we were told that they were worth wearing, then we were told they only work if everyone wears them so everyone had to, and then we were told we wear them to protect others.  The science is well summarised here:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/07/17/cloth-face-masks-comfort-blankets-do-little-curb-covid-spread/

They will catch the big bits from coughs and sneezes, but if you are coughing and sneezing, stay home.

I don’t think this is the right place for a discussion about mask-wearing in general. There’s plenty of information both authoritative and bonkers easily available. 

[Achilles 3201]

'Nobody has told me nothing'... yet. Neither the vicar, rural dean or the COVID admin lady in diocesan office. I'm off until September by which time I hope someone tells me what is going on.

A parish Eucharist without singing has felt very odd, almost uncomfortable.

I do not know if we will ever get back to 'usual' as we have lost so many of the congregation.

Edited August 5, 2021 by Achilles 3201
Additional comment.

[Achilles 3201]

Thank God we are back singing - those that sing pray twice.

[bam]

Indeed - and so far with no 'superspreader' spikes in infection rates.

[S_L]

On 16/07/2021 at 21:21, Andrew Butler said:

I am SO glad my organ playing days are over!!  I missed it at first but I could not cope with all these rules and regulations as to how we are "allowed" to worship!

LOL - but they're not over!!!

I see, from your 'facebook' page you have succumbed and have played for the last two weeks and are playing for the next two!! We all miss it, at first but, eventually, something draws us back. I, too, didn't miss it and was glad to be out but now find myself accompanying the plainsong for the offices and Mass on 'Great days' at a Trappist Monastery in the Dordogne.

And it has improved my reading of plainsong and my keyboard harmony, and accompanying of the plainsong, which always used to be reasonably good, is better now than ever before!!! 'Vigiles', with all those plainsong antiphons, at 04h15 in the morning, focusses the mind!!!

[Andrew Butler]

3 hours ago, S_L said:

LOL - but they're not over!!!

I see, from your 'facebook' page you have succumbed and have played for the last two weeks and are playing for the next two!! We all miss it, at first but, eventually, something draws us back. I, too, didn't miss it and was glad to be out but now find myself accompanying the plainsong for the offices and Mass on 'Great days' at a Trappist Monastery in the Dordogne.

And it has improved my reading of plainsong and my keyboard harmony, and accompanying of the plainsong, which always used to be reasonably good, is better now than ever before!!! 'Vigiles', with all those plainsong antiphons, at 04h15 in the morning, focusses the mind!!!

After I made that comment on here, I was asked to do a wedding at Confolens and then ended up doing alternate Sundays. I was prepared to take it on permanently but there was a typically French mix-up!  I emailed the PP to say I was interested, but he doesn't "do" emails personally - he gets the parish secretary to reply when she's there.  In the meantime another English organist turned up and said he'd take it on and the PP assumed he was me!!  The compromise is that we are now "Co-Titulaires" which I don't like TBH as there is no possibility of continuity, and it's difficult to plan music as sometimes (as at the moment) I end up doing several weeks because my colleague is away.  I'm probably going to quietly withdraw once he's back!