10 November 2018

Continuing Ministerial Education:
Selecting hymns and music

A lone poppy by a river bank (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

The choice of hymns, canticles and music is often a difficult task for clergy and readers alike. To help develop skills and confidence in this area, the Revd Rod Smyth of Nenagh and Ms Rosemary Smyth are leading workshops for clergy and readers at Saint Mary’s Rectory in Askeaton, Co Limerick, on Monday 12 November next.

Rod and Rosemary hope to tackle the thorny problems faced by people who have difficulty in selecting hymns for Sundays, and advising about appropriate hymns for Baptisms, weddings and funerals.

How do I select appropriate hymns that reflect the theme of the readings, the sermon and the season? Will they be able to sing them? How do I avoid being repetitive? How do I find hymns that meets the spiritual needs of people throughout the parish? How do I introduce new material? Should we be singing the psalms and the canticles?

This programme is offered in two sessions: from 11 am to 3.30 for day-time participants, and from 7 pm to 9.30 pm for people in ministry who are also in secular ministry.

Tea/coffee/biscuits are provided, but participants are asked to bring sandwiches.

Remembrance Day:

Last month, the workshops looked at planning and resources for marking Remembrance Day and the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. The resources presented at those workshops are available at this link: https://cmelimerick.blogspot.com/2018/10/a-workshop-on-preparing-for-remembrance.html

Meanwhile, Canon Patrick Comerford publishes online resources every Monday morning that are suitable for clergy and readers planning services the following Sunday. These are available online at: https://cmelimerick.blogspot.com/

This report is published in the November 2018 edition of ‘Newslink,’ the magazine of the Church of Ireland United Dioceses Limerick, Killaloe and Ardfert

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