Think pastors have a stressful job? They’ve got nothing on the music ministry director. (Why are you laughing? Have you ever tried to choose a hymn.) From CNN:
You may not think of people who plan, direct and conduct performances for religious services as being under a particularly high amount of stress. But they also choose the appropriate psalm or hymn for every wedding and funeral — only some of the most important events in a family’s life. And those stressful situations can create some demanding clients.
“Every now and then you’ll get a strange request,” said Dan Fenn, Music Ministry Director at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Northfield, Minn. “A couple of years ago I got a request to play the Beer Barrel Polka at a funeral. You have to ask yourself, is this appropriate for a worship service?”
At my mother’s funeral my brother chose to play two songs by Creed. The songs were surprisingly moving and appropriate, but it ruined his chances of every being a music director.
(HT: Rachel Motte)
October 31st, 2009 | 2:12 am | #1
Don’t even get me started on how stressful the job of a church secretary is…
October 31st, 2009 | 10:20 am | #2
While choosing music for my mother in laws funeral with our pastor, we laughed over the requests that he has gotten over the years. Many of them revolve around music that includes some version that they “are now an angel in heaven” or some some other folk theology type belief.
He said it is a very stressful time because you are often mourning with the family, and it’s just not the best time for a theological discussion (argument) with someone who’s mother just died.
fyi, I recommend It is not Death to Die
http://animoto.com/play/XZkGK0s53NzdKcb7QJGw6A
November 1st, 2009 | 11:48 am | #3
Here is the weekly schedule for a typical worship director.
Monday: day off
Tuesday: choose hymns to sing next Sunday
Wednesday: choose hymns to sing next Sunday
Thursday: choose hymns to sing next Sunday
Friday: choose hymns to sing next Sunday
Saturday: day off
Sunday: sing hymns
November 3rd, 2009 | 12:52 am | #4
Pastors could help alleviate the stress by revealing the upcoming topic and allowing the pastor to even chose a song a week. The by using the word God has for his people working and building a corresponding list of hymns that fit the individual worship time to create one experience not two different services.
Links
Blogs
Find Us
Contact