Bryce’s post about playing the piano brought several comments bemoaning the lack of pianists in wards and branches. I find myself wondering if someone in my bishopric reads this blog because today in Sacrament Meeting a new Sunday school class was announced. During Sunday school, any who are interested are to meet the Relief Society room for piano lessons. We have very few pianists in my ward, and those few spend Sunday being shuffled from piano to piano, and the bishopric would like to add more people to the mix. Thus, this new class is being created to hopefully get some more people up to the level of playing the simplified hymns and/or a set of Primary songs.
I’m totally there. I play the flute and saxophone, and have always wanted to learn the piano, so this is perfect.
Also announced was another class to be taught during Sunday school. To introduce this class, our bishop quoted Joseph F. Smith: “It has always been a cardinal teaching with the Latter-day Saints that a religion which has not the power to save people temporally and make them prosperous and happy here, cannot be depended upon to save them spiritually, to exalt them in the life to come.” Our bishop then announced that there would be a financial management class taught during Sunday school. It sounded like this was something he thought quite a few people needed.
I won’t be attending this class because the piano class calls to me. However, I like the idea.
I enjoy the practicality of this ward.
That does sound like an interesting ward to be in. I’m kinda mystified why my non-LDS m-i-l keeps suggesting I see if my church has a sewing class. On the one hand, I do think such community-building activities would be great. On the other hand, I don’t want the church to lose its focus on the gospel. (One of the reasons my husband left his parents church was that the tea-and-coffee get together after church on Sunday lasted longer than the service.)
During Sunday School? Either one of those would be great.
Music preparation has been held during Sunday School since the mid-1980s, at least. Currently, bishoprics also have the option of holding temple prep, family history, family relations, and other classes during SS. [I don’t know if music prep is considered an “official” option, but again, I saw it back in the 80s. Then again, I haven’t seen a ward in the Church in all my years that didn’t have 8-10 quality pianists and organists, including the men.]
PDoE, I totally agree with you – I don’t want the church to lose its focus on the gospel either. However, as queuno pointed out, occassional options during SS are common. So at this point I’m not alarmed.
Queuno, though I’m familiar with temple prep, family history and family relations, piano and financial management ones are new to me. However, you make a good point that SS options have been around for quite a while.
I was sitting at the piano in primary today wondering if I will ever have a non-piano calling in this ward. Probabaly not. I was thinking it would be fun to be the primary chorister. I always thought that someday I would be a Primary Chorister. But, I guess it will never happen. It is getting a little discouraging.
I like it. Sounds like a good idea to me.
Our ward does stuff like this–very practical. I love my ward.
Would all of you piano players please move to Sestroretks, Russia, we are desparate for piano players. Sometimes I play but I can only manage one hand at any speed at which they would like to sing. To #5, yes, Primary Chorister is a fun, fun, fun, calling – I have held it many times and loved it. That was my first calling after joining the Church and the kids thought it was hilarious that this “college woman” didn’t know any of the songs but they helped me and it worked out fine.
The Spanish language priesthood meeting I attended yesterday was singing (a capella) a previously unheard version of Who’s On the Lord’s Side, Hoo! Then someone suggested that they were singing the wrong tune and tried to sing the “right” one, but didn’t get much closer.
So I sat down at the piano and banged out the tune with one hand, and they sang it, mostly. It was ugly, but the tune is ugly and inappropriate for a church meeting when played right.
Mark B., that is possibly my least favorite hymn. It’s hideous. I have hope that when the next version of they hymnbook comes out, that one will be stricken (and hopefully replaced with the beautiful “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”).
Tanya, I don’t mean to sidetrack the discussion, but I’d agree completely with your sentiments.
Time is too short, and the chances to sing too few, to spend them on lousy songs.
Mark B., one time in Chile while singing a hymn a capella the chorister chose the wrong tune. It was surprisingly compatible until we reached the end of the song and there were still words left unsung…
Beethoven allegedly had that same problem when conducting the premiere of the 9th Symphony.
I’m the Ward Organist but in Priesthood Meeting one Sunday the Bishop asked me to lead “Who’s On The Lord’s Side, Who?” a cappella. He was shocked when I pointed out to the group that we were singing this hymn to the tune of “A Life On The Ocean Wave” and that we should sing this sailor song in a jaunty nautical fashion; which we did!
It could have been funnier if he had chosen “Do What Is Right” which is sung to the tune “The Old Oaken Bucket”!
Or “Lord Dismiss Us With Thy Blessing” which is really “Go Tell Aunt Rhodie the Old Grey Goose Is Dead”!