19 January 2008

Bear has left the building

I quit my last choir this week. The choir had reached the point I spoke of a few posts back: I couldn't stand the music, any of it. We were going over music for the next three weeks. In all that music, only two pieces had tunes written before 1970, and the verses to those tunes had been written in the 80's. I loathe the music, but the words get under my skin far worse. The words represent a closed circle theology- songs about us, songs sung to us, and God outside. The final straw? The opening hymn for three weeks from tomorrow was "Gather Us In." I closed my hymnal, put on my coat and left. I got home and sent a one line e-mail to the director: "I've decided to leave the choir."

I spoke to the director tonight, everything is fine between us. He told me there are a few choirs out there that sing more to my liking, but I am not looking for another choir at this point. I don't want to go church hopping for music. I just couldn't serve my parish in that roll any longer. I can't sell what I don't believe, and I do not believe that is the kind of music that should be sung in Church.

A few others have left the choir lately. They are down to a few very nice women now, some of whom can carry a tune. They have a paid soprano, who usually uses a mike. We have had quite a few volunteers come by for a few weeks and vanish. They give their reasons, all different reasons, but bottom line is, few are willing to make the sacrifice of time and energy to play that music at that church for that director.

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