I know people can be petty but wow...
- Thread starter PreachersWife2004
- Start date
You have my sympathies. Playing a piano or organ and accompanying a congregation in singing is a lot easier than it looks! I started trying to play the organ about 10 years ago at a nearby very small Episcopal Church. I knew the congregation would appreciate having someone substitute when the regular woman who plays was away. I have had many nice compliments from parishioners and those who play other musical instruments are now impressed that I have gotten to the point I can play some interesting musical selections as preludes and postludes, rather than just doing simple hymns out of the book. The organ is the only instrument you play using your feet! To make matters worse the console is usually tucked away in a weird corner or balcony, where it is hard to even hear if the congregation is singing anything at all. That is why for any new or strange hymn, I use the piano.
At any rate, your husband should have flatly told whoever gripped about your playing, "Since you are musically gifted, I know my wife will enjoy listening to you play next week when she comes to worship, call me if you the key to get into the church to practice, and the hymns I selected for next week from the Christian Worship Hymnal are: 280, 267, 496, and 553."
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I wouldn't mind if the organ was upstairs in the balcony!
We have an organ up there but it's pretty yucky sounding. We can't get rid of it because someone donated it specifically for funerals. 
That's pretty much what HE would've said if they had come to him. Unfortunately it was the elders they talked to. And I think now the elders have a new response for people who complain. It's just unfortunate that these few people alienated the one other person in the congregation who was willing to play. Fortunately, they're smart enough to not insult a guest organist in that manner.
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- Oct 26, 2006
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Is your husband the Pastor, is he an elder, or are you guys temporarily attending another congregation between callings? I ask because it really changes how I would have responded to it. If he's the pastor, then it may simply be someone trying to get to him through you, sadly enough.
Sorry for you to experience this.
Sorry for you to experience this.
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QuiltAngel
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Is your husband the Pastor, is he an elder, or are you guys temporarily attending another congregation between callings? I ask because it really changes how I would have responded to it. If he's the pastor, then it may simply be someone trying to get to him through you, sadly enough.
Sorry for you to experience this.
PW's husband is the Pastor.
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Is your husband the Pastor, is he an elder, or are you guys temporarily attending another congregation between callings? I ask because it really changes how I would have responded to it. If he's the pastor, then it may simply be someone trying to get to him through you, sadly enough.
Sorry for you to experience this.
He's the regular pastor - we've served here for almost 4 years now.
If they were trying to get to him through me, they're not going about it very smartly. But it's not out of the realm of possibility.
I should add that on Sunday they used the HymnSoft and it completely blew up the first hymn. Ran too fast, and the setting was incorrect so it only played the first verse. Unfortunately, I had a bit of a migraine Sunday morning so I was not in attendance. I don't believe anyone complained publicly though. LOL
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porterross
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Becks, this is just so wrong and I doubt it's only about the music. Growing up in a small congregation, we were at the mercy of volunteer organists and there plenty of missed or wrong notes and other mistakes, but we just smiled and carried on. If anyone ever complained, I was oblivious to it, but as an adult member of that congregation later in life, I am almost certain it was an issue like so many other silly things. Those silly things are most definitely used by people with issues who feel the need to control others. IMO, these kind of people can undo a congregation if igven too much power. I've seen it happen. It destroyed my home church and I am still pretty sad/angry about it, mostly because it was so unnecessary and allowed to keep happening. God will take care of it.
I don't blame you for not wanting to play any longer, but I personally would rather listen to anyone playing the organ than canned liturgical music.
Were I there, I'd be begging you not to quit, but you need to do what's best for your sanity and your family.
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alexnbethmom
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I personally would rather listen to anyone playing the organ than canned liturgical music.
yeah....we pass out barf bags with the bulletins.....
just kidding.....
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