Music Ministry - where to start

[hooverbloob]

Hi! I'm new here to the phorum and so far I think I'm really going to enjoy this site.

I have something that has been on my heart for quite sometime. My husband and I belong to a very large Catholic church. We moved into this area about 3 years ago and really love this church. However, because of it's size, they already have several music ministry groups formed. I have been wanting to work with the youth group as they have been using the Life Teen program. However, they already have their group established complete with guitars, drums, singers, etc. I play the guitar and also sing, but the leader of this group has told me that they don't need any more guitarists or singers. I have been getting that type of response from the other groups as well. It's almost as if they don't want anyone new in their groups. At any rate, I haven't been involved in music ministry since we moved here and I feel a huge hole in my heart because I'm not doing what I should be doing for the Lord. I'm not sure what to do about this. My husband thinks I'm not trying hard enough, but I just don't want to get turned down again.

What I really have a longing for is to do a music ministry outside of the church...an out reach program that would involve the youth. I'm curious if anyone has started such a ministry and if it was successful, etc, etc.

[jmjtina]

go for it! Lifeteen is another program and if it's a HUGE parish, instead of going to the Lifeteen director, how about the music minister? Usually, the music ministry helps out lifeteen, etc. Some just want teens playing. It varies from parish to parish.

why not volunteer to play at retreats, etc? Some ppl get lazy and end up being no-shows. (I'm a YM, it happens ALL the time)

or are there more parishes near your area that need help? I'm not saying leave the parish your currently at, but if your looking to play, maybe look outside that parish and fiddler on out to another parish.

OR start teaching classes. I know TONS of teens (especially boys) who wish to learn. I don't know, but you should definitely chase that longing in your heart.

God Bless.

[p-hawk]

Start a Catholic band! Then you can book gigs, do tours, record albums, all that good stuff.

If the needs for hands-on music ministry are already being met at your parish, and another parish doesn't need your services, maybe God has something other than music ministry in mind?

[hooverbloob]

Good idea! I will try the music minister. The church we belong to is the only one in our town. There are others in neighboring towns, so maybe I will try them. Thanks for the encouragement and ideas! :

[Extra ecclesiam nulla salus]

lets stop the secularized pagan rock music in the church.

[hooverbloob]

[quote name='Extra ecclesiam nulla salus' date='Sep 18 2005, 09:19 PM']lets stop the secularized pagan rock music in the church.
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I'm sorry...what? Secularized pagan rock music? You must be one that doesn't like the drums in church? I can't tell you how wonderful it is to see the youth, young adults, and even some older people get excited for Christ and participate in church when the music relates to them. I get a kick out of seeing the older generations move a little when "Awesome God" is played. Or the little children who dance when hearing "Lord I Lift Your Name on High".

My parents are from that same mind set where the old hymns are the only thing that should be played in mass. I think that in this day and age we have to appeal to all generations. Our masses are pretty much divided up that way. The contemporary music is really only played at the Life Teen mass on Sunday nights. There is one group that will integrate some of the contemporary Christian music into mass at the earlier masses or Saturday evenings.

My point is that in any ministry you can't make everyone happy...especially in music ministry. Being a musician, I like variety...but I respect the opinions of those who don't.

[Extra ecclesiam nulla salus]

walk into a catholic church 50 100 or 1,000 years ago.

do you think that the worship that is going on today in anyway looks like the old ways?

do you even think catholics from before vatican II would even recognize a lifeteen mass as a catholic mass?

[hooverbloob]

[quote name='Extra ecclesiam nulla salus' date='Sep 18 2005, 09:40 PM']walk into a catholic church 50 100 or 1,000 years ago.

do you think that the worship that is going on today in anyway looks like the old ways?

do you even think catholics from before vatican II would even recognize a lifeteen mass as a catholic mass?
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Just like everything in this world...things change. If you were a 13 year old who listens to Korn or Marilyn Manson...how would you try and make mass an inviting place that s/he would like to continue to go to on a weekly basis on her/his own free will and not just because "my parents make me go"?

Would Catholics before vatican II recognize lifeteen mass as a catholic mass? Sure! Why wouldn't they? Just because the music is different? Because the teens are invited to stand around the alter when the priest is preparing communion? That's really the only difference that I can see.

Mass itself whether Life Teen or not is totally different from pre-vatican II. The church's architectural design is totally different where the tabernacle was at the front of the church behind the alter...now where is it? Depending on the church, it could be in the back or off to the side.

My point...things change. A lot of people don't like change, I can respect that. My parents are that way. But I have to ask...does worshiping differently make me any less of a Catholic? Do you think that everyone has to worship the same way to get the same affect? Isn't the bottom line to get closer to Christ and follow Him?

[p-hawk]

[quote name='hooverbloob' date='Sep 19 2005, 12:20 AM']Just like everything in this world...things change. If you were a 13 year old who listens to Korn or Marilyn Manson...how would you try and make mass an inviting place that s/he would like to continue to go to on a weekly basis on her/his own free will and not just because "my parents make me go"?

Would Catholics before vatican II recognize lifeteen mass as a catholic mass? Sure! Why wouldn't they? Just because the music is different? Because the teens are invited to stand around the alter when the priest is preparing communion?  That's really the only difference that I can see.

Mass itself whether Life Teen or not is totally different from pre-vatican II.  The church's architectural design is totally different where the tabernacle was at the front of the church behind the alter...now where is it? Depending on the church, it could be in the back or off to the side.

My point...things change. A lot of people don't like change, I can respect that. My parents are that way. But I have to ask...does worshiping differently make me any less of a Catholic? Do you think that everyone has to worship the same way to get the same affect? Isn't the bottom line to get closer to Christ and follow Him?
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While there are some sound arguments for not allowing rock music in the liturgy, EENS isn't going to provide them. The soundest being that the Vatican II documents specifically state that Gregorian chant ought to have "pride of place" in the liturgy.

But this is not the place for that debate, EENS. Your comments here are completely Do you have any constructive suggestions about how she might use her gifts for the greater glory of God? Because those would be more helpful (and more Christ-like).

[Cre8d4Youth]

[quote name='p-hawk' date='Sep 18 2005, 10:29 PM']
But this is not the place for that debate, EENS. Your comments here are completely [right][snapback]729315[/snapback][/right]
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Nuts cause I was gonna get her back and give a lesson in Church history.

Guess I'll have to wait for another thread then, eh?

[p-hawk]

[quote name='Cre8d4Youth' date='Sep 19 2005, 12:44 AM']Nuts cause I was gonna get her back and give a lesson in Church history. 

Guess I'll have to wait for another thread then, eh?
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Hm. I thought I was defending her by getting the thread back on topic. *checks previous posts* Oh carp, I meant to quote Extra Ecclasia, not hooverbloob.

[jmjtina]

but we are [b]after[/b] Vatican II.......

Personally I love those songs. As a youth minister I know them all by heart.

But I don't like them in the Mass.

One word: overplayed. Also, some are not theologically correct. and another......overplayed.

Also, I think the music should be played with the intention of glorifing the Lord and not taking away from the Mass. If our intention is to "appeal" to the youth, then the focus is not on the Eucharist and the Mass, but on the music. I find alot of youth feel deprived if "thier" kind of music isn't played. If music does this to your parish, then the music is taking away from the Mass.

we all come from different tastes in music and culture. The thing that draws us to Mass should be the Eucharist.

[p-hawk]

[quote name='jmjtina' date='Sep 19 2005, 12:52 AM']but we are [b]after[/b] Vatican II.......

Personally I love those songs. As a youth minister I know them all by heart.

But I don't like them in the Mass.

One word: overplayed.  Also, some are not theologically correct. and another......overplayed.

Also, I think the music should be played with the intention of glorifing the Lord and not taking away from the Mass. If our intention is to "appeal" to the youth, then the focus is not on the Eucharist and the Mass, but on the music. I find alot of youth feel deprived if "thier" kind of music isn't played. If music does this to your parish, then the music is taking away from the Mass.

we all come from different tastes in music and culture. The thing that  draws us to Mass should be the Eucharist.
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Preach it, sister!

[jmjtina]

BTW, I'm all for great music during conferences, retreats, lock-ins, etc.

but there is a time and place to rock and jam out and another for stillness and quiet that the Mass demands.

[jiyoung]

AMEN!

...can you come be my youth minister? I quit music ministry partly because they were using music to bring people into the Mass, and I felt it detracted from the Mass. It also put undue stress on me and the rest of the music ministry because it made us scramble to fill in where the youth ministry was lacking (our youth are very...er...apathetic). I left for a church that is far more reverent and faithful--the chapel isn't a social hall until the procession begins like it is at most churches. I love my new home church, but I still worry about my old church...

[jmjtina]

I am blessed with priest that shares the same views and isn't afraid to enforce it.

[jmjtina]

[quote name='jiyoung' date='Sep 18 2005, 10:04 PM']AMEN!

...can you come be my youth minister? I quit music ministry partly because they were using music to bring people into the Mass, and I felt it detracted from the Mass. It also put undue stress on me and the rest of the music ministry because it made us scramble to fill in where the youth ministry was lacking (our youth are very...er...apathetic). I left for a church that is far more reverent and faithful--the chapel isn't a social hall until the procession begins like it is at most churches. I love my new home church, but I still worry about my old church...
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we all have had similar problems. I will keep them in my prayers.

[Cre8d4Youth]

[quote name='jmjtina' date='Sep 18 2005, 10:52 PM']Also, I think the music should be played with the intention of glorifing the Lord and not taking away from the Mass. If our intention is to "appeal" to the youth, then the focus is not on the Eucharist and the Mass, but on the music. I find alot of youth feel deprived if "thier" kind of music isn't played. If music does this to your parish, then the music is taking away from the Mass.
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What you say here is right on the money.

My only segue is there are "old hymns" that we sing today that were shouted out against when they were written because they were written to popular bar tunes. People denounced the music as irreverent. And yet, :"Amazing Grace" and a host of others are sung by us all the time.

On a second note, I don't see anywhere in bloob's post where she says anything about "rock" music. Perhaps I missed something, or people are jumping to conclusions. And for the next person to allude to drums not being allowed in church and the organ being the only blessed instrument to be played...I've got a great verse from Psalms that you need to check out...

[p-hawk]

My local parish has a huge organ, and we often play lots of stodgy old hymns with a large choir and very little chant. Recently, in order to compete with the student parish just six blocks away, which takes the rock'em-sock'em approach to music in the liturgy, we've taken to singing more "upbeat" hymns, still with the organ. Which means some of the worst Marty Haugan-era tripe. *shudders*

[jmjtina]

[quote name='Cre8d4Youth' date='Sep 18 2005, 10:11 PM']And for the next person to allude to drums not being allowed in church and the organ being the only blessed instrument to be played...I've got a great verse from Psalms that you need to check out...
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run.

Cam has canon law.