The Arrowhead Chapter
of the American Guild of Organists
January Jubilee
Saturday, January 25, 2014
First Lutheran
Church
Duluth, Minnesota
The Clergy/Musician
Relationship: “For Better or For Worse?”
The Rev. Dr. David Tryggestad
Bachelor of Arts in Music Education,
Luther College
Master of Fine Arts and Doctor of
Musical Arts, University of Iowa
Fulbright Scholar in Organ, Copenhagen, Denmark
Master of Divinity and Doctor of
Ministry, Luther Seminary
Workshop Description:
During the
years I served as a full-time church musician, it seemed the first topic of
conversation at gatherings of church musicians was how impossible the pastors
were to work with. At my very first meeting of clergy after I became a pastor
at age 39, the first words out of one of the pastor’s mouth were, “You wouldn’t
believe what my organist did this past Sunday!” I have heard pastors refer to
their musicians as “the war department”!
Martin
Luther declared, “Next to theology, I give music the highest honor.”
This
workshop is intent upon offering conversation to help navigate the seemingly
perilous territory of clergy/musician relationships, in the hope that the
mutual goal from both sides might be the motto that J.S. Bach assigned to many
of his sacred compositions: “Soli Deo Gloria!”
Definition of “Church”
“The Church is the assembly of all believers, among whom the Gospel is
preached in its purity and the holy sacraments are administered according to
the Gospel” (Augsburg Confession, Article VII). The
most important thing the Church does is worship!
Introduction to
Organist Job Description
Concordia Lutheran
Church, Duluth, Minnesota
The
Organist attends to the worship life of Concordia Lutheran
Church by leading and
supporting the congregation in song. Congregational song, like the Psalms after
which much song is modeled, is multi-directional: it functions as Word of God,
offering grace, instruction, and admonition to the congregation; at the same
time it lifts up corporate praise and devotion to God. Congregational song also
fosters community within the Body of Christ. Thus the calling of the Organist
as leader of the congregational song is a high one.
Some Issues of Potential
Concern
·
Singing
the liturgy and (especially) the hymns is, for many people, their primary expression
of faith and sense of intimacy with God. This is holy ground, indeed! Don’t
“get in the way.” Don’t mess with it, except to enrich and enhance with it.
·
Adequate
preparation for all musical elements of every worship service
·
Liturgy
and hymns critical, priority over solo repertory
·
Beauty,
energy, and vitality: every liturgy must exude all three!
·
Accompaniments/registrations
appropriate for the music, the size of the congregation, and the acoustic. If
you can’t hear the congregation singing, you’re too loud.
·
Sense
of “flow” within the liturgy, especially moving from one element to another
·
Tempos
appropriate to the music and the lyrics
·
The
organist “sings” and “breathes” with the congregation
·
Narrow
or broad spectrum of styles: multiple services of varying styles afford more
narrow choice of style within individual services
·
Does
everything sound the same? The hymns represent a wide variety of styles.
·
Is
the style more appropriate to the piano or the organ?
·
Appropriate
to the Season of the Church Year and the specific Sunday texts
·
Choral
music: appropriate to the make-up and gifts of the singers
·
Hymn
accompaniments: do they serve the lyrics or do they call attention to
themselves?
·
Modulations
in hymns: avoid them!
·
Choral
anthem medleys: seldom well written
·
Worship
notes about the music published in the worship bulletin
·
Is
it evident that the musician cares? About the worship? About the people?
·
The
paid or the volunteer church musician: does that change the dynamic?
·
Continuing
education: ongoing learning, including worship, hymnody, psalmody, service
playing, composition.
·
Accountability
(goes both ways)
·
The
church musician can “make or break” a worship service. I suspected this to be
true when I was a church musician; I know
it to be true now that I am a pastor. If the pastor senses that something about
the music is not enhancing worship, he or she will be concerned.
·
Bottom
line: Does the church musician or the pastor consider the position primarily as
a venue (and captive audience) for self-expression or as servant of the congregation and the worship?
Communication
·
The
power differential must be acknowledged. The onus is on the pastor to proceed
with caution. The pastor is responsible for setting the tone.
·
Frequent
(or as needed): Pastors often let staff “run with the ball” with little or no
consultation or regular checking in (this is particularly the case when the
staff people are competent and accountable). Let the pastor know if you want
more feedback than you are getting.
·
Pastors
have varying levels of expertise and/or interest in music and liturgy. Those
with much knowledge and interest may want an active role in planning; others
may leave everything up to the musician/s.
·
A
pastor with little or no expertise in worship and music may have legitimate
concerns in this vital area of ministry but may not be able to articulate the
issues. The musician/s may help facilitate constructive conversation (and
become a teacher).
·
Musicians
have been known to be sensitive! We take ourselves and our music seriously! (Pastors
are not immune!)
·
Mutual
respect
·
Clarity
of expectations
·
Is
the musician familiar with the particular tradition?
·
Location
of conversation: Pastor’s study? Organ loft? Neutral ground?
·
Anticipate
potential issues in advance, as much as possible
·
In
person, as much as possible; telephone next best option
·
Timing:
Never on Sunday after worship!
·
Clarity
on who makes decisions regarding worship
·
Collaboration
on planning and decisions
·
My
default communication mode is passive/aggressive! Am I alone? Disastrous!
