 |
|
URC Musicians’ Guild
1 WHAT does it DO? In its branches that follow the general area pattern of United Reformed Church Synods, regular events for training, interest and worship are held, to which members give loyal support and many others attend also. Although the WHAT question about the Guild is common, more vital is, WHY?
2 The United Reformed Church inherited from its formation stock a vital use and appreciation of music in worship. Bodies very similar to the present Guild served the churches in the constituent denominations making the United Reformed Church and this Guild succeed them. A common practice of worship world wide, Christian or otherwise, is having people sing and play instruments to honour and glorify God.
3 Something so fundamental as music needs to be nurtured and encouraged – as indeed do other arts and skills used in worship. We have all heard this, “Nothing but the best is good enough for God.” Now to that end some will employ trained specialists to ‘do the job’ which other people observe. Our way is participation by as many people as possible ‘doing the job together’ – characteristic of the Free Church tradition: the reason WHY we have a URC Musicians’ Guild is to encourage that in our churches.
4 Therefore, the Guild is not limited to or by organists, choirmasters, choir singers, or professional instrumentalists of any kind (though it has an obvious duty to offer support to them wherever they help in the life of churches and their worship) but it is for YOU, for example, if you are concerned to help your church’s worship rise towards the high expectations that most people think are worthy of an offering to God. ‘WORSHIP’ derives from ‘WORTH‑SHIP’.
5 After a long wait for a permanent appointment, the Guild has a new Honorary General Secretary: Mrs Christine James (56 Back Street, Ashwell, Baldock, Herts SG7 5PE) was elected at AGM last October. Christine is a mother, has a week‑day job, enjoys singing, plays and arranges for others to play the organ at Ashwell United Reformed Church, is Church Secretary and is not short of ‘outside’ interests, yet agreed so to serve. The 400 plus members of the Guild are most appreciative and other people will be also.
6 John Harding (‘Rainbow’s End’ 150 Humber Doucy Lane, Ipswich IP4 3NU) co‑ordinates the Guild’s Organ Advisory Service for the United Reformed Church, at present heavily committed to an organ survey listing as many instruments as possible possessed in the United Reformed Church, on the basis of information returned on the quite simple request forms sent through Synod networks to EVERY United Reformed Church. Checks on this wherever possible would be very helpful and avoid a lot of ‘chasing’ for outstanding replies.
7 It costs only £4 annually to be a Guild member (£10 for corporate membership, which could be a whole church) and for that one is sent, three times a year, the excellent Guild Review magazine (edited by John Mansfield) and full information about what the local branch intends to DO – answering that commonest question with which this page began! The membership Secretary and Treasurer is Jim Nevill (38 Stambourne Way, West Wickham, Kent BR4 9NF) and he would be delighted to hear from more people waiting to join.
|