Make a joyful noise to the Lord

Using music in Collective Worship

January 2006

Contents

1Introduction3

2Music in the Bible4

3Selecting new material5

4Introducing new material7

5Linking with parish worship9

6Creating an atmosphere10

7Practical issues11

8Resource lists12

Appendix 1: A user’s guide to songbooks and hymnbooks13

Appendix 2: Top ten listings19

1Introduction

In preparing for the revision of the Collective Worship guidelines in the diocese the Diocesan Board of Education set up a working party in 2005 to carry out a survey of the use of music in collective worship in the schools of the diocese and then to draw up some guidance for schools on improving their practice in this area. This section of the CD-Rom is the result of the group’s work. It should be read in the context of the general guidelines on Collective Worship in the section ‘In spirit and in truth’ elsewhere on the CD.

The role of music in school worship is primarily to bring pupils into an awareness of the presence of God, or at least to consider the possibility of this happening. In this sense the music is the servant of the worship and not the other way round. It can bring worship alive enabling everyone present to enjoy it and to have fun! Or it can be deadly boring, killing any sense of participation and community. Who hasn’t heard (or, worse, heard themselves saying!) the dread words, “We’ll sing this hymn again until you get right!”?

This guidance is designed to help schools ensure that music has positive value in bringing their worship alive. It recognises that many schools will have a limited amount of musical expertise within their staff; fortunately there is now a wide range of materials on CDs and other formats to help meet this need. Details can be found in the later sections of this document.

It is the intention of the DBE and of the working group to extend the support for music in worship using the school’s domain within the diocesan website ( We hope that schools will be willing to contribute their experience and creativity to this process.

2Music in the Bible

In the Bible, the role of music is found from the first book (Genesis 31.27) to the last one (Revelation 15.2-3). As an aspect of human creativity it reflects the image of the creator God (Genesis 1.26), involving our whole personality (1 Corinthians 14.15); it accompanies pilgrims on their journey (Exodus 15) and will greetus at our ultimate destination (Revelation 19) in heaven.

In the Bible music is:


3Selecting new material

There are many areas to take into consideration when selecting new material for use in collective worship. It is not just a matter of finding songs which are instantly popular, as children’s initial enthusiasm may soon be replaced by indifference or even boredom. Songs which are ‘catchy’ and quick to learn need to be balanced by material which needs a little more preparation, but will be enjoyed and remain meaningful in the long term.

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see! Hail the incarnate deity!

Be careful when choosing words, particularly with more traditional hymns and carols. Would children understand them? Do you understand them? Maybe some slight editing is needed! It is worth spending time in assembly teaching children the words and the meaning behind them, to deepen their understanding as they sing.

The King of love my Shepherd is, whose goodness faileth never.

Don’t forget the traditional hymns, though. Some are well worth a little more investment in time for children to learn and have very powerful, meaningful words. They can be made more accessible by having interesting accompaniments, some of which are available on CDs. A good hymn is like a poem or ‘treasury of spiritual meaning’ that can last and support us for a lifetime. Some people like the modernised words found in Hymns for Today’s Church and other books from Jubilate Hymns; others do not!

O Jesus I have promised

A particularly sensitive area, which may well vary from school to school, is the use of hymns that express personal commitment, particularly where this is in the first person singular. You may need to make suitable introduction along the lines of ‘this is a song that Christians often sing to express their feelings about God’.

We are marching in the light of God. We are marching in the light of God.

Repetition is good for younger children in particular, who can learn and enjoy these worship songs quickly. Many have good actions or the children can make up their own. Try giving out shakers and other (not too noisy) musical instruments for some of the children to join in.

In Christ alone my hope is found, He is my light, my strength, my song.

As children get older and their comprehension levelimproves, you can be more adventurous with the choice of words. There are some wonderful new songs with spiritually powerful words. Worth the effort in learning them as they can become real favourites, remembered for a lifetime.

Our Father, who art in heaven…

Some very good tunes have been written to familiar words. Sometimes, as with the Lord’s Prayer, they can be used over a series of assemblies on a particular theme to help children’s understanding.

Be still for the presence of the Lord, the Holy One is here.

Some worship songs can be used as prayers. Try singing a verse, then reading a prayer as the accompaniment continues, then singing another verse together. This helps to build the right atmosphere and makes prayer a special time of reflection. Songs from the Taizé and Iona Communities can be particularly useful in this way.

See the flower’s final blaze in the morning’s misty haze.

Don’t underestimate children’s ability to understand poetic language, stimulating their imagination and a sense of awe and wonder. Pictures can be displayed on the digital projector as they sing, or children’s own pictures can be displayed in the hall as a backdrop.

God is our strength and refuge… (sung to the tune:’Dam Busters’ March’ [Eric Coates])

Some spiritual words have been written to fit familiar tunes such as the Eastenders theme, ‘Match of the Day’ and ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic’. These can work well, particularly as half the work in learning them has been done already! This approach could stimulate you into writing your own words to music that is popular with pupils. If you do write your own words please send them in to the Schools Department at Diocesan Church House, and we will publish the best ones on the website.

4Introducing new material

There is certainly a place for the old favourites and many schools have a core group of songs that mean something special to them, but learning new songs is a vital aspect of developing effective collective worship. It helps keep worship vibrant and alive, providing us with new ways (and often words) to express our love and devotion to Christ. In the Psalms we are encouraged to “Sing to the Lord a new song” (Psalm 149.1).

  • Difficulties of the traditional ‘hymn practice’

Traditionally new songs have been learnt during a “Hymn Practice” assembly. This, on its own, does not constitute a daily act of worship, but with the addition of a prayer or reading may meet the requirements. However, is this the best way both to introduce the school community to new songs and to have meaningful and profitable times of worship together during the school day?

This section explores some other possible ways we could learn new songs in school.

  • Using the new song as the theme of the assembly

In some schools across the diocese new songs are used as the theme for assemblies. The Christian teaching found in the text of the song is explored with the children during the series of assemblies and the song is learnt as part of each assembly during that theme.

  • Worship rather than choir rehearsal

There is certainly a place in the school week for children to learn the technical side of singing, the need to breathe correctly, enunciate clearly and sing in tune. But, is a time of worship the right occasion for this learning? Some schools mirror more the practice seen in churches where a worship leader leads the children in a number of songs/hymns, some familiar, others new, and the school community learns through listening and joining in as and when they feel confident. It may be appropriate for a child to be silent and listen to those around them and contemplate the words or tune for a while. If quality songs are chosen with good tunes, the children will pick them up quickly using this pattern, whilst remaining in a frame of mind that is conducive to worship

  • Don’t do too many

New songs are important, but too many new songs in one term can cause difficulties for the children. It is important to revisit old favourites and enjoy the familiarity of the words and tune. Often it is when the song is well known that we can worship more deeply.

To suggest how many songs we should introduce a term would be very difficult. There are many factors that have an impact on this: the age and experience of the children; the skills of staff; the usual practice in the parish (if there are close links between school and church); and the time available throughout the week to learn a new song. It is important to plan out which songs will be introduced over the coming term or year.

  • Quality accompaniments

It is particularly important when learning new material that there is strong and confidentsupport for the singing. If the accompanist (whether on guitar or piano) is also finding their way through the music there can be instant and increasing chaos! This is where the use of accompaniments on CD can be really beneficial – their more sophisticated and powerful use of instruments can provide a real ‘lift’. Many schools have found the CD of the music for the Leavers Services can also provide a focus for the whole of the summer term. A listing of the commercially available CDs can be found in Appendix 1.

  • Planning ahead

Planning is important. It provides a long term view outlining the introduction of new songs. It avoids overload and ensures you will be ready for those “crunch” moments – Christmas, Leavers Service, etc. Also, if songs are to be used to provide a theme for a series of assemblies, this can be linked in to the other themes planned for the year.

  • Maintaining a sense of worship

Worship must be central, even when learning new songs. Learning songs can destroy that sense of being in God’s presence, especially if we discipline pupils for poor singing, or posture. Surely, if we are focussing on technique this should be in the classroom or choir rehearsal. When we worship, let’s accept each other’s contribution and start from a position of ‘everyone is here to worship’. Yes, there will be times, in any school setting, when pupils need to be reminded of expected behaviour, but let’s make it the exception rather than the norm in times of worship.

5Linking with parish worship

Musical links between church schools and parish churches can be developed through a range of joint activities. Such musical links can help foster wider aspects of developing a Christian ethos and good community links. Every school and parish has a distinctive relationship and there is therefore no ‘correct’ model for enhancing these links, but here are some ideas and suggestions taken from schools around the diocese.

  • Joint school/parish services

In these cases the school (or part of it) attends a service to which parishioners are actively invited. Particular events such as patronal festivals, the beginning or end of the school term can provide a focus for this and for discussion of what music would be appropriate.

  • School led parish worship

Schools can lead various parts of a service such as intercessions, readings and sometimes drama or dance. Many parishes value the chance to have children singing as part of their worship.

  • School choir participation in parish worship

School choirs sometimes sing alongside church choirs, sometimes they share the role by providing the singing for particular services. Participation in such events as a parish confirmation or ordination service has proved very successful.

  • Joint policy on hymns to ensure some common choices

Amongst the most tangible and pivotal areas of cooperation is the choice of hymns and songs. These are often selected to relate to the Anglican calendar or lectionary. It is vital that this is seen as a two-way process, with child-appropriate songs being used in the church’s worship (to the benefit of all!). It is good practice for people involved in the school and the church to meet regularly to discuss ideas about the content and style of worship.

  • Use of common settings

Where there are specific musical arrangements of parts of the liturgy used in church services these can sometimes be readily incorporated into school worship (e.g. the Lord’s Prayer, Taizé songs, parts of Eucharistic settings such as the Gloria, Kyrie or Sanctus).

  • Use of school CDs on entry to/setting scene for church and school worship

This is a relatively easy way of providing a link and can be a simple but powerful message to pupils. Lately some parishes have used material from the annual Leavers Service in their worship; the introduction of an annual CD has encouraged this.

  • Utilising links where pupils are in church choirs

Children who are regular worshippers sometimes facilitate and sometimes initiate closer cooperation. This is particularly true of children who are members of both the church and school choirs.

6Music to create an atmosphere

The benefits of using music to create a calm, quiet atmosphere are well-known in schools. When pupils are encouraged to enter the place of worship in a peaceful manner they are more likely to engage with the opportunities for quiet, personal reflection which will be offered. Often a wide range of classical music is used and the pupils can be introduced to a range of composers in this way. A display or chart at the front of the hall identifying the composer and the work can enhance this process.

But this is not the only way to use music in preparation for music; some other possibilities include:

  • It may be appropriate to use recorded arrangements of instrumental versions of popular hymns and songs to be played quietly while pupils and staff reflect on the worship theme.
  • If a more ‘upbeat’ atmosphere is desired, this is an opportunity to use some of the wide range of World Music which is available on CD. Playing music from other countries where Christianity is practised will also help pupils to appreciate the global dimension of the faith.
  • Live music played by staff or pupils is particularly effective in focussing the attention of everyone at the start of worship.
  • Sometimes it is helpful to use very quiet music as a “background” to a time of prayer, or to use a sung response such as “O Lord, hear my prayer” between short prayers. CDs of music from the Taizéand Ionacommunities can be especially useful here.
  • Other possible sources of inspiration could include chart music, jazz and music from films or the musical theatre. Most schools will have people among their staff or pupils with expertise in these areas.
  • This raises the issue of who selects music used in this way. Is it just the head, or are other staff, visiting speakers or pupils involved?

Finally two suggestions for sourcing appropriate material:

  • Christian bookshops have good selections of worship music, with and without sung words, which can be useful sources.
  • To identify music on a particular theme try typing lyrics <theme, key word> into a search engine such as Google or Ask Jeeves. This will produce a list of song titles.

7Practical issues

  • Copyright issues

It is important that church schools are meticulous in observing the law on copyright. To understand most issues related to this the easiest source of information and guidance can be found on the website of the Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI) who run a licensing scheme specifically for schools using copyright material in Collective Worship. You can access this excellent site at: This covers most, but not all, of the songs that schools are likely to use in worship; there is an extension available for the copying of music. To answer the two most obvious questions: yes, you do need a licence to copy words on to OHP transparencies (whether typed or handwritten) and into PowerPoint presentations; and no, the school is not covered by any licence held by its church, not even for school services in the church!

  • Technical issues

Schools are increasingly making the move from OHPs to data projectors for the display of the words of songs and hymns, mainly with considerable gains in terms of clarity and holding the attention of pupils. This also gives the opportunity for using pictorial backgrounds that can enhance the atmosphere for worship, and contribute to the development of the theme of the assembly.

For the more technically advanced there is also the possibility of downloading MP3 sample files, MIDI files, .wav files and guitar chords to assist in the effective accompaniment of songs and hymns. Some of the websites listed on page 12 give access to these areas, though you may need to involve some pupils to help with the technicalities!

Acknowledgements

The DBE is grateful to the members of the working group who drafted these guidelines:

John Willis(Chairman)

Revd Alastair Cutting

Adam Earle

Martin Garratt

Sheila Kerr

Andrew McGregor

Lesley Mason

April Owen-Jones

Jeremy Taylor

Darren Vallier