The 2024 Clergy-Laity Congress’s workshops opened today, July 2, 2024, with a session entitled “Creating a Singing Parish: Congregations and Beyond.” Intended for both clergy and parish delegates, the workshop focused on sharing ideas for building a parish program of church music that extends beyond the choir and the chanters.
The workshop started aptly with presenters and attendees singing a hymn together, utilizing a new standardized Green Book. Beginning their presentation, Dr. Vicki Pappas and Barbara Minton emphasized that hymns are both prayers and excellent vehicles for learning about our faith. Pappas also explained the physical, emotional, and social benefits of hymn-singing for individuals and congregations, the theological importance of hymnography, and how to properly introduce and integrate converts into congregational singing. Throughout the session, the presenters and attendees shared practical ideas and resources for initiating congregational singing as well as using hymn singing in various non-liturgical settings of a parish. Attendees also received information about the various materials and resources available from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and from the National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians to assist them in incorporating more hymn-singing throughout the parish.
Photo: GOARCH/Brittainy Newman.
