tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post4579399521144448096..comments2024-03-27T15:47:46.091-05:00Comments on Pastoral Meanderings: Can We Still Call Ourselves the Church of J. S. Bach?Pastor Petershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10653554256101480140noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-89257976973172741892010-07-31T14:20:27.004-05:002010-07-31T14:20:27.004-05:00http://pastoralmeanderings.blogspot.com/2009/07/ar...http://pastoralmeanderings.blogspot.com/2009/07/art-and-faith.html<br /><br />is the link to one of many posts where I also lament the lack of art in the Church... it is not one or the other but both and... in this case the post was about the church that boasts Bach but cannot play his music due to lack of an organist, lack of an organ, or the lack of desire for his music... all three tragedies.Pastor Petershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10653554256101480140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-16036361607162855762010-07-31T07:02:39.671-05:002010-07-31T07:02:39.671-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Dixiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08511317203353075644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-44447618912719458082010-07-31T07:01:56.223-05:002010-07-31T07:01:56.223-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Dixiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08511317203353075644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-37011857695322898092010-07-31T07:01:13.958-05:002010-07-31T07:01:13.958-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Dixiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08511317203353075644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-23103216125820743002010-07-31T07:00:41.232-05:002010-07-31T07:00:41.232-05:00One thing I don't understand, and maybe it is ...One thing I don't understand, and maybe it is because I am not a fan of the organ as an instrument in general, but when I read various blogs and articles lamenting the Lutheran church going the way of contemporary services two things are emphasized more than any...organ music and liturgy. Why such an emphasis on music but not architecture and general appearance?<br /><br />I just returned from a vacation in Europe and when I see those incredible structures and sacred art and sacred spaces it is hard for me to imagine how we ever became so comfortable in America with such sterile worship spaces. Perhaps it is because of the original pioneer type bare church structures and the memory lives on but why are so many energies focused on discussing the music but not so much on the sacred spaces? <br /><br />I can't help but believe putting effort (and money) on the appearance of the sacred spaces would help combat some of that casual contemporary stuff. Contemporary music rings hollow and seems stupid in a church appropriately appointed with sacred art and space. They just don't go together. But that kind of music is not so uncomfortable in sterile, unadorned spaces that are an altar and big empty cross away from just being a meeting hall. I think we have made it pretty easy for contemporary music to move in.<br /><br />And it is not impossible to build a beautiful church these days. My dad attends a Catholic church in Phoenix built in the 1980's that isn't far from some of those beautiful Euro churches...maybe not as many statues but certainly the architectural and design features are along the same vein and definitely not "meeting hall" style.<br /><br />And we shouldn't expect to put everything in at once. It took over 400 years to put the mosaics in St. Marks in Venice. There were generations that never started nor saw the completed project but understood the value of doing it. I think the American church goers are missing this kind of instruction on the importance of beautiful sacred space. I know for years I thought it didn't matter. Now I see things differently.Dixiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08511317203353075644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-38076022311111217332010-07-28T19:07:18.089-05:002010-07-28T19:07:18.089-05:00As a Pastor who highly values and respects our exc...As a Pastor who highly values and respects our excellent and amazingly competent organist and pipe organ, and wishes he could bring him on full-time (even my salary is not full-time) I nevertheless put our budget where my priorities are. What our organist wants....well we do whatever we can to make it happen.<br /><br />As a result of these efforts, our Divine Service is done very well musically, liturgically and in spite of my own limitations as a preacher, doctrinally sound.<br /><br />I heartily concur with your challenge as to whether we can rightly call ourselves the Church of Bach. I pray that we begin moving in that direction rather than the trajectory we have been on for the past 15 years.<br /><br />An aside: at a Cursillo weekend (don't get me started about the music there) one of the groups sang a part of the liturgy from the LBW as an after-meal prayer. The majority of the women present had never heard the traditional liturgy sung in their congregation!Padre Dave Poedel, STShttp://www.azlutheran.org/mtcalvarynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-3364491381766487802010-07-28T16:05:34.203-05:002010-07-28T16:05:34.203-05:00Hear, hear, anonymous!
Just watch a few youTube ...Hear, hear, anonymous!<br /> <br />Just watch a few youTube videos of CCM "worship." Somehow, I don't think congregations in Bach's day were up on their feet dancing. And they DID have dance music in his day. <br /><br />I suspect if we could go back in time to see Baal worship in Israel, we'd see some very similar activity. They very likely spent much $$$ (shekels?) on what today we consider crude idols. Maybe we are better today at visualization; we don't need the statues to "do" worship.Janis Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02947508427040251166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-70079259358994315872010-07-28T12:14:11.957-05:002010-07-28T12:14:11.957-05:00There are plenty of churches willing to drop that ...There are plenty of churches willing to drop that kind of money on sounds systems, screens, electronic equipment, music equipment and CCM license fees. The money always shows up for what is important to a congregation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-54404100841008007292010-07-28T11:18:51.818-05:002010-07-28T11:18:51.818-05:00It is hard to see the term "praise band"...It is hard to see the term "praise band" in a post about J.S. Bach. The two thoughts just do not go in the same vein in my thinking at all.<br /><br />I happen to be one of those who have never accepted the idea of the "praise band" as a component of public worship. To me, this is simply noise and a distraction, smacking of entertainment, unfit for the house of God. It will never appear in my parish.Dr.Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18360786634583725263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-57929511410333127632010-07-28T10:42:04.339-05:002010-07-28T10:42:04.339-05:00Hear, hear. I hear tell that most of the CUS is sc...Hear, hear. I hear tell that most of the CUS is scrapping degree programs in "traditional" church music (organ performance & repertoire, choral musicianship, etc.) & multiplying degrees in "worship leadership" of the CCM type. Somebody somewhere is going to defend this as a decision driven by market forces & economic necessity. But I think it is a sign that the LCMS is acquiescing in the death of American Lutheranism.RobbieFishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14112535005437118728noreply@blogger.com