Comments on: Cutting Closing Hymns Short

By: ltbugaf

ltbugaf — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 15:30:50 +0000

Whenever I serve as chorister, if this situation comes up, I ask the presiding authority what he wants to do and I follow his instructions. I do think it’s too bad, though, that the hymns always seem to be the first thing cut. For some reason they’re considered least important. They’re just as integral to our worship as any other element of the meeting.

By: George

George — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 22:59:35 +0000

I might even go to Sacrament meeting if they sung hymns (on key). The hymns make me feel more spiritual than the speakers do.

By: Kim Siever

Kim Siever — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 18:21:24 +0000

I think there’ a mindset â€” for whatever reason â€” to complete everything in a lesson. Maybe instructor’s don’t feel comfortable determining that one principle is “less important” than the other. Or maybe they think all the material was put there for a purpose, so it all need to be shared. Who knows?

“Why not do this more often?”

I would totally agree with this. Particularly at Easter.

By: JM

JM — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 17:18:51 +0000

I’m not sure. It’s a mystery to me.

My guess would be that the instructor has spent hours and hours reading all sorts of material and they feel that the class owes it to them to hear everything that was prepared.

All of the instructor books / manuals I have ever seen specifically mention that there is probably too much material in the lesson to cover in one class, so the instructor should choose a subset of material for discussion.

By: rick

rick — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 16:27:54 +0000

‘so the class can â€œget through the materialâ€’

Ummm…

I thought there was a fair amount of repetition of topics in gospel doctrine class. Why would anyone need to stop discussion to make sure they covered the material?

It’s not like there’s a government departmental at the end of the year or anything…

By: JM

JM — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 14:36:06 +0000

I’d almost lump this in with the “We need to get through the lesson material” syndrome.

Our Sunday worship meetings are not designed to cover all the material all the time. There’s just too much of it to get through. We meet every week, so there is ample time for repetition and covering things that got missed before.

A presiding officer needs to quit trying to jam pack their meetings with more than is necessary, just like the gospel doctrine teacher needs to quit interrupting and cutting short a good doctrinal discussion so the class can “get through the material”

If hymns are so important, then perhaps we don’t need 4 speakers on the program.

Everyone always comments on how much they like the Christmas program because it involves more singing than usual. Why not do this more often?

By: George

George — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 02:20:29 +0000

The 70 minute time slot for Sacrament meeting trumps any hymn.

By: Nikki Workman

Nikki Workman — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 16:58:40 +0000

I can’t say I have strong feelings either way, as it is a fairly rare occurance. After a 1 minute ponder I say, the chorister should make the call. Whether they have direction from the bishop for such situations, or rely on their own promptings…it’s their stewardship. Sunday school doesn’t trump hymns.

By: JM

JM — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 12:52:21 +0000

Get up and say it.

By: George

George — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 03:10:55 +0000

JM said: “any presiding officer who cannot control his meeting and keep it on time is an idiot and a push-over.”

What should the presiding officer do if he feels inspired the meeting should run over time?