St Margaret's Church Prestwich

This article first appeared in the February issue of our parish magazine.

It has occurred to me that Tom and I both move about quite a lot during services. We know what we’re doing – and why – but to anyone else it could simply look as if we don’t know how to sit still.

We are blessed with a fine organ at St Margaret’s, and Tom sits on the organ bench to play it. However, that’s not the best place to sit and join in with worship when he’s not playing. Seated at the organ bench, the organist has his back to the congregation and is side-on to the chancel. He cannot see who is speaking at the lectern, nor who is presiding at the altar. That’s why he sits on a chair to the side of the organ consul. He feels more included in our collective worship.

Although Tom is a skilled organist, he is first and foremost a pianist, and whilst most hymns sound superb played on the organ, there are many that were composed with the piano in mind. Tom knows which instrument is best for which music and plays accordingly.

The best place for me to sit would be with the choir. However, as I usually take responsibility for livestreaming services, I sit at the front of the nave, on my own with only a tripod for company. I bob up and down to zoom in and out, focusing on the lectern or altar. I also pan and track key movements, for example, when the gospel is carried into the nave for that reading. This is for the interest of our online congregations. Next time you watch anything on television, note how often the camera angle changes, and imagine how dull the programme would be if it was all fixed at middle-distance wide-angle.

Once I have pressed “start” on the livestream, I am next to a live microphone. Anything I say – or sing – is picked up and broadcast (people who sit near me may wish to bear that in mind!) iPad microphones are not particularly high quality, which is why I step away from the iPad to sing. I have a reasonably strong voice which would overwhelm the microphone. That’s why I sing from the middle of the aisle, or indeed from near the piano during processional and recessional hymns, so I’m not in the way.

Members of our choir sit together in a block near the piano. Within that block they are grouped into sopranos and altos. This is so they can support each other during hymns and sung communion responses. Anthem are sung from around the piano, again grouped in voice parts, so that the sound is directed across the nave to the congregation. This makes our music easier to hear and helps the choir to actively lead congregational singing.

As a side note, members of the congregation may find singing hymns easier if they clustered together more. Individuals scattered around a large space feel auditorily isolated, and so hold back and sing more quietly. Sitting in groups would prevent any feelings of isolation and the congregation would feel more confident about singing more enthusiastically.

On the third Sunday each month, when our Sunday Club meets in Church House during the service, I leave church after the Gospel reading and go across there to lead them in singing some cheery hymns and worship songs. I generally return sometime during the Eucharistic prayer, and always try to do so quietly.

Finally, a word on phones. Sometimes Tom and I need to check in with each other during a service about which tune to use for a given hymn, or to confirm the number of verses. Occasionally we have been known to plan a spontaneous anthem by text during a service. Quite often, I’m on my phone engaging with the online congregation watching our service at home.