Singing the Faith That Cannot Be Held

One of the criticisms of the use of projecting the lyrics of hymns for congregational singing rather than using print hymnals is the loss of the musical score and notes. Most software programs in use make the production and use of text-only slides the norm for congregational worship. The most commonly heard objections to this practice are that singing from only the lyrics without the music leads to denying the congregation the notes, which results in a lack of harmony and beauty in the sound of the congregational singing. Over time, there is a loss of the skill and practice of music reading on the part of the congregation.

Are these objections strong enough to encourage congregations to avoid or forsake projection? Consider these additional points:

1. Whether they sing from a print hymnal or a projection screen, the vast majority of the congregation does not use or need the music. They will pay attention only to the words.
2. Some may be able to get some sense of melodic rise and fall from watching the soprano line, but rarely more than that. However, most do not have even this minimum skill.
3. Some may come to associate white notes with longer duration and black notes with shorter duration, but that information is not really very helpful to most of them in singing in rhythm or tempo. As with the ability to follow the melodic rise and fall of the soprano line, most do not have this skill.
4. Directors, accompanists, and choir members are the only ones concerned over text-only projection, and all of them have print hymnals with music provided by the church. They somehow view the providing of text-only projection in place of print hymnals with music as a musical loss for the congregation.
5. Churches can easily and economically provide additional copies of print hymnals with music for congregational singers who actually want, need, and use the music, as many of them now do for large print editions. Ushers can hand them out upon request, and the church saves considerable money.
6. The addition of music, especially SATB hymnal harmony, to the text on projection slides greatly diminishes the amount of the hymn that can be placed on each slide, requiring many slides for every hymn . . . many, many, many for hymns with three, four, or more stanzas.
7. The use of text-only projection actually restores the literary and poetic integrity to the hymn that is lost with the interlining of text with music. If the words are truly the most important part of a hymn, then text-only projection maximizes the understanding and retaining of the meaning of those words.
8. And there is the concern over copyright. Churches that prepare and use their own slides of copyrighted lyrics and music without permission are breaking the law and doing so at the risk of financial penalties.

The problem with text-only slides is not the loss of the musical notation. The problem is the same whether the music is present or not. The only truly troublesome issue of replacing print hymnals with projection is the loss of our ability to hold, feel, touch, and have immediate access to the full contents of the hymnal. When all we are given are projected lyrics, we no longer are in physical connection with the hymnal and its theology, history, ritual, and practice. We literally lose touch with one of the main things that unites us as a denomination. For many worshipers, the hymnal is the only source they ever have with these things we hold in common. They can no longer page through the hymns, read and understand the ritual and liturgy, or use the resources of the hymnal as a personal means of study, formation, prayer and devotion. For the church, that same loss occurs when there is no hymnal in the pews; but it is more of a symbolic loss. For the individual worshiper and groups within the church, it is a true and complete loss. Of course, there is nothing preventing individuals from purchasing their own copies of the hymnal or preventing churches from encouraging their people to purchase one for use at home.

We know that currently in The United Methodist Church the number of congregations using projection and print together AND the number of congregations replacing print with projection is growing. We don't know if the trend will continue, peak, or reverse in the future. I have personally observed that in EVERY congregation of which I have been a part in the last ten years including those in events and workshops, musician and worship leader convocations, local church worship, and special services and gatherings around the country (in every case without exception), when print hymnals are available in the pews AND lyrics are projected, the projection always trumps the hymnals. The overwhelming majority of every congregation prefers to sing from the screen, even when the hymnals are available within arm's reach in the pew racks, whether the people read music or not.

We need to do more research in this area. Surely it will be a major item of concern for the next hymnal committee.

For more on the positive and negative issues of the use of screens or print hymnals in worship, see "To Screen or Not to Screen."