For a study guide see page 22.
Another person on Facebook was curious enough
to ask what she did with them. “I put them outside and then they got through a broken window again,” Espi- noza responded. “So I fixed that and they finally stayed out.” In an unrelated response, Arianna Hilsen Arends
of St. Paul, a joint United Church of Christ and ELCA congregation in Lewiston, Minn., said chicken incuba- tor lights were the weirdest thing she found during the last church cleanout.
Hymnals and robes, oh my! “Probably get rid of the black hymnals,” suggested Rico Ludovici on Facebook. “You know, the ones from before the mythic red hymnal.” Hymnals and choir robes were oſten addressed in a
cleaning project. “Definitely keep several of each previous hymnal,”
offered Jim Wattrick, Christ the King Lutheran Church, West Chester, Ohio. “Te oldies are goodies. I miss the prior red hymnal.” Tucker James Nelson, Our Savior Lutheran Church,
Virginia, Minn., cautioned against throwing out a heap of hymnals: “I think churches need to have organized archives, which should involve keeping at least one copy of old hymnals. It’s important to see how the faith has progressed and changed.” Reader Marilynne Smith, First Lutheran Church, San
Diego, suggested giving hymnals away to people who want a copy for home. Nancy Roper Bickley, Martinez, Ga., was one who
ventured into less literal territory: “I’d like to keep the old hymns.” Audrey Seaberg, St. Paul Lutheran Church,
Quincy, Wash., took advantage of the Facebook post to say her church is currently looking for a home for purple choir robes. Troy Olson, ministry associate at Luther Crest Bible Camp, Alexandria, Minn., suggested she donate them to the props closet at a nearby camp. Olson also offered an attitude that should be
pitched: “Te idea that ‘children are our future.’ Tey’re here and now, just like you and me.” And those youth need a decent place to sit.
Juli Lejman-Guy, St. John Evangelical Lutheran, Bellevue, Ohio, said her congregation needs to “get rid of all the old couches with no springs or padding leſt in the outdated ‘youth’ room to make room for today’s youth.”
Who wants our hymnals? Te Lutheran asked ELCA worship staff for some
tips on getting rid of hymnals, choir robes, music, etc. BethAnn Lynch, coordinator for worship and liturgical resources, and Scott Weidler, associate director for wor- ship/music, said: • Give members a chance at hymnals. Ten recycle those that are leſt (better stewardship of creation than having them end up in a landfill). Te synod office might know of a congregation that needs them, but shipping costs (especially sending well beyond your community) are oſten prohibitive. Nursing homes sometimes want hym- nals, but be sure to ask first (don’t just drop them off). Some people have taken the cover off of old hymnals and turned them into an angel craſt project. We encour- age congregations that purchase new hymnals to raise enough money to also buy them for a mission congre- gation (or one that can’t afford its own).
• If another congregation doesn’t want your hand-me- downs, choir robes can be used to make blankets or quilts.
• If falling apart, recycle old choir music. If the music is still good but no longer wanted or needed, offer it to a neighboring congrega- tion. Local chapters of the American Guild of Organ- ists (
www.agohq.org) may help serve as a “broker.”
• As with any old electronics or technology, organs can be junked. If a pipe organ still has life in it, contact the Organ Clearing House (
www.organclearinghouse. net). Consider donating an unused piano to a family with a promising young key- board player, perhaps even nurturing and nudging them into leading music at church.
18
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52