Alternatives To (No) Singing At Church Worship Service

Updated:  08/20/2020.  After reading the declaration, this article should have been titled, "Alternatives To (no) Singing At Church"  Singers on the stage can sing with restrictions and it does not update former restrictions for the congregation, for which I assume that masked congregants can sing.  What's your take.  

Article:  08/19/2020
Oahu Hawaii is the latest city that has received restrictions of mandatory masks, no singing, or wind instruments for in-person spiritual services.  Read the actual mayor's declaration taken from pages 23 - 24.  It is helpful for you to interpret this on your own and come up with your alternatives.  

...Any person(s) singing and/or playing a wind instrument, etc. shall maintain physical distancing of at least ten (10) feet from any other person(s) while singing and/or playing a wind instrument. etc. Members of the same performing group singing and/or playing a wind instrument. etc. may be closer than ten (10) feet together while performing, provided the group consists of less than ten (10) persons. ii. A physical barrier (e.g.. plexiglass) of sufficient size to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 shall separate any person(s) singing and/or playing a wind instrument. etc. from any other person(s), but not including members of the same performing group.

It's possible that this decree stems from international church news that had contracted COVID-19 or most specifically to a choir practice last March 10 that had infected its members.   The 2 1/2 hour practice looked innocent.  Burdick, the choir conductor of Mt. Vernon Church recalled, "It seemed like a normal rehearsal, except that choirs are huggy places,...we were making music and trying to keep a certain distance between each other."  "Nearly three weeks later, 45 have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or ill with the symptoms, at least three have been hospitalized, and two are dead" reports the Seattle Times.

Singing is a biblical mandate.  Paul said "speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.  Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord" (Eph 5:19).  I realize that auditory form is not simply the issue here, for how can one who lost his voice, or the deaf and the mute fulfill such.  Paul's reminder goes beyond the auditory inflection, but the intention, participation, and infection (no pun intended) of music in worship.

Intention.  The issue of Eph. 5:19 is that phrase, from your heart to the Lord or literally, making melody in the heart of you to the Lord.  I am for vocal music in worship, but just like Zechariah (Luke 1:22, 67-80), it is the heart that matters most to God.   No wonder, the persecuted church or the deaf and mute can just as equally worship like the rest.  

Participation.  More than the focus to God, music in the church has been a cooperative work as seen from the Old Testament, Moses (Ex. 15:1) to the New Testament, "One Another" (Col. 3:16).  However your church resolves how to express worship, make sure it is concerted, collective, and participative.  

Infection.  There is power in music and it is not just to encourage the saved but also the unsaved.  Paul made this case 1 Cor. 14:15 where he argued that evangelism is the goal of intelligible speech - in this case, music.  The Apostle wrote, "I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding."  Whatever option you may use, make sure it makes sense to the world who is looking and observing. 

Here are some ideas your church can explore as a temporary alternative:  

For the Praise Team 

  1. Prerecord vocal and wind instruments.   This will give non-wind instruments a chance to play live along with the recording
  2. Put a flexi glass or plastic curtain between you and the congregation or stay beyond 10 feet away from them
  3. Bust out your praise dancers, hula, mime and add theatric element (w/ social distancing) while following a live or prerecorded music
For the Congregation
  1. While the recording or live music is playing, encourage the congregation to sing in mind, hum-along, clap and just move
  2. Have Hula Worship (since I'm in Hawaii) or praise dance worship along
  3. Bring out the festive banners or object lesson during the singing
  4. Encourage Sign Language while the prerecording is playing
  5. Teach the congregation certain key actions especially when the chorus is sung over and over
  6. Have few individuals mime while the song is being played
  7. Liturgical reading from your hymnbook
  8. Speak along with the music while the music is being played.

You got more ideas?  I would love to hear it just comment below.  May you and your church continue to thrive in the worship of God our Savior and Lord in the midst of this pandemic. 


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