An Organist’s Prayer
Dear Lord,
I am here to support the congregation, not to overwhelm
them:
May I play quietly enough to hear their singing, firmly
enough to keep it alive but not so fast that they can’t get their breath
between verses.
May I allow enough time for them to find the hymn before
starting the first verse.
Help me to do my homework properly, to avoid choosing the
wrong tune (especially if it’s one I like), to check that it is not pitched too
high and that I know how many verses there are.
Lead me, O Lord, when I don’t know which verse they are
singing, when my eyes have skipped to the wrong line and when I can’t find the
chorus.
Before the service, may I play quietly enough to encourage
conversation and remember that if I play louder they won’t be able to hear each
other. At the end, remind me, O Lord,
that all the wrong notes in the concluding voluntary will only have been
noticed by you!
On some occasions, O Lord, I know that the words and the
music and the singers have come together and I believe it must please you.
May I remember also that you are Lord of peace: help me to
resist the temptation to intrude on silence.
