CSI Madras Diocese Department of Liturgy and Music

CSI Madras Diocese Department of Liturgy and Music

Report for the Diocesan Council meeting, January 13-16 2009

The Department of Liturgy and Music has been involved in various programmes in the last biennium. We are happy to note that several of these have been in cooperation with other departments within the diocesan structure.

1. The CSI General Synod approved a draft of a new Book of Common Worship which is currently being used in various churches in the CSI.  The book's First Edition is now out of print, and is ready for a Second Edition.  The Department of Liturgy and Music has been asked to help in making further revisions to the text and content of this book, and work on that project has begun.
 
2. Two sessions of our sixth annual Summer School of Music, involving 20 pastorates, were held in 2007 and 2008.  The Rev'd M. Karunakaran, the Rev'd John Selvaraj, the Rev'd A Karunakaran, the Rev'd Y. L. Babu Rao and Andrew Karunakaran along with a team of instrumental and vocal musicians led these programmes.  Harmoniums, tabalas and flutes were given to the pastorates involved upon completion of the courses.  This programme has become a regular feature of the diocese's regular education offerings, and we are grateful for the diocese's continuing support.

3. A refresher course for all past students of our Summer Music Course from 2002 to the present, which was to be held on November 29th and 30th of this past year, had to be postponed because of the weather, but is now re-scheduled to be held later this month at the Community Service Centre.  

4. In May of 2008 a second Summer School of Music was held for those church musicians who wanted further training in the practice of Western Church Music.  There were 20 participants in this programme.  The course was held at the St Thomas Mount Garrison Church, and was conducted by S. John Barathi, coordinator for music at the CSI Synod Office.  We are grateful for his help and of the CSI Synod Office's encouragement of our work here in the Madras Diocese.
 
5. In 2007 and 2008, the department assisted the Vacation Bible School in composing and recording songs both in English and in Tamil.  The Rev'd Y. L. Babu Rao and Dr Giles wrote music on the themes for the curriculum, and with the help of musicians from the diocese and beyond, recorded these for distribution to approximately 50,000 children involved in the VBS programme each year.  

6. In 2006, the Diocese was blessed with the completion and inauguration of a recording studio, under the supervision of the Department of Communication; and the Department of Liturgy and Music is encouraging departments, boards, and individuals to use this important facility.  We must actively promote its use for furthering the spread of the Gospel through music and liturgy beyond the doors of the church.
 
7. The school for the study of Tamil Music inaugurated under the leadership of the department's Rev'd M. Karunakaran continues its work.  Lessons in Karnatic music theory, voice, mridangam and violin are being given.  We are happy that here too, connections with the Department of Tamil Literature that have born fruit in this cooperative venture between these two departments.
 
8. A pipe organ project in cooperation with specific churches in this diocese, and in cooperation with other dioceses (specific churches in Central Karnataka, Medak, and North Kerala) and churches (the CNI; the Church of Ceylon) has continued with enthusiasm and great support from the churches involved.  It's in part thanks to our work here in Chennai that these other places have undertaken this work.  
 
9. Work on a complete Tamil lyric book with accurate musical notation continues slowly.  

10. The Rev'd M. Karunakaran has volunteered to prepare a children's music textbook for the diocese's education programmes.  We look forward to his work.  

11. In June of 2007, a Diocesan Choir Competition was held at St George's Cathedral.  The response was overwhelming, and 800 singers came.  As it happened, this was too many to be manageable, and this past year, a more manageable choir festival (not a competition) was held at the LITE centre for choirs in the diocese, to which 250 choristers came and shared their gifts of music with each other.  

12. Several visiting scholars and clergy from the United Kingdom and the United States have come specifically to visit the department of Liturgy and Music, and two further such visitors from the USA are expected early this year.
 
13. During the past two weeks, we hosted a second visit from Professor Doctor Richard Marlow, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, who offered a recital at St Andrew's Church, and is conducted choral workshops with several church choirs and various other Christian choral groups in the city of Chennai.  We are hoping that this work will occasion opportunities for the improvement of our choral and instrumental music in the diocese and beyond.  

Next year's programmes will include our now established courses in May, another Choir Festival in November, continued association with the Department of Christian Education and the Vacation Bible School.  Of special interest will be a training program in liturgy and Music led by the Rev'd James Reho, from The Episcopal Church, as well as perhaps some new programmes and events, arising out of the possible shifting of the Department's work to a new location.

An informational brochure on what the department of Liturgy and Music can do for our congregations, departments, boards and all other organisations in this diocese is attached to this report.  In it, there's a list of the types of events, resources and activities we can offer.  I ask that this be entered as an addendum to this written report.  Copies are available to the members of the Diocesan Council.

I would like here to make special note of the department's work in liturgy and liturgical education.  We are available to any and all churches, departments and boards in the diocese for assistance in liturgical planning and education programmes for congregations in the diocese.

I note with some concern that many churches, as well as other departments and boards in this diocese that may usefully be able to employ the department's services have not taken advantage of the Department of Liturgy and Music's offerings in as enthusiastic and regular way as they might, given the range and scope of our available offerings.  The department has had in every case needed to ask, if not to implore, pastors and other officers within the diocese to participate in our programmes.  As a consequence, the director of the department of Liturgy and Music is more active abroad and in other dioceses of this church as an invited teacher and lecturer than with any programmes in the Madras Diocese.  This is not the intention of either our bishop or the director, so the department encourages you to seek us out, and to make use of our offerings.

All of the department's programmes and projects are of vital interest to the life of the churches in this diocese.  The liturgy of the church is what first and last informs Christians of their faith, and being the most visible and regular occasion for the gathering of the community, deserves our best.  Training in liturgy and in music is not a part of theological education in the ecumenical seminaries in India, and any understanding of its role is at present very limited.  We hope that the Department of Liturgy and Music can continue to assist in broadening awareness of the roles worship and music play in the life of the church, and further to connect with other departments within the diocesan structure as well as other institutions serving the church to enliven our praise.

Respectfully submitted,

Randall Giles, 2 December 2008

• Workshops on various aspects of liturgy for parishes interested in enlivening their worship.
• Training and study for presbyters and other church leaders in the liturgy of the church, and its music.
• Supplying new and innovative liturgical resources in Tamil, Telugu and English.
• Help in writing new liturgical resources, both for diocesan functions and for individual parish needs.
• Training in the writing of new liturgical resources.
• >A reference library (not a lending library) of both contemporary and historical liturgical resources from around the world.
• Special projects as needed and requested by pastorates, departments, and individuals.