A MONTH IN MUSIC
MAY
HAPPY TRINITY TERM!
I do hope you all had a joyful and refreshing Easter, filled with wonderful
gatherings, good food, and time spent with those you love. As we begin
this new term, I want to take a moment to say how grateful I am for such a
warm welcome during my first months here. Your support,
encouragement, and thoughtful feedback have meant a great deal to me,
and have made this first term both enjoyable and rewarding.
I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to Jo and the choir for their
dedication and hard work throughout the term. I am sure you will all agree
that they have been sounding absolutely fabulous. Their commitment
week by week, particularly through the demands of Holy Week and Easter,
has been truly commendable.
In addition, my thanks go to the St. Oswald’s Singers, who so kindly
stepped in during the choir’s holiday. We are incredibly fortunate to have
such a capable and generous group to “take the baton” when needed.
Even from afar, I was able to listen in, and it was a real pleasure to hear
how beautifully you supported the services.
Change and the war of Hymns!
As we move into Trinity Term, I would like to briefly touch on the subject of
change. Music in church is something deeply rooted in tradition, and for
many of us, particular hymns, psalms, and settings carry strong personal
and spiritual significance. At the same time, the life of a church is not
static, and part of my role is to gently explore how we can continue to grow
musically—honouring what we cherish, while also being open to new
possibilities.
I know that changes, even small ones, can sometimes feel unfamiliar. In
particular, I have had a few conversations about the wording of certain
psalms and hymns. These texts can be powerful, poetic, and occasionally
challenging. It is worth remembering that they come to us from different
times and contexts, and part of our engagement with them is to reflect on
what they mean for us today. I completely understand the frustration when
words are altered from what we know as the “original”—I really do. Whilst I
cannot control the spoken texts used in services, I do have more influence
over what we sing.
My aim is always to approach this thoughtfully and sensitively—retaining
the richness of our musical heritage while ensuring that what we sing
remains meaningful and accessible to our congregation. I am always very
happy to hear your thoughts, and I am grateful for the openness with
which these conversations have already begun.
Psalms and hymns
The psalms we have been using are from a more modern text, simply to
allow greater ease of reading and understanding. As with everything,
generations change, and we are increasingly aware that younger people
often engage differently—their concentration and ability to absorb dense
or unfamiliar language can be more limited, particularly after covid. These
updated texts aim to make the Bible and the message of Jesus more
accessible, while still holding onto the heart of the tradition. That said, this
does not mean we dismiss the richness of the older texts—far from it.
Rather, we are trying to hold both together. I hope you can be patient,
open-minded, and willing to come on this journey with us.
When it comes to hymns—well, they really can start a war! You all have
wonderfully diverse tastes, which is a real strength of our congregation.
However, it does mean I won’t always be able to please everyone. We are
also somewhat limited by the hymn books we have, unless we resort to a
great deal of photocopying.
One possible alternative is to make more use of the projector screen. This
may suit some, but it is not accessible for everyone, particularly those with
visual impairments, so we will need to approach this carefully. Over the
coming months, there will be some trial and error as we find the right
balance.
You may have noticed that I have been trying to vary our hymn choices,
including introducing more modern hymns, particularly on the first Sunday
of the month. This is still very much a work in progress, and I appreciate
your patience. For those who find new hymns or settings unfamiliar, we do
run workshops at the centre on agreed dates. If you would like to learn, I
warmly encourage you to come along—we always finish with some food
and a chat, making it a relaxed and enjoyable afternoon.
Adopt a Chorister
We are still raising funds for this coming summer. Although we only have
one chorister going this year, any contribution, no matter how small, would
be very gratefully received. If you would like to support, please make a
cheque payable to St. Oswald’s PCC and write “Adopt a Chorister” on the back.
News of the Choir
I am delighted to announce the appointment of Chelsea Morris as Choral
Music Assistant. Chelsea will oversee rehearsals and services in my
absence, as well as assisting with planning and general organisation. Her
first service conducting will be Ascension on Thursday 14th May—please
do come along and show your support.
Looking ahead, there is much to enjoy this term, and I am excited about
the music we will continue to share together. Thank you, as ever, for your
support, and for being such an important part of our musical life.
Bill Bowen
Lastly, as a choir, we would like to express our deepest condolences to
the family of Bill Bowen. He was such a lovely man, who always
supported the choir as well as myself whilst I was growing up. The choir
and myself are honoured to be able to sing for him one last time, at his
funeral on Tuesday 5th May at midday. God bless you, Bill
With warmest wishes,
Samantha Lewis-Widnall
Director of Music
St Oswald’s Parish Church, Oswestry