Sunday was the first week of using a new slate of songs for Sacrament Meetings. Each quarter, I try to take the time to ask the Primary Song Leader which songs she has taught or intends to teach so that I can be sure to include some songs the kids know. This time I didn't. However, having my 5-year-old granddaughter living with me for the next five months helps.
Yesterday, I had decided to include "I Will Walk with Jesus" for the closing hymn. I asked C.J. to sing nice and strong for me. She has sung this one around the house, so I knew she knew at least the first verse and chorus. She had learned it, however, in her old ward. I told her that I would look at her while I was leading the singing so she could help me sing the right words. (I told her I needed help because I didn't know it very well yet.)
Lo and behold, she took that request literally. Whenever I looked at her, she was singing her heart out. She was sitting in the second row just below where I stood on the podium. She sat up straight and tall, and I could even hear her. She knew the words to all three verses plus the chorus! I bet she sang that song better than anyone else in the entire room!
This only goes to show that if the Primary Song Leader does a good job of teaching the songs, the children will be happy to sing them in other meetings.
The problem just seems to be coordinating and using songs that the children have learned. I don't think our Ward Primary Song Leader had taught that song yet. I didn't see any of the kids singing. Later, when I spoke with the song leader, she told me that she would be following the list as outlined in "Come, Follow Me" this year. At least I can follow that outline for the future song selections.
Keeping track of the songs the Primary kids know is quite difficult. Primary song leaders tend to choose songs without regard to following the proscribed list, or even reviewing very many songs throughout the year. Therefore, the songs the children know will vary greatly from ward to ward.
Guess I'm lucky, though. We have a rather musical ward. The congregation members seem to be able and willing to sight sing the new hymns without much difficulty. Just wish the kids would sing, though!
Yesterday, I had decided to include "I Will Walk with Jesus" for the closing hymn. I asked C.J. to sing nice and strong for me. She has sung this one around the house, so I knew she knew at least the first verse and chorus. She had learned it, however, in her old ward. I told her that I would look at her while I was leading the singing so she could help me sing the right words. (I told her I needed help because I didn't know it very well yet.)
Lo and behold, she took that request literally. Whenever I looked at her, she was singing her heart out. She was sitting in the second row just below where I stood on the podium. She sat up straight and tall, and I could even hear her. She knew the words to all three verses plus the chorus! I bet she sang that song better than anyone else in the entire room!
This only goes to show that if the Primary Song Leader does a good job of teaching the songs, the children will be happy to sing them in other meetings.
The problem just seems to be coordinating and using songs that the children have learned. I don't think our Ward Primary Song Leader had taught that song yet. I didn't see any of the kids singing. Later, when I spoke with the song leader, she told me that she would be following the list as outlined in "Come, Follow Me" this year. At least I can follow that outline for the future song selections.
Keeping track of the songs the Primary kids know is quite difficult. Primary song leaders tend to choose songs without regard to following the proscribed list, or even reviewing very many songs throughout the year. Therefore, the songs the children know will vary greatly from ward to ward.
Guess I'm lucky, though. We have a rather musical ward. The congregation members seem to be able and willing to sight sing the new hymns without much difficulty. Just wish the kids would sing, though!
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