Program Report

This time of year is always a little hard on Primary Choristers! I just want to encourage you all and send my best wishes and hopes that the program you are working on comes off just as you hope it will. In case it doesn't, don't feel responsible - just move on and have fun with the rest of this year! ;o) I'll tell you my story and maybe it will make someone feel better.

Remember, first of all, that I direct the music in a branch, and have a small group to begin with. We lost a number of children as they turned twelve. Then we had a couple of families move out. So, our core group for the program was reduced to about 12, with the usual few you just can't count on one way or the other.

The second factor in this story is that our building has been under construction. The biggest challenge recently has been the "missing" restrooms! Anyway, we were scheduled to have just one rehearsal on the Sunday before the program on the 16th. But then we got word that we wouldn't have meetings after Sacrament meeting - so no rehearsal, at all.  AAACCCKKK! We managed to get what children came that week to stay long enough to at least view some picture prompts for the twelve songs we were singing and get oriented as to where to sit. I started to sweat this just a little! Then, this last week, we again got the mid-week word that we wouldn't have regular meetings after Sacrament meeting. I knew this would reduce the number again, but I was shocked that only 6 children were brought to church to participate in the program, plus two little Sunbeams. One of my best singers had lost her voice and could only whisper. Two others had insisted the week before that they didn't want to stick out, so they just mouthed the words. I had only three children carrying the choir. Thank goodness we had a couple of teachers singing as well. Each time we sang, one of the Sunbeams waved her arm to help me lead, and sometimes she added a dance around my feet as well. ;o)

As always, I was told the children sang beautifully and it is true, they did. I really am convinced that angels must join us. No matter what, the Spirit somehow amplifies the situation in the hearts of those who hear, and I'm thankful for that. That is my witness this year. I hope each of you end up with a special memory as well!

Get the Bugs Out - a Link

Get the Bugs Out is a cute activity posted this week on The Ordinary Adventures of a Primary Chorister. I think I'll use this for our next program review. We sang through all of our program songs on Sunday and, thankfully, we have just a few bugs to work out. This activity will make doing that fun. Be sure to check out this fun review game. Thanks, Bridges!

The Song of The Heart

Mary Judy, a chorister friend of mine from Logan, Utah sent me a great e-mail describing what she did for their program review. I thought it was a good idea and that you all may like it too, even for next year if you are now finished with your program. I just loved her idea of singing from the heart! I'm posting Mary's e-mail as a "guest post." She sent a pdf file with these little boxes ready to print out and make, but I don't know how to post a pdf file to the blog. I'm sorry that I don't have more time to experiment and figure out how to do that. I hope you can see how to adapt something just from looking at the picture, or, since Mary includes a link to the box, perhaps you know how to create it from the original. Mary also graciously offered to send the pdf file to anyone who would like to print the boxes she prepared. Her e-mail address is: mary.judy@gmail.com . Thank you, Mary!

"I just saw your post with reverence ideas for practicing for the Sacrament program. I did use the music measles idea earlier in the year and it was a big success. I had our primary presidency pass out the dots to the children as they sang well. They in turn put them on their teacher. At the end we had the teachers come to the front and sing a verse from "Follow the Prophet." We were then able to see which teacher had the most measles. Two teachers had measles all over their glasses and were "blinded by the music" haha! The children loved seeing their teacher's sing. It was really fun.

On our last Sunday practice before the program I decided to emphasize the importance of singing from their heart. I found an oversized pair of glasses at our local dollar store. The lenses were heart-shaped. As we sang our first song I had our Primary president choose the class that was watching me, and singing with their whole hearts. We then had their teacher come to the front, stand next to me, put the glasses on and watch to see which other class was paying attention and singing with their whole hearts, It worked well because they looked a little silly but the children were trying really hard to watch me as we practiced standing up together and singing.

I made the attached heart-shaped boxes, punched two tiny holes at the top and threaded some white yarn through them to make a necklace. I had them printed in black and white at our local printers. I think it only cost me about two to three dollars for fifty necklaces (25 copies). I could have printed them on my home printer but it isn't a laser printer and when the ink gets wet my copies smear. I also could have put some candy in them, but I opted to leave them empty. I thought of them more like a locket. I wanted them to represent the children giving their hearts through their voices. (The song of the heart is a prayer unto me.)

I found the pattern for the heart box on Martha Stewart's web site. I reduced it so I could get two boxes on one sheet of paper. Like I said, I wanted them to be more like an over-sized locket. If you go to her site she has a video you can watch to see how she folds it. Martha mounted her template on heavier paper and scored lines down the middle. I printed my pattern directly on to regular weight paper without scoring the paper. I cut them on the solid lines and folded on the dotted lines. I also added the picture from the front cover of our primary program for this year. The painting is by Dale Parsons. "

I'm probably going to make a simple red heart necklace out of construction paper. These wouldn't be as nice as Mary's boxes, but I'm hoping that the children will catch the point. I'll also make some red heart shapes to attach to my glasses to watch for beautiful singing. Maybe I could make cardboard heart-shapes to attach to a stick, kind of like opera glasses. I hope you can see the wonderful possibilities in this idea.

Program Practice

I feel real sympathy for the kids during the practices for the sacrament meeting program. I know it is necessary, I just wish that it could somehow be easier on the children. It must seem like a nightmare to them. Think about it - two hours of sitting in chairs that don’t fit while watching adults talk to each other and shuffle children, with intermittent breaks of singing songs that you’ve sung over and over and over again. And sometimes getting reproved, with love, of course. It feels like a ordeal to me too.

So I am anticipating some restlessness, and trying to think of ways that I can redirect attention and forestall problems where I can. I’m not much into bribery and treats, so my ideas are pretty simple really. Our practices happen on Sunday during primary time because everyone lives too far to come in on an extra day. So I need quick reminders that are themselves reverent and appropriate for Sunday. I have my reverence feather, a couple of secret pictures, and some reverence riddles prepared (see this post) for one of the weeks.

I’ve also prepared a “secret sack” with different pictures of body parts to point out reverent actions. When needed, a child is called on and he or she takes a picture from the bag and asks, “What should you do with your _______ to show reverence?” Allow everyone to respond by showing the action and then move into the song. I’ll just do one when it seems necessary.

Suggested points: Mouth or Lips - speak quietly, smile, sing songs, remain closed when someone is talking, etc. Eyes - Look at the one who is talking, close during the prayer, watch my face during the song, etc. Hands - Keep still, raise to take part, keep in your lap, folded or at your sides while we sing, etc. Arms - fold during the prayer, keep still, raise to take part, etc. Feet - walk quietly, remain still, etc. Ears - Listen to what is being said, etc. Head - Turned toward me, bow during the prayer, etc.

I’m also going to try Matilda’s measles idea one week. I expect the kids will want to sing well enough to get a spot. How does your primary handle the program fidgets? Our program isn't until November so I have a couple of weeks to make plans or to change my mind. Does anyone have any other good ideas for me?

I know something like this takes a bit of time, but it surely doesn’t take much more than stopping to scold every few minutes.