NEW COLUMN COMING
Do you have questions about worship that you've always wanted to ask? Beginning next issue, RW will devote a new column to responding to your specific questions. Send your questions to Reformed Worship Q/ A by mail (2850 Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, MI 49560) fax (616-246-0834) or e-mail (vantoll@crc-net.rnhs.compuserve.com).
NEWS / NOTES
Survey Response
This past summer RW sent a survey to 500 randomly selected subscribers to learn what they thought of Reformed Worship. Our thanks to all 370 who responded. We heard from readers in forty-two states and provinces, and from one reader in Bombay, India. We were grateful to learn that 69 percent read all or most of each issue, and that 44 percent often, and 46 percent occasionally, refer to back issues. In general, readers would like more, not less, of practically every resource we provide. A copy of the survey results will be sent upon request. Ask for "RW Survey."
Many respondants also took the time to jot down ideas and suggestions. Here is a sampling of responses:
■ I have kept and regularly refer to my copies of RW. It is by far the most helpful and practical resource for worship that I know of. Keep up the good work.
■ I find your articles appealing, timely, and always succinct! Please keep them that way. In short, I review and reread your magazines at every planning quarter. Thanks-—keep up the good work!
■ Keep up the excellent work! RWisthe best worship journal on the market.
■ Please give more support to traditional Reformed worship. Far too much praise and worship and worship novelties lately.
■ Make it more practical, a little less "high-church."
■ Love it! But more banner ideas!
■ Please stay "Reformed" in your approach to worship and theology. Nothing watered down will do!
■ Continual information and evaluation of "contemporary" trends are helpful, especially music.
■ Would like to see more on procedures to make transition from pastor-doing-it-all to congregational involvement in planning and leading worship.
■ RW seems geared to radical change and ideas that often do not appeal to an older, more traditional congregation.
■ I like it! Stay away from the praise and prayer junk! Please!
■ My own particular bent is toward a more contemporary, low-church, seeker-sensitive type of worship, so I'd like more help in that direction.
■ I appreciate the magazine very much. Please keep it "down to earth." I would appreciate more organ music suggestions for services and reviews of new organ music. Also I would like more piano music suggestions and piano and organ and instrumental music.
■ Excellent magazine. Keep us up to date—like you are—do not only offer the conservative approach. I appreciated the magazine on contemporary worship. We cannot ignore this growing area in our CRC church and schools.
■ It would be good to include a historical section in RW where early Church/Reformed worship practices could be reviewed/studied.
CONFERENCES
Fort Lauderdale, FL, January 9-15, 1995
Twentieth Annual Church Music Explosion. Contact Shirley Reymond, Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, 5555 N. Federal Hwy, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33308; (305) 771-884Q. ext. 172.
Knoxville, TN, April 27-30, 1995
Renewal in Worship '95. A conference for pastors and musicians. Sponsored by the Presbyterian Church in America and the Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church. Contact: Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church, 9132 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37923; (615) 693-9331; fax (615-693-6611).
San Diego, CA, July 9-13, 1995
The annual conference of the Hymn Society offered with the cooperation of the Choristers Guild. Contact: The Hymn Society, PO Box 30854 Fort Worth, TX 76129; (817) 921-7608; fax (817-921-7333).
Flat Rock, NC, July 16-22, 1995
Bonclarken Music Conference. Sponsored annually by the Worship Committee of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. Contact: Richard Scott, 16 N. 3rd St, Lake Wales, FL 33853.
Grand Rapids, MI, July 17-21, 1995
COLAM 95: Conference on Liturgy and Music. Cosponsored by Calvin College Department of Music and Reformed Worship. Contact: COLAM 95, Calvin College Music Department, 3201 Burton St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546; (616) 957-6253.
Grand Rapids, MI, July 23-28, 1995
Choristers Guild Summer Seminar, at Calvin College. For children's choirs and directors. Contact: Barbara Berry Conference Coordinator, Choristers Guild, 2834 W. Kingsley Road, Garland, TX 75041, (214) 271-1521.