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Source: (consider it) Thread: Preaching without notes
Gramps49
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This reminds me of a story.

A young preacher was giving his first sermon at his new parish. He wanted everything perfect, so he practiced and practiced the sermon. He wanted to do it without notes.

Sunday came, and he was doing fine. All of the sudden he forgot his next point. In homiletics he was taught if he forgot what he was going to say, he should repeat the last line, "I will come."

Still nothing. She he repeated the line again, "I will come."

By this time, his wife, who had heard the sermon over and over, knew he was in trouble she mouthed the next line.

The preacher could not quite make out what the wife was trying to say, so he leaned out from the pulpit, repeating the line once again, "I will come." But he lost his balance and fell out of the pulpit, into the lap of an older woman.

The pastor was so apologetic, but the woman brushed him off. "That's all right, son. You warned me three times."

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leftfieldlover
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One of the best, and memorable, sermons, I ever heard was Rowan Williams preaching without notes at Candlemass.

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LeRoc

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I preach rarely, but when I do I don't write the sermon out. I do a lot of research, but the only thing I write down are some key words that help me remember the structure of what I want to say. During the sermon, I then fill out this structure choosing my words more spontaneously.

I interpret often, although rarely for sermons (yes, I can do subordinate clauses [Smile] ). You can always tell when I disagree with the speaker, because I use the same trick: "(S)he says that ..."

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Polly

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As the years have gone by the way I prepare and then preach has changed quite a bit.

This is in part because I have received various advice from working towards using less notes to having a full script.

My notes are somewhere in-between now. Most weeks I have time to rehearse my sermon simply so I can hear myself and what I am saying.

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georgiaboy
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quote:
Originally posted by Polly:
Most weeks I have time to rehearse my sermon simply so I can hear myself and what I am saying.

Rehearsing what one is to say (or read) is far more important than most folk seem to realize. It's also important to rehearse in the space in which the speaking/reading will take place -- though this is not always possible.

In nearly 70 years of listening to (suffering through?) sermons, homilies, addresses, readings, proclamations, etc.) I would venture than no more than 20 percent rehearse, or rehearse effectively.

Your experience may vary -- I hope it's better than mine!

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Baptist Trainfan
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I agree, up to a point. For those of us who preach in the same space on a regular basis, rehearsal may not be needed in the same way.

I preach weekly in my own church (quite large, good acoustics for speech, pews, microphone). I sometimes preach in another church (same size, very long reverberation time, chairs, microphone) and in a little chapel (no microphone, not much resonance, chairs). Each requires a different way of speaking, and also imposes its own relationship with the congregation.

I do wish that Scripture readers - who may not do it all that often - rehearsed their lessons more frequently. And that they didn't bring up to the lectern a tiny Bible with miniscule text they can't follow and thin pages they can't turn, rather than using the one that's already there and open at the right page!

[ 18. August 2015, 16:32: Message edited by: Baptist Trainfan ]

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Baptist Trainfan
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P.S. (Missed edit window): Even if preachers are reading their text, it mustn't sound as if they are. And they need to maintain eye-contact with the congregation rather than burying their head in the script.

(Yes, I know that Jonathan Edwards used to hold his script in front of his face and read it by the light of one candle, yet still gain an amazing response. But we're not in 18th-century New England!)

Has anyone ever seen those transparent projection-screen thingies (as featured at political conferences) - used in church? I haven't.

[ 18. August 2015, 16:37: Message edited by: Baptist Trainfan ]

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Gracious rebel

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quote:
Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:

I do wish that Scripture readers - who may not do it all that often - rehearsed their lessons more frequently. And that they didn't bring up to the lectern a tiny Bible with miniscule text they can't follow and thin pages they can't turn, rather than using the one that's already there and open at the right page!

I think the reason some of us do this is to allay the nagging doubt that perhaps this time the lectern Bible won't be open at the right page, or that we may not be able to easily find on the page where to begin and end the reading, or that having practiced at home using a different version there may be unfamiliar words or phrases in the church Bible (this latter point applies to our own church in particular, where the Lectern Bible and pew Bibles are in a version of the Bible so rare that it doesn't even appear on Bible Gateway!! .... that will keep people guessing!)

Having said that, I have now managed to quell the urge to bring my own Bible, or a pew Bible, to the lectern when I am reading. I possibly never actually did the reading from my own Bible, just had it with me 'just in case'.

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SvitlanaV2
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quote:
Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:


I do wish that Scripture readers - who may not do it all that often - rehearsed their lessons more frequently. And that they didn't bring up to the lectern a tiny Bible with miniscule text they can't follow and thin pages they can't turn, rather than using the one that's already there and open at the right page!

I think some churches give training or advice to individuals who want to do Bible readings during worship. It's a good idea. IME, though, most people who do the job are good at it. Maybe this is because it's usually the same few people, so they get lots of practice.

In the churches I go to readers are expected to bring a Bible to the lectern. It's good if the church provides pew Bibles (all the same translation) with which everyone is familiar. This means no one has to grapple with a random Bible that they've brought along or had to borrow but probably aren't used to reading.

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Baptist Trainfan
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We have both a lectern Bible and pew Bibles. in the same translation. However, the layout of the text on the page is totally different in each. So, even if you practice at home with a pew Bible, you might well be "thrown" when you get to the lectern, as it looks entirely different and the visual cues you have learned are missing.

I have no idea why the publishers did that!

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North East Quine

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Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:

quote:
Has anyone ever seen those transparent projection-screen thingies (as featured at political conferences) - used in church? I haven't.
I've been to a service in a Free Church in which there was a projector thingy to the side of the minister. As he preached, any Bible references were projected up, to help anyone who was taking notes (quite a few were). (The minister himself couldn't see what was being projected, unless he had one of those small e-reader sized screens just to check that the projection was in synch with his preaching.) It was like a powerpoint, with each reference coming up as a bullet point.

I found it impressive. It's a church which has a very high standard of preaching, and attending it feels like a guilty pleasure. I couldn't be Free Church because of their opposition to ordained women and homosexuality, but this particular church has very good services.

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Alan Cresswell

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I think there may be value in the use of PowerPoint (or similar) within church services, even the sermon. But, it then turns the sermon from something spoken to something audio-visual and that should subtlety alter the form of the sermon - just as there is a difference between preparing something to be read and something to be spoken (as previously noted). Even if it's just projecting the Scriptures being referenced, thus avoiding the turning of pages as people turn to the verses the preacher just mentioned, it will alter the nature of the delivery - if only because (unless you project a longer section of text than actually mentioned) people don't see the immediate context. If you include relevant images so that it's not just words on the wall then those will reinforce the words projected and those spoken.

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Jengie jon

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For some of us the powerpoint is our notes.

Jengie

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Brenda Clough
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The projection thingy at our church is used for the hymns and prayers. It's a blessing for those of us with vision issues. Instead of wrestling with my reading glasses, a pocket light, and the service leaflet, I can look at the text projected on the wall beside the altar.

What is absolutely fatal, however, is when the preacher uses it as a sermon crutch. We have one priest who is just terrible with this -- sermons supplemented with music videos, even advertisements, sappy photographs harvested from the Internet, slushy soundtracks. Every time I sit through one of this guy's sermons I add to the list of things that he is not allowed to bring up, if he should happen to preside at my funeral. (So far I have barred everything published or produced after 1900, with the sole exception of works I have written myself. And no pictures of animals.) There is muttering in the ranks; I know of people who check it out on the web site and if this guy is in the pulpit they don't show up that Sunday.

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Alan Cresswell

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I have used a projector twice when leading worship. On both occasions primarily as part of the "childrens address" (in quotes as we don't have many children, and even if we did I wouldn't be speaking only to them), and since it was set up also projected suitable images with the hymn number on at appropriate times. I've never used it during the sermon, even though talking to Powerpoint slides is my most common form of public speaking (at scientific conferences and the like). Of course, my sermon would refer back to what was shown during the earlier part of the service.

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Baptist Trainfan
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I didn't mean that sort of projector, I'm afraid. I meant the transparent sheets in front of the speaker on which their note are projected, like an autocue, thus freeing them from using notes. No-one else can see what's on them. Like the square screen, to the right of the speaker as you face her.
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Angloid
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quote:
Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
Like the square screen, to the right of the speaker as you face her.

It didn't do her much good did it? [Disappointed]
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Enoch
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quote:
Originally posted by Angloid:
quote:
Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
Like the square screen, to the right of the speaker as you face her.

It didn't do her much good did it? [Disappointed]
It's not fair on the little screen to blame it for that.

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LeRoc

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It didn't do him much good either [Smile]

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North East Quine

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We might; I don't know. In my church the words to the hymns etc are projected onto a screen and there's a wee screen thing at the lectern, about 5 inches by 4, which shows what's being projected. This means that the person at the lectern knows what's on the screen behind them. There's another of these in the pulpit, so possibly they could be used for more than just the words of the hymns; I really have no idea.

Last time I was at the lectern I read the words of the Lord's Prayer off the wee screen thing, because although I know it perfectly well, if I'm leading I'm nervous I'll lapse into the "old" form ("forgive us our debts" etc) and botch the whole thing up.

I will make discreet inquiry and find out if these screen things can be used as autocues. I'll also find out what the correct name for the "wee screen thing" is.

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North East Quine

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The screens at the pulpit and lectern are small monitors, which show what is being projected onto the main screen (i.e. the words of hymns). It would be possible to detach one from the system and use it independently as an autocue. As far as I know, this has never been done.
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ExclamationMark
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quote:
Originally posted by North East Quine:
The screens at the pulpit and lectern are small monitors, which show what is being projected onto the main screen (i.e. the words of hymns). It would be possible to detach one from the system and use it independently as an autocue. As far as I know, this has never been done.

Yes - I use one (actually on a small music stand next to the lectern).

I also have the ability to run the system through powerpoint from my laptop

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Eutychus
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quote:
Originally posted by Jengie jon:
For some of us the powerpoint is our notes.

Jengie

As has been much written-about, PowerPoint is anything but a panacea.

As someone who translates and interprets PowerPoint presentations in a wide variety of contexts in the secular world, I find the number of speakers who use them well to be vanishingly tiny.

Powerpoint has an amazing tendency, as a medium, to become the message. The emphasis tends to shift from the content to the form.

And unless you have a monitor, people tend to speak to the screen the powerpoint is being projected on.

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Baptist Trainfan
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PP is a tool which can be used well or badly. However I agree that it can become the message instead of the medium. It's true people can talk at their monitor or screen, but speakers can also bury their head in their notes! More serious is that it "locks" you into your presentation and doesn't let you fly.

I do use PP occasionally (not in regular sermons). Generally I don't use it as a resume of my talk, but prefer to project images or quotes or questions which are germane to my talk and inform it - I don't necessarily read out what's on the screen.

Useful in Church Meetings if one is trying to explain a complex issue with "pros" and "cons", there the "bullet points" are invaluable.

The whole thing can take a lot of time to prepare though!!!

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Alan Cresswell

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The layout of many churches make the fairly common practice of having the laptop which is running the presentation in front of the speaker. There is rarely space in most pulpits which are designed for paper notes, though a tablet would usually work. To install permanent repeater screens would be a considerable expense for most churches, although if such technology is regularly used it may be a good investment to help the preacher looking forward. Though, even with a laptop/monitor in front of me I still turn to the screen behind me a lot - mainly because I want to make sure I'm pointing at the right bit of the slide.

The clear screens that we were talking about earlier, as routinely used by politicians in their conferences, have the advantage of meaning the speaker never needs to look down at all - it's what they are designed for.

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Albertus
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I can see the point of having screens upon which you can display power point or visual aids in preaching. But why would the cost of a clear scren be worth incurring? Preaching, or speaking, from notes in a way which maintains sufficient eye contact with the audience is really not that difficult- it has to be learned, sure, but it can be learned and thousands if not millions of people do it.
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Alan Cresswell

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I've not used one, but I assume you need to learn how to make best use of a clear screen as well - after all, you've gained nothing if you end up preaching the to screen!

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Albertus
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Indeed. So learn how to preach from notes/ tablet and save money and electricity!

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Baptist Trainfan
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I've never used a tablet. I once preached off my laptop (that'll teach to delay printing till the last minute and then not have a back-up ink cartridge!) I hated it, because there was far less on each page than on a page of A4 and I found it fiddly to keep scrolling down. Give me paper any time.
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Leorning Cniht
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quote:
Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
I hated it, because there was far less on each page than on a page of A4 and I found it fiddly to keep scrolling down. Give me paper any time.

Laptop screens are the wrong shape. I imagine you never write notes on a piece of landscape A4. The modern trend for widescreen, in order to accommodate films and the like, makes it worse.

A reasonable tablet in portrait orientation (a new iPad, say) can just about match a sheet of A4. Whether it really works for you or not depends on how you use your notes. People who like to scribble on their notes, underline points to emphasize and so on probably wouldn't like it.

People who prefer to encode all that stuff in the electronic file itself will do OK.

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Eutychus
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quote:
Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
Useful in Church Meetings if one is trying to explain a complex issue with "pros" and "cons", there the "bullet points" are invaluable.

Look at the link in my above post for why the linear format of PowerPoints is especially bad for complex issues*, especially the link to the PowerPoint version of the Gettysburg Address.

*Except if one is trying only to give the impression of a clear explanation as a way of sneaking in one's preferred decision, always possible in this context I guess [Two face]

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Albertus
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And indeed what else would you be trying to do in a Church Meeting?

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Zappa
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quote:
Originally posted by SvitlanaV2:
quote:
Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:


I do wish that Scripture readers - who may not do it all that often - rehearsed their lessons more frequently. And that they didn't bring up to the lectern a tiny Bible with miniscule text they can't follow and thin pages they can't turn, rather than using the one that's already there and open at the right page!

I think some churches give training or advice to individuals who want to do Bible readings during worship. It's a good idea. IME, though, most people who do the job are good at it. Maybe this is because it's usually the same few people, so they get lots of practice.

In the churches I go to readers are expected to bring a Bible to the lectern. It's good if the church provides pew Bibles (all the same translation) with which everyone is familiar. This means no one has to grapple with a random Bible that they've brought along or had to borrow but probably aren't used to reading.

As a former broadcaster I would emphasize that the greatest trick of reading from a lectern is projecting only as far (or at the most not more than 30 cms past) the microphone and speaking to it as to a lover. Not making love, but making intimate conversation.

The same applies to preachers - it is a one-to-one, not a one-to-many communication, no matter how many are present.

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Baptist Trainfan
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Yes and no. For, while one is clearly speaking to individuals, surely each individual is also aware of the fact that they are hearing as part of a congregation? (The same is true of congregational responses, they are both individual and participatory).

Clearly one is speaking "to" people and not preaching into thin air or just reading a thesis without reference or link to one's auditors. But I think the experience of listening in church is different to listening to the radio at home, a dynamic which will change according to the size of the group and the building in which they are meeting.

I wonder to what extent the preaching experience (and demagogy in general) has been altered by the advent of broadcasting and, indeed, sound reinforcement systems in buildings? Quite a bit, I would have thought. Roosevelt's "Fireside Chats" must have had quite an effect. Conversely, I remember reading a book about American radio preachers of the 1950s (predominantly black) who used their "church" style while speaking from the radio studio.

[ 25. August 2015, 08:42: Message edited by: Baptist Trainfan ]

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Alan Cresswell

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# 31

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A TV presenter speaks to the camera as though that camera was the person being addressed. Which is fine, most of the time the TV will be viewed by only 1-4 people, and it can be made to appear that they are all being addressed individually. Radio, again can be a pseudo-phone call one to one conversation (albeit one where there is rarely an immediate response).

When preaching, or otherwise addressing a live audience, you can't just pick one person in the congregation and talk to them. You need to be moving the direction of your attention so that they whole congregation feels they are being addressed (and, so that that one person doesn't feel got at!).

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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.

Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001  |  IP: Logged
The Phantom Flan Flinger
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# 8891

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quote:
Originally posted by Alan Cresswell:
Spontaneous doesn't need to be ill-prepared.

No, I always like to carefully prepare for any spontaneity.

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http://www.faith-hope-and-confusion.com/

Posts: 1020 | From: Leicester, England | Registered: Dec 2004  |  IP: Logged
TomM
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# 4618

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quote:
Originally posted by Zappa:
quote:
Originally posted by SvitlanaV2:
quote:
Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:


I do wish that Scripture readers - who may not do it all that often - rehearsed their lessons more frequently. And that they didn't bring up to the lectern a tiny Bible with miniscule text they can't follow and thin pages they can't turn, rather than using the one that's already there and open at the right page!

I think some churches give training or advice to individuals who want to do Bible readings during worship. It's a good idea. IME, though, most people who do the job are good at it. Maybe this is because it's usually the same few people, so they get lots of practice.

In the churches I go to readers are expected to bring a Bible to the lectern. It's good if the church provides pew Bibles (all the same translation) with which everyone is familiar. This means no one has to grapple with a random Bible that they've brought along or had to borrow but probably aren't used to reading.

As a former broadcaster I would emphasize that the greatest trick of reading from a lectern is projecting only as far (or at the most not more than 30 cms past) the microphone and speaking to it as to a lover. Not making love, but making intimate conversation.

The same applies to preachers - it is a one-to-one, not a one-to-many communication, no matter how many are present.

As a former live sound engineer, I would note that works in a nice quiet controlled studio isn't the same as what is needed in a noisy live space and with (in many churches IME) an insufficient PA system.

I would often want to encourage a reader (and a preacher) to project. That does't mean a loss of subtlety though - anyone who is a regular at the theatre will hear the range of power that can be given to a projected voice.

And in most typical English parish churches, for traditional style services, the microphones should only be for the closed circuit systems - a hearing loop, a recording, a relay to another room etc. - not for the live sound.

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Albertus
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# 13356

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quote:
Originally posted by Zappa:
[....]As a former broadcaster I would emphasize that the greatest trick of reading from a lectern is projecting only as far (or at the most not more than 30 cms past) the microphone and speaking to it as to a lover...

Does that involve doing a Barry White voice, then ?
[Big Grin]

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TonyK

Host Emeritus
# 35

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This would seem to be the gadget being discussed

A tad expensive, I fear...

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Yours aye ... TonyK

Posts: 2717 | From: Gloucestershire | Registered: May 2001  |  IP: Logged
Eutychus
From the edge
# 3081

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quote:
Originally posted by TomM:
And in most typical English parish churches, for traditional style services, the microphones should only be for the closed circuit systems - a hearing loop, a recording, a relay to another room etc. - not for the live sound.

Yes and Amen, and not just for them. I think we have the only unplugged church left in Western Europe, and that includes the musicians except for a practice-sized bass amp.

Our congregation is in a U shape and it's a real challenge to look round everyone while preaching. Most preachers have a favoured side; I tend to look left more than I do right.

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Let's remember that we are to build the Kingdom of God, not drive people away - pastor Frank Pomeroy

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Baptist Trainfan
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# 15128

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I tend to agree ... except for three things.

1. There may be people present who are hard of hearing or who (for whatever reason) don't use hearing aids. For instance, my late mother's aid didn't have a T-switch so couldn't pick up from loop systems.

2. I think the advent of radio has altered the style of oratory. Many people mistrust people who "project" and prefer a low-key style ... this, by its nature, demands the use of a microphone.

3. Conversely, people have lost the art of listening and become accustomed to higher levels of sound than in the past. Spurgeon's unamplified voice in the Crystal Palace must have been tiny if you were in the back row!

But it does seem ridiculous to use amplification or reinforcement in the tiniest rooms ... especially as it's so often done badly.

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Eutychus
From the edge
# 3081

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quote:
Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
I think the advent of radio has altered the style of oratory.

I think this is a cultural thing. France has radio (!) but has yet to get the hang of the emerging British informal lingustic style in many walks of life, including public speaking.

I remember feeling totally lost at a UK family service in a "breakfast show" TV format, and that must be 20 years ago now. It still seems really alien.

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Let's remember that we are to build the Kingdom of God, not drive people away - pastor Frank Pomeroy

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*Leon*
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# 3377

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quote:
Originally posted by TomM:

And in most typical English parish churches, for traditional style services, the microphones should only be for the closed circuit systems - a hearing loop, a recording, a relay to another room etc. - not for the live sound.

How well does that work? The practical problem I'd expect would be that readers wouldn't be able to hear if they're projecting into the microphone OK. I suppose it'd be OK with a decent mike (or with in-ear monitoring for anyone who says anything)
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Enoch
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# 14322

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quote:
Originally posted by TomM:
... And in most typical English parish churches, for traditional style services, the microphones should only be for the closed circuit systems - a hearing loop, a recording, a relay to another room etc. - not for the live sound.

I really don't agree with that statement. It sounds like the ideological idealism of the expert.

It may be OK for some small ancient churches, but, speaking as a consumer, it won't do for either C19 barns, or the worst of all, 1940s-1960s churches that were designed at a time when architecture was all about making a visual statement and anything practical like acoustics or whether the rain came through the roof, were largely ignored.

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Brexit wrexit - Sir Graham Watson

Posts: 7610 | From: Bristol UK(was European Green Capital 2015, now Ljubljana) | Registered: Nov 2008  |  IP: Logged
Oscar the Grouch

Adopted Cascadian
# 1916

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quote:
Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
I do wish that Scripture readers - who may not do it all that often - rehearsed their lessons more frequently. And that they didn't bring up to the lectern a tiny Bible with miniscule text they can't follow and thin pages they can't turn, rather than using the one that's already there and open at the right page!

Even better - get them to come to church with their reading printed out, in a suitably large font. It takes 5 minutes, maximum, these days. We have a couple of people who do that and they always know what they are saying and are clear and "listenable".

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Faradiu, dundeibáwa weyu lárigi weyu

Posts: 3871 | From: Gamma Quadrant, just to the left of Galifrey | Registered: Dec 2001  |  IP: Logged
Baptist Trainfan
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# 15128

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quote:
Originally posted by Oscar the Grouch:
Get them to come to church with their reading printed out, in a suitably large font.

Bue Baptists don't use fonts ... [Devil]

Seriously, I agree (and some of our folk do it). Only problem then is that you're not seen to be reading from the Book - does that diminish its authority?

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Alan Cresswell

Mad Scientist 先生
# 31

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I know of someone who would print out the text in easy to read large font, and before the service insert the sheets in the relevant places in the large lectern Bible. He then gets up to read, opens the big Bible at the right page and reads from his printed sheet rather than the relatively small print in the Bible itself. We all knew he was doing it, but it maintained the illusion of reading from the book and meant he wasn't carrying sheets of paper around.

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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.

Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001  |  IP: Logged
Eutychus
From the edge
# 3081

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I read from my short-form A6 notes tucked inside my Bible.

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Let's remember that we are to build the Kingdom of God, not drive people away - pastor Frank Pomeroy

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TomM
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# 4618

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quote:
Originally posted by Enoch:
quote:
Originally posted by TomM:
... And in most typical English parish churches, for traditional style services, the microphones should only be for the closed circuit systems - a hearing loop, a recording, a relay to another room etc. - not for the live sound.

I really don't agree with that statement. It sounds like the ideological idealism of the expert.

It may be OK for some small ancient churches, but, speaking as a consumer, it won't do for either C19 barns, or the worst of all, 1940s-1960s churches that were designed at a time when architecture was all about making a visual statement and anything practical like acoustics or whether the rain came through the roof, were largely ignored.

'should' as an ideal, from which practice will often deviate.

Normally, a more balanced approach is needed - but it is often easier with an insufficient system/poor acoustics for people to try and project into the space and someone sat at the back with control helping out with the reinforcement.

I can only amplify what the microphone picks up. I can always make the PA system quieter!

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Curiosity killed ...

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# 11770

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One particularly *interesting* service I got lumbered with reading and a dodgy mike/sound system. I can project without mike and I could monitor whether the mike was picking up or not, but that reading changed phrase to phrase, from projecting unamplified to mike picking up and back again.

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