Moving Ministry Online

These are weird, wild times we live in. Masses are not cancelled where I live (yet), but COVID-19 has caused our Bishops to dispense us from our Sunday obligation for the next three weeks. My parish has cancelled all non-essential (that seems to mean non-sacramental) gatherings. This includes our weekly choir and ensemble rehearsal, though we are still permitted to gather and sing/play for Mass on Sundays, with the important instructions to stay home if members are particularly vulnerable and/or experiencing symptoms of any kind.

On one hand, we could take this ban on non-essential gatherings as an invitation to relax while we deal with this unprecedented public health crisis. Tuesday night choir will be one less thing to worry about as we all focus on staying healthy and safe.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve found true relaxation an elusive state of late. I’m the sort of person who can’t really relax until I’m at least somewhat prepared for what’s to come. When one cannot reasonably predict what’s to come, I find inaction especially far from relaxing.

So I’m moving choir rehearsal online. This may sound odd at first: music rehearsals require a more precise synchrony than meetings or classes; even the slightest echo or delay will completely hamper making music across a digital divide. Which means rehearsing with a group online may not, in fact, be “better than nothing.”

But gathering online as a choir will, I hope, serve some important functions:

1. It will allow us to pray as a group, for all affected by this current crisis and for our everyday, individual challenges (which seem to multiply as the crisis deepens). Just as at our in-person gatherings, prayer bonds us together as a family in faith as we funnel our talents toward the shared goals of leading our assembly in song and inspiring them to deeper prayer with beautiful music. This coming week, we’ll use Pope Francis’ prayer to Mary for protection from sickness.

2. As our online meeting will occur at the same time and day as our usual rehearsal, it will serve as a place-holder for our in-person gatherings, keeping choir members in the habit of attending choir regularly. This is an advantage over simply sending videos or recordings of songs to choir members and allowing them to listen and prepare themselves on their own time.

3. A related purpose to #2: In this time of rattling uncertainty, experts say continuing to observe regular, healthy habits and routines can lessen anxiety, providing comfort and stability, and strengthening us to deal with the challenges of COVID-19.

4. While making music together would be a challenge in a digital gathering due to delays and echoes, participants can still gain – even musically – from gathering online. Once prayer and check-in is complete, a digital director can “mute” participants (which, I’m not going to lie, is like a dream come true for directors of chatty choirs) to demonstrate music for the upcoming Sunday. Besides listening carefully to the music, we will discuss arrangements and expectations, such as when to bring in a descant or which verse we’ll sing a cappella, or how many bars for an intro. The more I ponder the possibilities of this format (especially in comparison to an out-right cancellation), the more possibilities occur to me. Even if we can’t sing all together (though we might try just for fun!), choir members can hear their individual vocal parts, multiple times if they wish, and even record the session for future review. This will be valuable preparatory work toward each Sunday’s slap-dash, pre-Mass rehearsal (our Mass schedule permits us only 30 minutes) and even toward the upcoming Holy Week liturgies.

In terms of the how, I plan to start out trying the video conferencing platform Zoom, which has generously augmented its free edition to accommodate the exploding current need. I’d welcome your recommendations in the comments of other useful, affordable platforms for video conferencing.

In situations that leave us feeling powerless, it helps to do something toward our goals. I fully anticipate some of my choir members rolling their eyes at my online rehearsal plans, and I expect at least one “you would!” in reply to my digital meeting invitation. But I’ll take that ribbing with pride. I know whatever may happen, we’ll all be better off for doing something to fight our current situation, to keep our lives the way that we would have them on a normal, virus-free basis: free, healthy, calm, prayerful, musical and ready for anything.

My prayers are with you for safety and health. Please share your COVID-19 ministry plans in the comments!