[NikNoK]

MARY QUEEN OF PEACE
Our Lady of Edsa
Edsa corner Ortigas Ave., Quezon City

To our co-servers in the Choir Ministry:

We furnish you with the attached Guidelines on Decorum for Choir Ministry Servers. These guidelines aim to enhance fraternal unity among liturgical servers together with consecrated and lay ministers and the EDSA Shrine Community.

Reverence for God is most important when you serve. People should see reverent actions, peaceful and dignified behavior when you stand at the altar. When we behave casually or carelessly, it distracts and disturbs the congregation. The Second Vatican Council requires not only training for ministry but also that servers in liturgy have a sense of this decorum. Decorum shows how you respect the presence of our Lord, in his sacrifice, in his sacraments, in His people. As a server, we are part of the signs and symbols of the Liturgy, by how we look and act; we either help or hinder the meaning and power of worship.

Serving at the EDSA shrine is not a privilege but a responsibility. May we be guided by that our service at mass is an integral part of true worship.


SIGNED: CHOIR MINISTRY COORDINATOR

NOTED: RECTOR AND VICE RECTOR

[NikNoK]

GUIDELINES ON DECORUM FOR SERVERS IN THE CHOIR MINISTRY

1.PROPER ATTIRE AT MASS

For Male:
·White barong/polo barong; polo shirt (long or short sleeves); t-shirt with collar
·Black or Khaki pants
For Female:
·White blouse (long or short sleeves); t-shirt with collar
·Black skirt or Khaki pants
Restrictions:
Loud colors; obscene prints; sleeveless, off-shoulder, hanging or body hugging tops; tight-fitting, capri pants; denim pants, mini and high-slitted skirts.

Footwear:
Black, beige or white closed shoes
Restrictions:
No open-toed shoes, sandals and rubber shoes
Exceptions:
In case of foot injury, please wear socks with the same color as your shoes/sandals

1.1 Sundays – There is ample time to prepare appropriate attire for choir members who serve on Sundays. In cases where service on liturgical celebrations such as solemnities, feasts, and special events held on weekdays but follow the Sunday schedule requires proper attire, we encourage the choirs to bring their uniforms and change when they arrive at the Shrine.

1.2 Weekdays – Preferably, the prescribed attire follows the Sundays set. In the case of servers who wear office uniforms and in consideration of the practice of inviting members of other choirs who may be attending mass at that time, they may be allowed at the altar provided they wear appropriate clothes i.e. pastel colored blouses or shirts. Loud colors (red, fuschia, neon green) are not encouraged.

2.REVERENT ACTIONS DURING THE MASS
Reverence for God is most important when you serve. People should see reverent actions, peaceful and dignified behaviour when you stand at the altar. However, we may be not aware that there are movements that we make which distract the faithful. The following are norms to be implemented:

2.1 Enter from the sacristy area, passing through the pipe organ passage on your way to the choir area, preferably before the Prayer for Priests.

2.2 When standing while singing or not, put your hands on your side or adopt joined hands (Joined hands are held below the belly, palms together, thumbs crossed, right over left. The joined hands are an expression of prayerful reverence and self-discipline. When all servers learn to hold their hands in the same way, a sense of harmony and reverence is achieved.) Please refrain from fanning yourself while singing.

2.3 When sitting, sit up straight, place your hands on your knees and keep your legs together. Never cross them or sprawl about. Never lean back or slouch in your seat.

2.4 Organists and diskette operators should refrain from playing the piano and/or the diskettes in between sung parts for the choir, especially during the consecration. Diskettes may be test played discreetly with very low volume and in a way that does not get the attention of the congregation.

2.5 In case diskettes do not play, do not panic. The music director/choir master/ choir coordinator or a capable member must take charge to sing a capella.

2.6 Please see to it that there is accompaniment for the rites and the presider’s actions at the altar. Avoid abrupt fade out of music until after the priest is disposed to proceed such as during the entrance hymn, alleluia and the lavabo for preparation of gifts.

2.7 The music director who conducts the choir should position himself/herself to give a good vantage point for members to see. The ones who conduct the choir must observe prudent and reverent action by avoiding movements that may draw attention and distract the congregation.

2.8 Refrain from chatting with your co-members. In case there are concerns to be addressed, e.g., a need to get diskettes or pieces and coordinate the flow of the liturgy, assign a member who will discreetly move out and back into the choir area.

2.9 Do not leave the choir loft during the readings and homily to practice harmony of voice sections or to smoke outside the chapel.

2.10 Refrain from reciting or singing Eucharistic Prayer I part which rubrics say is exclusively the presider’s part as he takes the chalice and the paten with the host and lifting them up sings or says “through Him… in the unity of the Holy Spirit… Forever and ever.”

2.11 Please clean up the choir area as you leave.

3.SELF-REGULATION
The following courses of action shall apply to individual members who do not comply with the guidelines on Proper Attire and Reverent Actions at Mass.

First Offense: verbal warning by Choir Coordinator
Second Offense: written reprimand from the Choir Ministry Coordinator copy furnished the Rector and Vice Rector
Third Offense: For referral to the Rector appropriate disciplinary action.

Monitoring of Compliance:
It is the primary responsibility of the Choir Coordinator to oversee compliance and/or non-compliance of their members with all the provisions in the guidelines without prejudice to monitoring by other servers for validation purposes.

[NikNoK]

ATTENTION FROILAN:

To All Accommpanists/Musicians of All Choirs of EDSA Shrine Music Ministry..

There will be a meeting today, Wednesday 7:30 p.m.
Attendance is a Must.

Kindly represent the BPOCC for the said meeting.

[NikNoK]

Highlights of the Musician's Meeting with Fr. Nilo:

1. 10 out of 27 choirs serving the Edsa Shrine attended the meeting. Warnings will be given for those groups who do not send their musical directors/accompanists. Representatives were not allowed to attend the said meeting since the meeting is strictly for the Musical directors/accompanists who play very important role in selecting the line-up.

2. All accompanists are highly encouraged to use the pipe organ instead of the clavinova. Free lessons will be given for those interested. (Froilan, let me know if any of the bpocc accompanists would like to avail of the free lesson)

3. Singing of Christmas Line-up songs is up to the 3rd Sunday of January 2009. Hence BPOCC's next service will still fall under Christmas Season.

4. Musical Director should strictly follow the guidelines especially with the line-up. There are already line-up songs for every liturgical Season. You can inquire with the office. If there are songs that BPOCC would like to sing, score sheets should be submitted in advance for approval of Fr. Nilo.

5. It is encouraged that Regular weekday masses with more than 1 choir on its slot should have somehow similar line-up so that the congregation can sing. For example: Yung Friday Mass ang regular choir talaga ay yung Legion Choir. But since the Legion Choir has given one of its slot (every other 2nd Friday of every other month) to BPOCC, it means na 2 choirs ang kumakanta sa Friday 7pm masses. One is the Legion Choir who sings regularly and another is the BPOCC who sings at a definite schedule. Since the congregation who attends the Friday mass is more acquainted with the Legion Choir's regular line-up, it is expected that the BPOCC will somehow check and consult with the Legion choir and sing some of their repertoire so that the congregation will be able to sing. This rule follows when a choir is not available on a certain service and another choir will take place, thus the choir who will take place must consult with the repertoire of the other choir. (Froilan, kindly coordinate with Legion choir as to their repertoire and consider singing some of their songs to include in your January 9 service)

6. There will be Free Classes on Liturgical Music (ARchidiocesan Institute for Liturgical Music) for all choir members/directors serving the Edsa Shrine starting this November 29, 2008 (Saturday) from 1pm - 5pm at San Carlos Seminary. This is originally with registration fee but it is waived for all the Edsa Shrine servers including BPOCC. It will be a 12 week module which will run until February 2009. There will be 3 classes: basic, intermediate and advance. Includes lessons on General guidelines in Liturgical Music, solfeggios, note readings, arranging and composing of liturgical music including choir conducting.



BPOCC members, since this is free, i encourage everyone to grab this opportunity to attend the class.