Throughout All Generations

It’s great this blogging malarkey, you have your “middle” and the “ending” but putting the first words on the paper seems to often be my stumbling block when writing!

This time round, I find those words whilst fitting the words of The Magnificat to a Psalm Chant that I’ve recently written.

This was the first composition of 2025, and I’m not entirely convinced I’ve done much else. My singing has been very low-key as well you know. So I think for the early months of the year, I was only doing “As little as possible!”

In February, I decided it was time for a change of scenery, and just perfectly timed, I saw an advert for a good deal at a place I’ve been to before.

It’s funny really, I remember places I’ve worked in the past, absolutely hammering us staff to share share share, all our events, get as many likes and reach-outs as possible!

I get it, I really do. But one doesn’t always want the whole world to know EVERYTHING that one is doing, and equally, if you are constantly being “Newsflash” for your place. When do you actually think of anything else?

Hmmm… that’s my old fart opinion I know, so it’s probably not always valid.

Luckily for me, I had befriended two cracking members of staff down in Babbacombe during my last visit, and it was through their socials that I managed to get myself a nice little break at a reasonable rate!

I had decided to travel by train, as I hadn’t really planned to travel very far once I got there.

I was very grateful that Isabelle was so helpful in helping me plan the route making sure I got to the right station, and had a very good taxi service in the area ready to get me to the hotel.

Whilst there, I enjoyed 3 delicious meals a day, the chef, Calum, his cottage pie was just perfect!

And during the day, I’d watch the world go by, and share some lovely laughs and smiles with the wonderful staff members that took the time, even their own, to make us visitors, and returnees feel welcomed!

Daisy, one of the managers, is a true inspiration, not only to me, but to her staff who all love her to bits because she sets the best example. Izzy and Liv are just naturals, they have hospitality in their hearts and it’s a joy to see such wonderful people do their thing! They can work the quieter moments by bringing out their personalities and engaging with the guests, but when it gets busy, and when I say busy, times it by Ten, and that was the quieter lull. They both have the professionalism and team work to make it look easy!!

I realise quite often these days, that I’m not as young as most of hospitality’s finest, but I am always glad to see, encourage and support those up and coming gems, that keep places going!!

Daisy, Isobelle and Liv… Keep going. You are all amazing, and I thank you all personally for making me feel so welcome!

Whilst I was down Dorset way, I managed to find a local church that looked fairly welcoming, inclusive and offering the style of worship that I was hoping to find.

Sadly though, I was rather disappointed.

The church was advertising two services that Sunday morning. A Family Service and then A Parish Mass scheduled an hour later.

Having seen adverts and photographs with the dynamic, broad, family orientated community, I opted for the Family Service.

I was shocked to be one of about 12-20 parishioners at this family service, and even more stunned to identify as “clearly the youngest there”

The service was Lay-Lead and its content on paper seemed to be appropriate for what it was intended for.

During the service I noticed people starting to arrive for the next service. You’d expect that with a respect for the current service being in a time of prayer, that those arriving early would take a seat at the back. Instead, the altar was laid, the organ blower was switched on.

I couldn’t help notice this because the lack of consideration was so apparent!

At the end of the prayers, the intercessor concluded her prayers inviting us to recite (from memory) “Hail Mary”

I believe this to be a Roman Catholic tradition, and maybe an old fashioned way in the Church of England, I don’t know? But at a Family Service, where appears no families, no young worshippers, and throwing on visitors to this family service a very old tradition, that wasn’t even printed on the service sheet,

I just couldn’t seem to quite grasp it!

I often look for inspiration in a former Director of Music, and someone very very good at Words. And Vince encourages us that we as church folk are BETTER TOGETHER and BETTER IN COLOUR. In this particular church, I felt that these visions were a polar opposite of their approach!

Since I’ve returned home I’ve kept in the loop with St Peter’s Weston Favell using the online stream.

In March 2025, it was announced that I have been appointed Parish Organist & Musical Director at St Mary’s Orlingbury. And I will be starting on Easter Saturday, with A Service of Light.

The choir will be singing Richard Shephard’s arrangement of The Exsultet. And Bob Chilcott’s Now The Green Blade Riseth.

We will also include an old favourite descant from A&M, along with a Richard Lloyd last verse!

This is a new service for me to get my head around but I’m looking forward to it!

When reflecting on the generation gaps within the Hospitality world. I also consider the balance of Generations in the church, and can’t help but notice that it could do with a touch of encouragement. I know that from personal experience that as a church musician trying to develop into your own musical style and upbringing whilst fitting into a particular category is harder than ever.

Some churches have approached newer more modern material with a sense of fairness and balance, and intend a balanced variety of different styles.

Some have gone from one extreme to the other, and you find the organist bench being used as “The Mixing Desk” for all the electronic instruments that are bleeding people’s ears.

I still maintain, that to find that medium, one has to imagine oneself walking into a church that they’ve never been in, and identify the comfortable bits that everyone knows and loves, whilst being prepared to drop a challenge that makes you think and question.

It’s a principle that I will stick with. I’ll stick with my traditionalisms, my 20th and 21st century ways of portraying the stuff dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries.

I’ll still try to use David Crowder’s All Creatures of our God and King. If you haven’t heard it, do listen. It’s different. But I’d rather describe it as fresh!

This week, I was delighted to chat with two young new talents who have decided to learn the organ. I’m very pleased to see that the next generation of organists is starting to blossom, and I can only but congratulate them and encourage them!

My working life is a balance of Church Music and Hospitality, and it’s what I enjoy the most. I have good times, I have bad, I have struggles and I have successes, and I get to meet lots of great people who have and do always encourage me in what I do. And I thank you! Now I’m feeling old, it’s my turn to do the same to the next generation.