[HANASHIR:10639] Re:Creating a songbook

[Marc and Kristin Stern <stern...>]

Hello again,

Ok, I guess I feel chatty today.  But this is a subject about which I've
actually had experience.  I thought about doing a songbook for our
congregation several years ago when I took over as music director.  I
definately wanted to encourage everyone's participation.  To that end, I
started a computer file with the words to some songs, and kept them all
in alphabetical order, adding new ones when we were introducing it.  In
the meantime, I figured a good way for people to start participating was
to put the words to the songs that were being sung at a particular
Shabbat service on the back of the worship sheet.  It has been such a
success, that I don't think I'll bother with the songbook anymore.  I
just cut and paste whatever we're singing that night onto the worship
sheet.  We even include the page numbers for the transliterations of
prayers in the back of Gates of Prayer so people can either say or sing
them more easily, too.  Adding new songs is no problem since I just
stick them in in order.  Then if someday I choose to print it all I can
(including the contents pages I have kept up) but I really feel this is
simple, easy, and less cumbersome than another booklet for people to
page through.

B'shalom,
Kristin

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