What’s in the suitcase—the repertoire? Are you using a common psalm for the season, or do your resources permit a good setting of the psalm of the day? By a good setting, I mean something that can resonate in the hearts of the community. Good chant isn’t easy: it can become routinized and bleached of the emotional content and passion of the psalms. Do not be tempted by easy but dull settings; community members know the difference.

Is the Mass setting you’ve chosen working well for the community? Is it brand-new or have they used it before? If it’s new, it may take a while for it to “settle in.” This doesn’t mean force-feeding the new parts week by week; rather, allow time for the community to become comfortable with the setting. If they’re less than enthusiastic about it this year, maybe give it another shot next year—but if it still gets a pro forma response, ditch it and find something else they can sing with gusto!

There’s an old story about the sales meeting at the dog food plant. The head of sales was trying to whip up enthusiasm.

“Do we have the most scientifically designed dog food formula?”

“Yes!” roared all the sales reps. 

“Do we have the best packaging, designed to withstand shipping losses?”

“Yes!” roared the sales reps. 

“Then why aren’t we selling more dog food?” the sales manager asked.

  A lone voice from the back said, “The dogs don’t like it.”

Not singing is how a community communicates dislike of the music.