Standing in Sacrament Meeting to Sing Hymns

[lorraine1950]

In one of our Stake Conferences a few years ago, the visiting General Authority, one of the Seventy, sorry, I don't remember his name, instructed Stake and Ward leaders that the decision to stand during a hymn is up to the presiding authority, not the choir director or any one else. If there is to be standing during a hymn, it should be approved in advance by the presiding authority, and the director will then signal the congregation to stand at the appropriate time.
He also said that if we don't see the presiding authority stand, we should not, either, regardless of what the director does.

[terrysackett]

It’s not an answer to the original question, but it’s kind of on topic. Yesterday I walked past the chapel in my ward’s meetinghouse and the ward that shares our building was singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” for their opening hymn and no one was standing. My most recent former bishop (to whom I was a counselor) and his wife were standing in the hall watching in disbelief. He asked me, “Aren’t they supposed to be standing?” I told him, “According to U.S. Code they are.” I posted on the stake’s Facebook page about my disappointment at seeing the anthem being sung in a ward with nobody standing. Of course, a couple of people defended it, even after I pointed out 36 U.S. Code §301.

I’m just going to say that I’m a U.S. Army veteran and whether it’s an opening hymn, a rest hymn, or a closing hymn, and regardless of whether the presiding authority stands, I will absolutely stand whenever the national anthem is sung in any meeting for as long my legs allow. I did it once many years ago, and my wife feels the same way.

Terry Sackett
Bishopric 2nd Counselor
Desert Inn Ward
Las Vegas Nevada East Stake

[lajackson]

Yesterday I walked past the chapel in my ward’s meetinghouse and the ward that shares our building was singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” for their opening hymn and no one was standing. My most recent former bishop (to whom I was a counselor) and his wife were standing in the hall watching in disbelief.

The Hymnbook itself says that "members may stand for national anthems in church meetings, according to local custom and priesthood direction." As my father said in the hallway of a meetinghouse one Sunday, I strapped my rear end to a parachute for 24 years so that you could have the privilege of doing that. And he did not use the term rear end.

I would have stood, anticipating that the bishop and the rest of the congregation would follow suit. If the bishop does not want to stand in sacrament meeting they should sing America the Beautiful or My Country, 'Tis of Thee.

Then again, I got shot at for the privilege of saying what I just said.

[rmrichesjr]

...

Then again, I got shot at for the privilege of saying what I just said.

And, the rest of us are grateful to your and your father for your work and service!

[BrianEdwards]

It will be interesting when the "global hymnbook" finally comes out, to see what instruction it contains regarding national anthems. It may be that the continual move towards a global church gently puts this tradition to rest, or it may be that it reinforces the ability to sing national anthems during church meetings. There's many traditions I've enjoyed in the past that are not part of current church policy -- I'm hoping this one remains, it's a wonderful reminder of the unity we should all feel for the country we live in, regardless of where that might be. But we'll see where the Church goes in a year or two.

[Cmanrogers]

It will be interesting when the "global hymnbook" finally comes out, to see what instruction it contains regarding national anthems. It may be that the continual move towards a global church gently puts this tradition to rest, or it may be that it reinforces the ability to sing national anthems during church meetings. There's many traditions I've enjoyed in the past that are not part of current church policy -- I'm hoping this one remains, it's a wonderful reminder of the unity we should all feel for the country we live in, regardless of where that might be. But we'll see where the Church goes in a year or two.

I found an FAQ about the new hymnbook, and it seems to me it will still be permitted.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/lea ... c?lang=eng

[BrianEdwards]

I found an FAQ about the new hymnbook

That's a great reference, thanks for the pointer! It will be really cool to see what those various digital collections of "sacred music of local interest" looks like for members throughout the world.