Gotta agree with Spaw on the new-church-music bit... but, I'm an Episcopalian who likes her songs and carols ancient, so that's no surprise. Much of the music being sung in the evangelical church these days consists of simple choruses, repeated ad infinitum ad nauseaum until the Spirit moves.

Now, I will be the first to admit that loud communal singing of something compelling and familiar is a powerful tool for spiritual focus. But it can be accomplished without using the sugarcoated *^$%*)# that these churches are singing. Look at Taize chants, for example, as well as some of the old plainsong pieces. Austere but beautiful.

But I can't get my relatives to sing much either. A shame, since Mom has a nice clear (albeit totally untrained) soprano voice and a reasonal sense of pitch. My hubby is bass, my adopted brother Alan a very nice tenor, and I'm a passable alto. Sigh... the possibilities.