Sulani Heunis.pdf - Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

SUMMARY
In this study the liturgical usage of the organ is investigated within a post-
modern society. It focuses specifically on the church services of the Dutch
Reformed Congregations of Port Elizabeth with regards to the functionality of
the organ during morning and evening services. The objectives of the study
are to demonstrate the current situation of musical worship in the Dutch
Reformed Congregations of Port Elizabeth. Furthermore it serves as a way to
indicate any deficiency in the field, which would need to be addressed. In
order to achieve these objectives, both a qualitative and quantitative study is
undertaken. The qualitative study investigates existing literature regarding the
church service and its music. The quantitative study comprises an analysis of
self-administered questionnaires that was handed over for completion by the
Dutch Reformed Congregations of Port Elizabeth. The results obtained were
electronically processed to percentages and graphic illustrations. In this minitreatise
it is argued that the usage of other music instruments (in the form of
music worship groups) during church services could possibly lead to a change
in the liturgical function of the organ. It was found that the usage of the organ
in the Dutch Reformed Congregations of Port Elizabeth was mainly retained
during morning services. During evening services however, the usage of other
music instruments was in the majority, which resulted in a decrease of organ
usage. It was further discovered that a large group of organists are not
involved with music worship groups. Training of organists in a contemporary
style of music worship will therefore serve as a significant purpose to fulfil this
deficiency.
Keywords: post-modern, spirituality, church service, liturgy/liturgical, liturgists,
organ, music worship, music worship groups, contemporary
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