Ward Music | A Zion Lab Livestream

Jan 15, 2026

This lively discussion dives into the importance of music in worship, highlighting innovative ideas for Christmas programs. Participants share tips on making music accessible, involving youth, and structuring ward programs. They explore organ training options, from practical advice on pedal use to opportunities for temple organists. The conversation also emphasizes creating a reverent atmosphere and advocating for music's priority in church meetings. Plus, learn about interfaith outreach through music and strategies for engaging congregants with new hymns.

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ANECDOTE

Small Team Running Ward Music After COVID

Pamela and one other musician handle most ward music post-COVID, alternating weeks on organ and piano.
She was unexpectedly asked to lead the Christmas program planning after assuming shared duties.

ANECDOTE

Multilingual Silent Night And Delegated Program

Sarah Jane delegates musical roles and includes missionary families singing Silent Night in mission languages.
She narrates scripture and uses small choirs, bell groups, and an organ-piano duet to diversify the program.

ADVICE

Provide Organ Lessons As Part Of The Calling

Arrange organ lessons for organists as part of their calling to meaningfully improve congregational music quality.
Landon reports statewide lessons taught organists practical skills like pedal use and improved technique within months.

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In this livestream, Kurt Francom facilitates a collaborative discussion on the practical and spiritual aspects of ward music, featuring insights from Landon, a BYU master’s student in organ performance. The episode addresses common challenges faced by ward music coordinators and organists, ranging from planning Christmas programs to integrating the Church’s new hymns. The central theme focuses on how music serves as a vital tool for inviting the Spirit and how leaders can better support the musicians in their wards.

Links

Landon’s Organ Training Course
Transcript available with the video in the Zion Lab community
Watch the video and share your thoughts in the Zion Lab community

Key Insights

Creative Christmas Programming: Participants shared successful ideas for holiday sacrament meetings, such as involving missionary families to sing “Silent Night” in different languages, utilizing youth for special numbers, and organizing organ-piano duets to elevate the musical experience.

The “Ministering Approach” to Training: Landon highlights a successful initiative where a stake presidency funded professional organ lessons for all ward organists. This approach transformed the quality of music in the stake by treating skill development as an essential part of the calling rather than an optional hobby.

Integrating New Hymns: To help congregations learn new music, ward leaders suggest using youth activities to assemble physical binders, having the ward choir introduce new songs first, and featuring new hymns as prelude and postlude music to build familiarity.

Managing Chapel Reverence: Landon shares a specific technique for organists to manage chapel noise: when a congregation is loud, the organist can slightly increase the volume to match the room, then suddenly stop for ten seconds of total silence before resuming with very soft registration. This “reset” often prompts the congregation to become more reverent.

Advocating for Music’s Priority: A recurring theme is the need for music leaders to advocate for their department so that closing hymns are not treated as “buffer time” to be cut when speakers go over. Clear communication with the bishopric about the spiritual weight of the music is essential for protecting the meeting’s flow.

Leadership Applications

Proactive Coordination: Leaders can use shared spreadsheets to align musical selections with talk topics weeks in advance. Providing speakers with a “tips sheet” that includes strict time limits helps ensure that musical numbers are not rushed or eliminated.

Skill Investment: Rather than just calling those who already have talent, bishops and stake presidents should consider music training as a form of ministering. Providing access to lessons or workshops (like Landon’s online organ course) empowers members to fulfill their callings with greater confidence and proficiency.

Empowering Youth: Giving youth specific responsibilities—such as leading music in sacrament meeting or managing the logistics of new hymn binders—increases their engagement and presence in the meeting, often reducing distractions like phone usage.

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