Organ Stops

I hesitate to rant about ecclesiastical inaccuracies in Radio programmes, since I did it once before and unfortunately the writer was deeply offended and mentioned me on his blog! [they confused Methodists and Quakers on “Hut 33”] but I am extremely annoyed with the writers of The Archers just lately.

Phil Archer died a while ago, and the Vicar has asked his grand-daughter, Pip Archer, to play a piece on the organ at the Advent Service – the hymn that Phil loved and usually played. Here is Pip [Helen Monk]

 

and Phil & Jill

Now whilst this is a lovely idea for a plot-line, and everyone can get all misty eyed and feel sorry for Jill [all the support for grieving widows seems directed at Jolene lately] there is a big problem…

She has been asked to play the Advent hymn “Waiting for A Wonder” – and as far as I can ascertain this hymn does not exist!!

There is much debate on the Ambridge message board about it. I rarely read that, but I did this week, just to see if anyone there had heard of it. Someone even suggested it was “A modern thing from a happy-clappy church” and others pointed out that there is a book of Advent readings called Waiting for THE Wonder

But as to this non-existent hymn…someone should alert John Rutter, John Bell, or Stuart Townend, and see if they can put something together in the next fortnight! Otherwise poor Pip will have nothing to play – and silence is not usually a good thing on radio!

Back in the real world, Christmas Preparations move on apace round here – and I especially glad that my friend Floss is planning to repeat the “Pause In Advent” which she organised last year.

Let’s not forget the reason for the season!