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Not singing the hymns

by
27 March 2015

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From Neil Inkley
Sir, - During the Afghanistan service from St Paul's, I, too, noticed the congregational "disconnects" listed by the Revd Henry Ormerod (Letters, 20 March) - not least the many people who were not singing the hymns.

We have an age divide here: what older people refer to as "well-known hymns"are not well known by the young. Indeed, many younger people do not know any hymns at all. This can probably be attributed more to the abandon-ment of religious assemblies in schools than to the decline in churchgoing.

None the less, I thought the occasion was marvellous. What was going on in St Paul's? It was British people, doing what British people do at times like this. It is a pity that some could not join in overtly, but that is a reason for regret, not a reason for promoting change to accommodate such regrets.

NEIL INKLEY
6 Knot Lane
Walton-le-Dale
Preston PR5 4BQ

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