唱詩班缺琴手 英國牧師改用卡拉OK
Vicars are buying karaoke-like machines to play music during their services to solve the difficulty of finding an organist.
爲解決琴手難招這一問題，英國牧師開始購買卡拉OK等設備，用來在禮拜儀式上演奏。The 'electronic hymnals' have a vast repertoire of music and can play anything from traditional Songs Of Praise to a disco version of Amazing Grace.
這套“電子讚美詩集”羅列了衆多音樂作品，可以播放各種音樂，從傳統的《讚美詩》到迪斯科版的《天賜恩寵》，無一不包。Church-goers who struggle to remember the words can look up at a big screen displaying the lyrics in time with the music for help - just like real karaoke.
按時到教堂做禮拜的人，如果記歌詞比較吃力，可以參看大屏幕上與音樂同步播出的歌詞，就像真正的卡拉OK一樣。
The hymnal is controlled from a small screen in the pulpit or lectern and vicars can pre-programme their playlist to match their services.
這本電子詩集是由講壇或誦經臺上佈置的一個小屏幕控制，牧師可以事先編排好適合在儀式上播放的歌曲的列表。More adventurous parishes can add their own music from their iPods or MP3 Players to the system.
更有創意的教民還可以將其iPod或MP3中存儲的歌曲傳到這一系統中。It has already proved exceptionally popular with churches around the country that have struggled to find organists.
在全英各地爲尋找琴手而犯愁的教會中，這一做法大受歡迎。And Martin Phelps, director of the Surrey based company Hymn Technology, said that the hymnal device is already helping churches to revive flagging congregations.
位於薩里郡的聖歌技術公司的主管馬丁•菲爾普斯表示，這一唱詩設備已經幫助許多教堂重振行將沒落的教堂集會。'Many of them have had the same organist for the last 60 years but when they retire, they have no one waiting in the wings to take their place.
“過去60年來，這些教會中許多都僱傭同一批琴手，不過當他們退休時，卻後繼無人。”'Many don't have pianos or other musicians but they want to continue singing in their services.
“有許多教會要麼沒有鋼琴，要麼缺少樂手，但他們都想在禮拜儀式上繼續唱詩這一活動。”'A lot have tried CDs but you can't alter the songs, speed them up, or alter verses like you can with a hymnal.
“很多教會曾試圖用CD機來播放，但這樣無法更換曲目或快進，也不能像翻閱讚美詩集那樣變換詩節。”'Hymnals can mix songs together, change the tempo and store at least 3,000 as standard.
“電子讚美詩集可以將所有歌曲包括在內，變換節奏，而且至少可以存放3000首曲子。”'They have a lot of music already stored on the system that is suitable for weddings, christening, funerals - any church service really.'
“詩集上存儲了大量音樂，適合在婚禮、洗禮或葬禮儀式上演奏，不誇張的說，各式禮拜儀式都可以。”Between 1950 and 1980 church attendance halved, and between 1980 and 2005 it halved again – down to 6.3 percent of the population, according to Christian Research.
根據基督教研究院的統計，1950至1980年間，到教堂做禮拜的人數減少了一半，1980至2005年間在此基礎上又減少了一半，跌至英國總人口的6.3%。
