Anyone is welcome to e-mail us a question for an answer. We offer an answer on the basis of our knowledge but without any liability by the company or any of its directors or employees. Unless you state that your question is confidential, we may reproduce it in this forum in anonymised form. If you tell us that your question is confidential, we shall still provide an answer but will not include it on this forum. Search our FAQs Ask a Question FAQs Print Friendly Version Good Relationships     List of Categories Q: Is a church allowed to charge me for using the organ to teach my pupils? I am the organist and choirmaster at a parish church and the treasurer wants to charge me £10 per hour when I am teaching private organ pupils. A: The usual practice is for the organ to be available to the organist for teaching his pupils without charge. This is normally a part of the formal contract of employment or engagement. In the absence of such a provision, reference may be made to Legal Opinions Concerning the Church of England. This contains opinions from the legal department of General Synod and is regarded as having the force of law. In the section on Organists, clause 13 says that the organist may be required to defray the cost of the organ blower to the PCC for private practice, use by friends, and in giving tuition. Note that it is only the cost of blowing the organ which may be claimed, not lighting or heating or other expense, and no element of on-costs or profit may be added. A charge of £10 an hour is quite unreasonable; a charge of 10p an hour is more realistic. In reality, the amount is so small that most churches should be willing to waive it, particularly if the organist does unpaid work beyond that required by the contract. Q: My vicar has passed the entire choice of music over to the worship committee of which I am not a member. How do I deal with this? A: Canon B20 applies. The vicar (minister) must pay due heed to your advice and assistance in choosing the hymns and chants. That presupposes you and the vicar must discuss the music. In law, the worship committee has no legal place in the choice of music. Q: Our vicar says the choir should not wear academic hoods during Holy Communion, but wants them worn at Evensong. Is this correct? A: No. Choir dress follows that of the clergy. Cassock, surplus, scarf and hood is appropriate attire for Holy Communion for the clergy. The arguments about humility apply equally to Evensong as well as RSCM medals, ribbons and badges. See “Everything Else an Organist Should Know” page 70. Was this page helpful?