Vicars turn to karaoke because churches struggle to muster a choir and organist for Sunday services 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.

為解決琴手招募不易的問題，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」羅列了眾多音樂演奏目錄，可以播放各種音樂，從傳統的「讚美詩」到迪斯可版的「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.

到教堂做禮拜的人，如果記歌詞比較吃力，可以參看大螢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台上布置的一個小螢幕控制，牧師可以事先編排好適合在儀式上播放的歌曲列表。

More adventurous parishes can add their own music from their iPods or MP3 Players to the system.

更有進取心的教民還可以將其iPod或MP3播放器中儲存的歌曲加入這一系統中。

It has already proved exceptionally popular with churches around the country that have struggled to find organists.

在全英國各地為尋找琴手不易而煩惱的教會中，這一做法尤其受歡迎。

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」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用同一批琴手，不過當他們退休時，卻後繼無人。」

新聞辭典

repertoire：名詞，（劇團、演員、歌手等排好可供演出的）劇碼、曲目；演奏目錄。

congregation ：名詞，集合；（宗教）會眾。The congregation bowed their heads in prayer.（會眾在一起低頭禱告。）

be waiting in the wing：片語，準備就緒。其中wings原義是指「舞台上觀眾看不到的側面」。例句：For if the technocrats fail to do so, the extremists are waiting in the wings. （因為如果這些技術官僚失敗，極端主義者就會迫不及待地登上舞台。）