2014 "NEW YEAR, NEW SONGS" Program

Ask adults in the Ward to come sing during one hour of Primary (the other hour everyone goes to classes). Arrange them into groups. This is how I'm trying it for 2014. I have a narrator (me) speaking a few lines in between each song.  Afterwards if we have time I have additional activities.  Either this or this or both, maybe?

This related post may be of interest: A Note on the Song Introduction Program

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2014 "NEW YEAR NEW SONGS" PROGRAM:

The 2014 Primary Theme is "Families Are Forever".
Our forever families start when we have love at home.

♫   1. LOVE AT HOME (verses 1+2), hymnal 318
RS Presidency

Home is where we learn about God's plan for us.
I will follow God's plan.

♫   2. I WILL FOLLOW GOD’S PLAN p 164
Male Teachers Group + EQ Presidency

God's plan included sending His own Son to live and die for us.
We know that he sent his son.

♫   3. HE SENT HIS SON p 34
Female Teachers Group

To know that God loves us so much to send his only begotten Son to Earth makes us feel as though we stand all amazed.

♫   4. I STAND ALL AMAZED (3 verses), hymn 193
Bishopric

We want to know all about Heavenly Father's plan for us.
That is why we will seek the Lord early.

♫   5. SEEK THE LORD EARLY p 108
Female Teachers Group

When I learn about Jesus I know
that Heavenly Father's plan includes baptism.

♫   6. BAPTISM (3 verses), p 100
Solo

We are taught good things in our homes by our parents.
In our homes we know that love is spoken here.

♫   7. LOVE IS SPOKEN HERE, p 190
Father and YW Daughter

Love is spoken in our homes because the family is of god.

♫   8. THE FAMILY IS OF GOD (1 verse), sheet music
Primary Presidency + Chorister

A Note on the "Song Introduction Program"

A song introduction program is NOT required of a Music Chorister. This is an optional activity if one chooses to put it together. At first I thought this was a great idea because I'd get a "week off" from teaching. HAHA, was I ever wrong!  The time commitment to put this together is huge. I start thinking about and start putting together a list of who-might-sing-what in place when the new songs come out in the Fall. I start asking people to sing at least a month before (but some still got asked the week of...).  It's a lot of work!

Song Intro Programs I've done in my Ward:

• 2013 I Am a Child of God
• 2014 Families Are Forever

2013 Songs Introduction Program

Have adult singing groups come in. Start looking at Teachers, then Parents, then other talented adults.

Our 2013 Song Introduction Program went like this:

I Am a Child of God 2 (v1, v2, v3 + descant on violin)
solo or split up verses

My Heavenly Father Loves Me 228 (v1 & v2)
women's group

If The Savior Stood Beside Me (sheet music) (v1 & v2 & v3) -
men - split up verses

April - you choose the song (we haven't chosen one yet, so this was skipped...)

May - you choose the song (we haven't chosen one yet, so this was skipped...)

When I Am Baptized 103 (v1 & v2)
woman solo

Families Can Be Together Forever 188
family come in and sing

A Child's Prayer 12
husband and wife duet

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We did this on the first Sunday of 2013. We combined both JR & SR Primaries during the first hour. It took about 15-20 minutes. If you get the whole sharing + music time, then plan extra activities.

Also, since the theme this year is "I Am a Child of God" I had each person say "I am Sister ___, and I am a Child of God", then the piano started and they sang their song. It tied it all together and was a nice touch to the whole program.

Afterwards I had extra time (I get all the time, singing and sharing, on the first Sunday of the month) so I did my I Am a Child of God introduction lesson.

Having adults sing to the kids was amazing. At first the children starting singing along with I Am a Child of God. It was cute. By the end there were many wet eyes in the room, including mine. I had to go up in front of everyone with wet eyes. It's okay, I'm only one month into this and the the children are quickly learning that my eyes tend to leak a lot.  :)