volume 57, number 1 In the June/July 2005 issue of The Chorister David Hein helps us to reflect on our calling as church musicians. Yvonne Sobel reminds us that at every age level we lay the foundation for future musical growth. After a few years, evidence of a good children's choir program will begin to show up in a church's adult choirs. Children's choirs are a time of joyful learning and singing. What are we offering them? Eileen Straw commiserates with all of us facing the challenge of getting and keeping volunteers. Eileen offers critical considerations for responding to this challenge. Also, be sure to look over the sample Parent Volunteer form offered by Grace Schwanda for your adaptation. Judy Henneberger gives a teaching plan for "Come, Come Emmanuel", a new CG anthem. Not planning to teach this anthem? No problem. You can study her teaching plan for ideas that can be used with other anthems. Grace Schwanda, Jim Johnson, MaryLu Hartsell, Michael Jothen, and Jeffrey Pannebaker join in a roundtable discussion of structuring choirs and finding rehearsal time options. No answers...just a discussion. Music in the Middle is a new feature in Volume 57 with reproducible music for you to use with your choirs. Stephanie Scott shares insight to the handbell director's responsibility in planning for the continuous growth of ringers. When is the director the barrier to growth and what are the tools that help your ringers move ahead? Back to Basics features a reprint of a timely article from a previous issue of Choristers Guild LETTERS. In this issue an article written in 1972 by Helenclair Lowe explores critical steps in music selection and preparation. David Music responds to the challenge of having so much to do and so little time in which to do it. Why should time be taken to teach hymns to children and youth. Can't they learn these songs in the church services or Sunday school? Aren't they too hard for children to understand? Wouldn't the time be better spent teaching new anthems for the young people to sing in worship? David states a resounding "NO!" and supports his position. Wayne Wold kicks off a series of articles that will address hymnody with children and youth. Throughout Volume 57 different writers will address kinds of hymnody. As Wayne tells us, "Teaching children to use the hymnal and to sing hymns brings benefits for the present days, prepares us for the future, builds up the Church, proclaims the Gospel, and praises God." Beverly Bailey will be writing devotions for Volume 57. Her devotions for August are provided in this issue.