My weekend hobby -- church organist

I have mentioned in my bio that I play organ for churches on Sundays.  I am not the "resident organist" at any particular church, rather, I am a "sub" (the industry lingo for substitute) or freelance organist. It is great to be a sub, I get to call which Sunday I want a gig (which I'd prefer to call it an "assignment"). And unlike resident organists, I don't have to worry about finding a sub if I need to be away.  I was a resident organist for many years before my kids were born, and what a pain it was to try to find subs that you can trust.  There are a lot of good organists around, but it is always a bit nerve-wrecking when you call someone you don't know.

Well, how do churches locate subs when they need them? Besides the usual "word of mouth", the greater Boston area also has a "sub list".  Let me back track and give you some back ground information.  There is a professional organization for organists The American Guild of Organists.  The Boston chapter (supposedly the largest chapter in the country) maintains a "sub list".  You have to a member in order to get on the list.  So half of the time, I get calls from people I don't know but got my name from that list, and half of the time it is "word of mouth".

From my experience, it seems that the demand for subs is not small, even outside summer.  I have come across situations for short term medical leave coverage, or interim of a few months when a church is in the process of hiring a new organist. And of course, there is the usual vacation coverage that is only 1 or 2 weeks long. The vacation coverage is not that common outside the summer months.  So summer is the predictably busy months for subs, but the weekend after Christmas is too. As organists are stuck at their jobs at Christmas, they visit families usually the weekend after.

I promise I'll tell some funny situations that I encounter as an organist.