Building the service
Before going up to the desk on Sunday, you build the execution list — the order of songs and notices that will be projected, in the sequence they'll appear. That's what the system calls a service: not just the songs, the complete script for the next hour.
What it's for
You could operate the projection "on the fly", opening each song the moment the band starts. It works — but it has costs:
- Pauses between songs while you search for the next one
- Risk of mistyping the number and opening the wrong song
- Divided attention between operating and paying attention to the service
The execution list eliminates that. You build it ahead (alone, unhurried, calmly) and during the service you just press Space. The gold bar moves on its own — you only conduct the rhythm.
The list is also the basis for other system features:
- Projectable notices enter the timeline alongside songs
- Web slides (URL to project a web page) too
- YouTube linked to a song plays when that song enters
- Bible can be called at any moment and returns to the timeline after
How to build
The timeline lives in column 1 of the desk. When you open the desk for the first time, it's empty. The header has three small buttons to add items:
| Button | What it adds | |---|---| | + | Song (search by title or number) | | ⚑ | Notice (pick from saved notices list) | | 🌐 | Web slide (any URL, temporary) |
Click the button, pick the item, it enters the end of the list. To reorder, drag with the mouse. To remove, open the context menu (three dots) and click Remove.
You can build the list any time — Saturday night, at the office, or at the operator's desk 10 minutes before the service. It stays saved for this church, persists between sessions, and any authorized person sees the same list when they open the desk.
Deciding what goes in
How do you choose which songs enter the list? Some ideas:
- Worship director indicates the songs during the week and you just build it
- Fixed programming ("first song of every service is always #047")
- By sermon theme (consult with the preacher)
- By statistics — which songs have been sung most, which need a rest, which never entered
For this last one, Salterium gives you two indicators on the home page:
Recently sung songs
- 2 days ago
- 9 days ago
- 9 days ago
- 12 days ago
- 16 days ago
Most sung (30 days)
- 014× times
- 023× times
- 032× times
- 042× times
- 052× times
- 061× time
- 071× time
- 081× time
Latest songs sung
The 5 most recent that went through the projection, with how long ago. Useful to avoid repeating a song you sang last Sunday, or to bring back one that hasn't entered in weeks.
Most sung (30 days)
Ranking of the 10 most sung in the last month, with counts. Useful to:
- Identify the pillars of your church's library
- Notice underused content — good songs that never appear here
- Balance new vs. traditional repertoire
The two indicators don't automatically suggest what to put in the list — they inform, you decide. Salterium doesn't replace the worship director's judgment.
Saving for another service
Today the list is one per church (you can't have "morning service list" + "Sunday school list" saved in parallel). When you finish a service, clear the list or replace the items to prepare the next one.
The songs themselves stay in the library — you're only editing the order of the next service.
Next steps
- The operator's desk — now that the list is ready, how to conduct the service
- Song editor — if you need to create a new song for the next list
- Projectable notices — add welcome screens, countdowns, transition vignettes between songs