Typically, three:

1. opening hymn of praise

2. either a hymn of preparation (which might "set-up" scripture or sermon or confession) OR

2. hymn of response (following sermon)

3. parting/sending hymn (either further "comments" on theme of the day or sends people forth to love & serve the world)

 

I frequently use one verse of something as a sung (congregational or choral) call to prayer or confession.  And typically there are at 3 other sung (congregational) responses in our (Presbyterian) service.  Together these various responses and hymns make for an appropriate amount of singing in our tradition, I would opine.  On seldom occasions, and more often during summer if choir isn't present, we may sing an additional hymn of praise.  Time is somewhat of a factor in our decision.  On the other hand, again, I believe this amount of singing makes sense for our style of worship.  If helpful to you, I suspect my answer is indicative of what many/most traditionally styled, mainline churches do, certainly so among most of my Methodist and Presbyterian colleagues. 

 

If "applicable", 3-4 times a year we have special musical services where we sing (much) more, e.g. World Communion Sunday; "Jazz" Sunday; and "Gospel" Sunday; also, during Holy Week esp. on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.  And twice a year we have "Hymn Sings" on Sunday evenings.  I hope this is helpful.

 

Tom Brown

Covenant Presbyterian

Austin, TX

In our church on Saturday mornings, we begin congregational singing at 10:45 with one hymn, followed by an in-house welcome and announcements by one of our pastors, after which hymn-singing continues (usually three or four more hymns) until shortly after 11:00.  At this time live TV/internet coverage of the service begins, another welcome to the service which includes viewers on the media, followed by the "opening hymn".  At the close of the pastoral message, a hymn of consecration/dedication is sung.

We sing at least 7 (depending how you count them) at our later service, which has organ and choir:

 

Processional hymn

Glory be to God on high (or other song of praise: 1 verse)

Psalm (chanted)

Gradual hymn (before the Gospel reading)

Offertory hymn (while the collection is being taken up)

Taize chant during communion

Recessional hymn

 

The congregation also sings:

 

the Gospel responses (Glory be to you Lord Christ/Praise be to you Lord Christ)

the Sursum Corda (Lift up your hearts, etc.)

the Sanctus (Holy, holy, holy)

the "Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again" in the middle of the prayer of consecration

the Fraction Anthem at the end of the prayer of consecration

 

Singing the psalm, Christ has died, and fraction anthem are new in the last couple of years.

 

At our earlier service, which is usually spoken only, we have organ once a month, at which we sing 3:

Venite or other canticle

Offertory hymn

Recessional hymn

 

We deliberately don't sing a processional hymn at that service on the theory that people's voices haven't woken up yet until after they've done some speaking in the initial prayers and responses.

 

This is an Episcopal church.

 

At both services the congregation seems content.  The early service is about evenly split between people who would like music every Sunday, and people who would like music never, so we figure we're doing as good as we can balancing that (we used to balance better with organ two Sundays a month, but we have an interim organist and are accomodating his schedule with one Sunday a month now).