Vicars are buying karaoke-like machines to play music during their services to solve the difficulty of finding an organist.

The 'electronic hymnals' have a vast repertoire of music and can play anything from traditional Songs Of Praise to a disco version of Amazing Grace.

Church-goers who struggle to remember the words can look up at a big screen displaying the lyrics in time with the music for help - just like real karaoke.

The hymnal is controlled from a small screen in the pulpit or lectern and vicars can pre-programme their playlist to match their services.

More adventurous parishes can add their own music from their iPods or MP3 Players to the system.

It has already proved exceptionally popular with churches around the country that have struggled to find organists.

And Martin Phelps, director of the Surrey based company Hymn Technology, said that the hymnal device is already helping churches to revive flagging congregations.

'Many of them have had the same organist for the last 60 years but when they retire, they have no one waiting in the wings to take their place.

'Many don't have pianos or other musicians but they want to continue singing in their services.

'A lot have tried CDs but you can't alter the songs, speed them up, or alter verses like you can with a hymnal.

'Hymnals can mix songs together, change the tempo and store at least 3,000 as standard.

'They have a lot of music already stored on the system that is suitable for weddings, christening, funerals - any church service really.'

Between 1950 and 1980 church attendance halved, and between 1980 and 2005 it halved again – down to 6.3 percent of the population, according to Christian Research.

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(Agencies)