Education is the #2 duty of the church musician. I'm acquainted with a large number of them who think otherwise and they are simply wrong.
Nowadays, we call educating the faithful "sharing our gift." Vince Lombardi, the hero for educators, would have called it discipline for excellence.
Another loss following American affluence--the loss of the understanding of first things.
Our organist and our Director of Music take their duties seriously. They have elevated the level of music in our Parish tremendously; especially the organist. He's been at the Parish for about 10 years now, and had pushed the former Director into some better music. That Director died suddenly last year and the new one truly cares about the quality of the music she chooses. She had been the Director of the Festival Choir, so I was familiar with her tastes in music. Every now she and the organist pick a schmaltzy new piece and I give em grief about it! I don't like schmaltz.