Ya, they need to pick it up again… meaning make it more active.
And Yes, we are human and prone to some really heated discussions.
I also get that at my church as well. It is called Parish Counsel. Zoiks
Laura
I once worked with a young man from India who thought the American tendency to avoid discussions about Religion and Politics rather odd. He said that where he was from, if they didn’t talk about Religion or Politics they wouldn’t have anything to talk about! 
I’m overwhelmed by all the good ideas. Hail Mary Gentle Woman also struck me as a good possibility. And I also agree with the theory that this problem offers a good excuse to pick up new whistles. (That’s where my Susato C came from.)
If you have OCP’s music books, here are some very good songs that we use:
As the Deer Longs #454
Bread That Was Sown #332
Center of My Life #458
Holy Spirit #409
No Longer I #639
Peace #475
The Lord is my Light #670
JP
Both my choirmasters (my current one and the one in NC) REALLY hated to do Morning is Broken because we all had Cat Steven’s version firmly in our heads. Personally, I PREFER Cat Steven’s version…it is so passionate, and the “straight” version in the hymnal just sounds stilted.
You know, if you’re doing it as an instrumental, there’s no reason you can’t do it just like he did it (with all the little embelishments)…nobody expects an instrumental to sound like something from the hymnal.
Redwolf
Funny you should mention this. We were just discussing this at choir practice(I’m the organist).
They knew that I was playing it different and they were singing it different but they never realized till I told them that they ARE singinig it Cat Stevens way!!!
I just can’t bring myself to play it as written.
Back to the subject of the post:
Have you ever tried to do some plainsongs? They are personal favorites(even if the choir and priest look at me like I’m crazy if I even mention them. They are usually in C and are beautiful. I always play at least one either for a prelude or during communion.
Also, I was just skimming over Today’s Missal , Music Issue(loaned to me by a friend- Episcopalian here) anyway, I found-
Lord of the Dance- easy on whistle. I always play it on whistle for our Christmas to-do.
Also found Lord of all Hopefullness(Be Thou My Vision) which is another one good on whistle.
My favorite hymn of all - All Creatures of Our God and King(Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones#718 is in D.
I have to suggest anything by Ralph Vaughn Williams. I just love most of his hymns because he took common, well known, mostly English, folk tunes and put words to them that turned them into hymns. You can find many of them in the 1982 Episcopal Hymnal.
Lastly, I have to fall back on my theory that anything on whistle is great , but TRAD is wonderful. I most often play,and this is for communion, on low whistle-
By the Side of the Rock
The Song of the Books
Whatever you decide on , rest assured, the congregation will LOVE it if they are anything like the foks at my church.
Have fun. 
I second this, at least in my experiences, too.
Hail Mary Gentle Woman works well on an A Whistle. Good excuse to look for one, if you don’t have one, yet. 
The book I mentioned earlier that my wife has is Mel Bay Presents Hymns & Sacred Melodies for Recorder.
This has been a great topic. Thanks for bringing it up (brought me out of lurking).
Have fun and God Bless!
A few from Journeysong… ocp
Alleluia! Hurry the Lord is Near… Ernest Sands
One Bread One Body
Behold the Wood.. Dan Schutte (soulfully)
Ye Sons and Daughters … O Fill Et Filiae
All My Days… Dan Schutte ( I did this as an instrumental for a funeral)
Alleluia! Sing to Jesus… Hyfrydol
Sing a New Church… Nettleton (very celtic sounding)
Open My Eyes… Jesse Manibusan (one of my favs.)
All the Earth… Lucien Deiss, CSSp
City of God… Dan Schutte
Yes, this has been a great thread.
And I too agree, anything you do on whislte and flute will be much appreciated by the congregation.
Laura
I haven’t seen it posted yet, but “Be thou my vision” is a whistle staple. I’m not sure of a harmony but you can get it from several midi players
you might also try this thread on Mudcat:
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=53879#834050
Or the The Ames Hymn Collection:
http://junior.apk.net/~bmames/hymnsjs.htm?n