O Sing To The Lord!

By Amy Killian

What a treasure we have in the hymns of the church! They give us an outlet for our praise; they strengthen our hope and comfort our souls; they speak the witness of many centuries and help us to hide God's truth in our hearts. It is therefore with great excitement (and usually some trepidation) that a congregation greets a new hymnal. Will it be as "good" as the old one? Will I be able to learn those new songs (and will they ever mean as much to me as the old ones do)? Allow me to briefly introduce the new hymnal and answer some potential questions.

Will we still sing the old hymns? Absolutely! The hymns we have sung from the red hymnal have nurtured our faith for many years. We will continue to sing a wealth of them, many exactly as before, and some with subtle but lovely harmony or voicing changes. And those we want to sing that are not included we will copy.

Why are new hymns important? Ours is a living faith and our journey with God in Christ is an ongoing one. Since the red hymnal was compiled 50 years ago, numerous hymn writers (men and women such as Jane Parker Huber, Fred Pratt Green and Thomas Troeger) have arisen to speak a word of faith and hope, of challenge and celebration to our day. It is important that we incorporate this ongoing witness into the life and outreach of the church.

Secondly, new experiences keep us fresh and growing. A new text can sharpen our thinking; a new tune to an old text can heighten our awareness of the words; a new ingredient in the worship service can create a vibrancy that I believe is pleasing to God, refreshing to God's people and inviting to those who are seeking.

What's included in the new hymnal? "The Presbyterian Hymnal: Hymns, Psalms and Spiritual Songs" was designed to serve a broad range of people. You may be pleasantly surprised by some of its contents. It includes turn-of-the-century favorites (Blessed Assurance, To God be the Glory...), Bach chorales, beautiful texts from as early as the 4th century set to plainsong, an abundance of classic hymn standards from the 16th-19th centuries and almost two dozen African American Spirituals. There are also hymns from the church around the world, many of which are included in the hymnal's extensive assortment of hymns for children, and could present interesting possibilities for Central's "2nd Sunday-for-the-World."

Every season of the church year is represented (Advent and Christmas selections number over 60) and with a Reformed tradition being revived in some congregations, most of the Psalms are set to music. There are numerous hymns from the second half of the 20th century (some of which you'll recognize from bulletin inserts or choir anthems) and service music for the choir to explore. The material is thoughtfully organized in four easily-navigable sections: The Church Year, the Psalms, Hymns by Topics, and Service Music, and scripture references are included.

Personal Note: There is another characteristic, which I find exciting about this hymnal. It lends itself to dreaming for those who work with music at Central. As I explored its pages, I found myself saying, "This would be a lovely Advent introit" or "what great material for a song fest!" Not every hymn will be a perfect match for Central, but with the wealth this hymnal offers, it can become a valuable resource. And that's exactly what a hymnal is - not an end, but a tool. I pray we will use this moment in our congregational life to renew our commitment to praising God and singing our faith. May we pass on what has become precious, and may we also make room for what may yet become a blessing to us, to our children and to our neighbor.