well, the hymnal isn’t in a state of saving yet, but there is continued talk of revamping it and putting in and taking out hymns. i am far from the expert on the hymnal, but it has been an important tool in our spiritual formation as a methodist community. i remember reading some person’s critique of the last update to the book of common prayer that it made the episcopal church too liberal. i know there is a lot of pull on both sides of that argument to take out hymns because they are not fitting of an ideaology. imho there is so much depth in there to get nit picky seems silly. so i am suggesting everyone revisit the newly opened survey (tip to david) to throw in your thoughts. be heard. more from the gbod.
Well, there’s always anxiety in the air when there’s talk of a new hymnal. I hope they learned from the process that produced the current one, and work to encourage input & build support for the new one.
However, I am of the opinion that printed Hymnals are soon to be a thing of the past anyway.
Well, there’s always anxiety in the air when there’s talk of a new hymnal. I hope they learned from the process that produced the current one, and work to encourage input & build support for the new one.
However, I am of the opinion that printed Hymnals are soon to be a thing of the past anyway.
i might agree with you craig, thus i said “not in need of saving yet.” yet, being the key word. though i don’t think we will replace the printed word in book form, the printing press is just too powerful of a tool that we can’t let go of it. and with computers which were supposed to let us free ourselves of paper, it has only let us print more.
the demand for printed hymnals will go down as people shift to image driven presentations of music leading, but there will always be a place for them in the pew racks.
i might agree with you craig, thus i said “not in need of saving yet.” yet, being the key word. though i don’t think we will replace the printed word in book form, the printing press is just too powerful of a tool that we can’t let go of it. and with computers which were supposed to let us free ourselves of paper, it has only let us print more.
the demand for printed hymnals will go down as people shift to image driven presentations of music leading, but there will always be a place for them in the pew racks.
The survey only allows 1 person per computer to participate. I got to it first, but the other folks who live with me are outa luck. I expected more questions and different ones. I’d have loved a question on the patriotic songs in the hymnal.
The survey only allows 1 person per computer to participate. I got to it first, but the other folks who live with me are outa luck. I expected more questions and different ones. I’d have loved a question on the patriotic songs in the hymnal.
the demand for printed hymnals will go down as people shift to image driven presentations of music leading, but there will always be a place for them in the pew racks.
I was going to say something along similar lines. The Methodist Church of GB is also planning a new hymnal, the last being the 1982 version, which replaced the 1930 something version (we take a while to change over here). A new hymnal seems a little redundant with the new ‘contemporary’ versions being released (e.g., Songs of Fellowship by Kingsway). Also, we no longer live in a ‘book’ culture and people are used to TV and computer to get their information. Some churches have looked to install a data projector that would allow any song to be used (well, if it can be used under CCLI).
the demand for printed hymnals will go down as people shift to image driven presentations of music leading, but there will always be a place for them in the pew racks.
I was going to say something along similar lines. The Methodist Church of GB is also planning a new hymnal, the last being the 1982 version, which replaced the 1930 something version (we take a while to change over here). A new hymnal seems a little redundant with the new ‘contemporary’ versions being released (e.g., Songs of Fellowship by Kingsway). Also, we no longer live in a ‘book’ culture and people are used to TV and computer to get their information. Some churches have looked to install a data projector that would allow any song to be used (well, if it can be used under CCLI).
Gavin, thanks for this timely post. From the previous few renditions of the (United) Methodist Hymnal, it is probably time for a rendition.
I think it is a good idea to remove hymns that are either never used or theologically suspect. For instance, there is a whole segment of overly sentimental hymns, which typically begin in the late 19th and early 20th century during the nostalgia for old camp meeting days, and go right up to the heyday of Gaither hymns in the 1960s and 1970s, that need to be taken out. Whether it’s because “I’m going to the garden alone” or because “I know he lives because he lives within my heart”, the sappy, super-individualistic hymns of that era have the theological depth of a Joel Osteen sermon.
On the other hand, I find it interesting that the 1989 Hymnal has the fewest number of Charles Wesley hymns of any Methodist hymnal ever produced. Maybe we can free up some room to put more CW back in there.
And I wouldn’t write the obituary for the bound hymnal just yet. I think now that the PowerPoint hangover has worn off, many people are not so taken with digital media in worship. It is one thing to be drawn to God through aesthetic windows such as candles, incense, music, chanting, icons, etc. It is quite another to mimic our overly digitized lives with an overly digitized worship experience. I am a part of that segment of Gen X who looks at what our Baby Boomers have offered us with “contemporary worship” and says, “No thanks.”
Gavin, thanks for this timely post. From the previous few renditions of the (United) Methodist Hymnal, it is probably time for a rendition.
I think it is a good idea to remove hymns that are either never used or theologically suspect. For instance, there is a whole segment of overly sentimental hymns, which typically begin in the late 19th and early 20th century during the nostalgia for old camp meeting days, and go right up to the heyday of Gaither hymns in the 1960s and 1970s, that need to be taken out. Whether it’s because “I’m going to the garden alone” or because “I know he lives because he lives within my heart”, the sappy, super-individualistic hymns of that era have the theological depth of a Joel Osteen sermon.
On the other hand, I find it interesting that the 1989 Hymnal has the fewest number of Charles Wesley hymns of any Methodist hymnal ever produced. Maybe we can free up some room to put more CW back in there.
And I wouldn’t write the obituary for the bound hymnal just yet. I think now that the PowerPoint hangover has worn off, many people are not so taken with digital media in worship. It is one thing to be drawn to God through aesthetic windows such as candles, incense, music, chanting, icons, etc. It is quite another to mimic our overly digitized lives with an overly digitized worship experience. I am a part of that segment of Gen X who looks at what our Baby Boomers have offered us with “contemporary worship” and says, “No thanks.”
andrew, you crack me up! amen brother!
divers and sundry, that is interesting. everyone head to your library computer lab!
andrew, you crack me up! amen brother!
divers and sundry, that is interesting. everyone head to your library computer lab!
Sorry I’m a little late here. This was actually the 6th part of a series of surveys that GBOD has taken re the hymnal. One of those early on asked people to list their 10 favorite and 10 least favorite hymns from both the UMH and The Faith We Sing. Seems some of the caucuses and interest groups sent their folks suggestions on the 10 least favorite hymns in order to skew results against some of the feminine imagery (as if the hymnal is overflowing with that.) Taylor Burton-Edwards indicated that this particular survey had no restrictions on who or how many times you could respond. The one vote per computer restriction was placed in response.
Other surveys have been restricted to pastors/musicians/worship leaders and have covered the ritual as it appears in the hymnal.
As the pastor of a small church that does not have a digital projector, I don’t see a move toward eliminating a paper hymnal for some time to come. Plus, as a musician, I want to see the music in order to sing harmony.
Just my 2 cents.
Sorry I’m a little late here. This was actually the 6th part of a series of surveys that GBOD has taken re the hymnal. One of those early on asked people to list their 10 favorite and 10 least favorite hymns from both the UMH and The Faith We Sing. Seems some of the caucuses and interest groups sent their folks suggestions on the 10 least favorite hymns in order to skew results against some of the feminine imagery (as if the hymnal is overflowing with that.) Taylor Burton-Edwards indicated that this particular survey had no restrictions on who or how many times you could respond. The one vote per computer restriction was placed in response.
Other surveys have been restricted to pastors/musicians/worship leaders and have covered the ritual as it appears in the hymnal.
As the pastor of a small church that does not have a digital projector, I don’t see a move toward eliminating a paper hymnal for some time to come. Plus, as a musician, I want to see the music in order to sing harmony.
Just my 2 cents.