Loree and Hymns for Everyone

Hymns for Everyone

Yesterday we held our first Music Forum, and many people were on the call. We heard people's ideas for music - and there was a desire for a variety of music that can be sung easily, from many different musical genres. I have spent a lot of time lately going through a variety of music, trying to find what could be done at STEEP that is worshipful, singable, and interesting to those who love both traditional and contemporary music. So one of the things I did yesterday was bring home three alternative "hymnals" that both Mary and I have in our collections.

Lift Every Voice and Sing II is called an African-American Hymnal for the Episocpal Church. In it, one finds such spirituals as "Wade in the Water," and "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." There are also many hymns that come from the revivalist tradition, some of which I learned as a young adult in the Assemblies of God church. Such hymns are well known by many: "Blessed Assurance," "It is Well with my Soul," and "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms." Lift Every Voice and SIng II is a wonderful resource to use in addition to the Hymnal 1982, and I know both Epiphany and St. Thomas used this hymnal on occasion before we became STEEP.

Voices Found is another Episcopal supplemental hymnal. Created in 2003, Voices Found: Women in the Church's Song is a collection of hymns by, for, and about women. There's a wonderful song in this volume about the woman who anointed Jesus. I don't know of any other hymnal where it is found. There are also familiar hymns like "Comfort, Comfort, Ye my People," and songs that put new words to well-known melodies, and songs from the Celtic tradition.

My Heart Sings Out is another alternative hymnal for the Episcopal Church. It was compiled in 2005 for children, but many of the songs were not written for children but for adults. What makes it great to use with children also makes it great to use in worship for all ages: many of the songs are simple, and can be sung without paper copies of music. Those of you from St. Thomas probably remember the song, "What does the Lord Require of You?" It's a song with three parts (called a partner song), and when put together the three parts make a beautiful song. Other ones in this collection come from the Iona Community. The simple Gloria we have sung at our end-of-the-month Contemporary service comes from this hymnal.

All of these books give us a wide range of variety, all very singable, and give an added richness to the music of our well-loved Hymnal 1982. We have used these hymnals at various times at STEEP, and you may not have known it. Stay tuned to hear more from these wonderful books

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