Hymn Selections: Trinity X, XI, XII,and XIII

Hymn numbers are from The Hymnal 1982.

Trinity X:

523 Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken
516 Come Down, O Love Divine
609 Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life
450 All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name

Hymn Selections: Trinity V, VI, VII, VIII, and IX

Hymn numbers are from The Hymnal 1982.

Trinity V:

388 O Worship the King
408 Sing Praise to God, Who Reigns Above
550 Jesus Calls Us, O'er the Tumult
437 Tell Out, My Soul

The tune for hymn #550 is Restoration, from The Southern Harmony. It's a personal favorite of mine. I prefer the "alternative accompaniment for unison singing" that is on the opposite page in the spiral bound accompanist copy of the hymnal. The version on the left page, with the text, is designed for 4-part vocals, and has a more open harmonic feel (some of the thirds of chords are left out). The version on the right fills in the thirds, and doesn't have so many moving parallel intervals and large stretches, which is more comfortable to play.

Hymn Selections: Trinity Sunday through Trinity IV

As promised, here are some possible appropriate hymns for Trinity Sunday through Trinity IV. The numbers listed are for The Hymnal 1982.

My church uses 4 hymns in each service (in addition to service music, and two communion hymns), but some weeks will list additional hymns that would be appropriate for the occasion.

Liturgical Calendar Resources

In my last post, I discussed the selection of hymns according to the liturgical calendar. After writing this post, my priest found a couple of helpful reference books for me: A Liturgical Index to The Hymnal 1982, and A Scriptural Index to The Hymnal 1982, both by Marion J. Hatchett. These provide some assistance in the selection of hymns, but they are designed to follow the new 3-year lectionary, rather than the traditional 1-year that my church follows. The Scriptural Index will probably prove more helpful for me, since I can look up the passages we are reading for each Sunday and see a listing of appropriate hymns. The Liturgical Index will be helpful during seasons such as Advent and Lent, since the hymns selected would be more suited to the time of year than the specific scripture passage; but during seasons such as Trinity, which we are in now, the passages may be completely different.

If your church follows the 3-year lectionary (and uses this hymnal!), then by all means check out this resource! I intend to make use of these books as much as possible, and in the meantime, I will continue to keep track of the hymns I use throughout the year and compile my own resource, as I discuss in the post referenced above.

Help for the Liturgical Calendar

In the past year I have begun attending a church that follows the liturgical calendar. If you are in a church that follows such a calendar (most commonly Anglican, Episcopal, Lutheran, Catholic, or Orthodox), you will be familiar with my context. I have previously written on the selection of hymns according to topic and to their placement in the service in this post. Most of those principles still apply in my new church (beginning with a hymn of praise, introducing new hymns one at a time alongside old favorites, etc.), but there are now additional considerations for selecting hymns appropriate for the theme of the worship service each Sunday.

Music and the Power of Memory

Music and its association with memories is a common topic addressed in articles and blogs. It’s a beautiful, powerful thing. My dad was talking to me this week about how certain songs remind him of my mom. He’ll hear a song--and it can be any song, even a pop song--that they listened to together, and it’ll bring back memories of her. Music holds a powerful influence on our lives.

Because of this, music is one of the ways that the gospel message can be introduced and internalized in a believer’s life. I still remember Bible songs I learned in Sunday school when I was a little girl (books of the Bible in order? Go!). Psalm settings that we sing in Sunday worship help me to recall my favorite psalms when I meditate on them during the week, even when I’m driving or teaching, and I don’t have my Bible in front of me.

What are some ways to use this amazing power of music in your life and the life of your congregation?

Music for Special Occasions Part 1: Easter and Christmas

Easter is only 3 weeks away—are you planning ahead? What kind of special music are you preparing for your church?

Selecting Music That Fits with the Sermon

One of the most difficult parts of being a church musician is choosing appropriate music for the sermon. Music should complement the message and help emphasize and reflect on the main points.

A Starting Point

Each person has a unique calling from God. Some are called to ministry in a small church. Small churches bring different blessings and challenges from those of larger churches. I hope this blog will be a place to share ideas and solutions for handling the responsibility that's just as large, no matter the number of worshipers who come to your church every week.

Some helpful hints to keep in mind when preparing each Sunday's music: