Dear Friends,
It was the minister and hymn-writer John Bell who said that most people know what theology they do know from the hymns they sing. And it is always interesting when, at the end of the service, people say to me ‘You had my favourite hymns today’. But how are the hymns chosen that we sing during worship?
Choosing hymns that go with the theme of the service can be a difficult business. There are so many to choose from. But it is so important that people are able to join in, which means that it is important to think about both the words and the tune. Sometimes as I write, a hymn goes round in my head that fits the theme, as is the case with the hymn after the sermon today. But it is not in our current collection of hymns, although I hope many people will remember it.
It was John Calvin who made it clear that the congregation should always be able to be part of the worship through what is being sung. In his day of course it was only the psalms that were sung in worship, as these were the words that Jesus himself knew and used. However, in our own day it is to be hoped that the words of our hymns add to our understanding of the scriptures and help us to feel completely involved in the whole of our worship.
With love and blessings,
Marion
Categories: Minister's Blog