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Content about Hymn festivals

June 1, 2008
Through All Generations

In her book Stilling the Storm (2006, The Alban Institute. Available at www.FaithAliveResources.org), Kathleen Smith sings the praises of the “intentional interim pastor.” This person can greatly assist a church that is transitioning from a long pastorate that has ended well, recovering from a ministry that has ended poorly, or regrouping after the senior pastor of a multi-staff church leaves.

September 5, 2005
Another Year Is Dawning: Scripture and Song Provide an Overview of Christ's Sovereign Reign

The last Sunday of the Christian year (this year very early, on November 20) offers a wonderful opportunity to introduce the new year that will begin on the first Sunday of Advent. This past year we decided to celebrate it in a special way with scriptural readings from nine major events in the life of Jesus. While we used about a dozen different readers, as few as four or as many as twenty-plus could effectively be used. (For all the Scripture readings, arranged for various readers, see below.)

December 4, 2004
Christ Has Died, Christ Is Risen, Christ Will Come Again: Proclaiming the Gospel through African-American Prayer and Song

This service was prepared for the 2004 Symposium on Worship and the Arts held at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan. James Abbington played each of the songs on the organ or the piano; those considering this service will want to find a person (or more than one person) who is gifted at playing both instruments for the traditional hymns and spirituals as well as for the contemporary Black gospel songs. Most, but not all songs are by African Americans; those that are not have become favorites of African-American Christians.

September 2, 2002
Advent Through the Psalms: An alternative to the traditional lessons and carols

I have often been struck by how different psalms fit different parts of the entire church year. For this Advent service I related specific psalms to the season of Advent in the traditional lessons and carols format. The anthems we used reflected themes in those psalms. Because the budget for our small choir allowed for only one new anthem, I chose several older anthems—some now out of print—from their library. You may want to choose different anthems, depending on your resources. Many of the psalms came from Sing!

September 2, 2002
Comfort, Comfort Now My People: A hymn and prayer service on the theme of peace

Many churches held prayer services after the tragic events of September 11, 2001. A year later, or during Advent, or during the cold of winter, your congregation may wish once more to gather to pray for peace in our broken world. This service could be adapted in many ways. For example, a choir is optional and you may want to consider alternative hymns (if so you’ll need to adapt the commentary as well).

September 1, 2001
Christ the King: A festival of scripture and song for the last Sunday of the Christian year

Many churches observe the Feast of Christ of King on the last Sunday of the Christian year, which falls on the third or fourth Sunday of November and celebrates Jesus’ conquering of sin and victory over death, his eternal reign, and our identity as a royal priesthood that shares in his reign. This festival was established in 1925 by the Roman Catholic Church as a proclamation to combat the secularization of society and to call on everyone, including governments, to submit to Christ.

December 1, 2000
Lamb of God: Creating a service based on lamb passages in scripture

Of all the blessed and powerful images in the Bible, the image of the lamb, the Paschal Lamb of God, touches me most deeply. None speaks more profoundly of our redemption from the slavery of sin. None inspires more confidence in God’s ultimate righteous rule on this planet. None concludes with greater certainty that the Lamb of God is also the Lion of Judah who will restore all that was lost and ruined in the fall.

September 1, 2000
Why Are They Singing? A hymn festival celebrating Covenant history

Each year near the end of October the congregation at LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church gathers for an evening hymn festival. Last year the festival was called “Songs of the Covenant,” a service focusing on various biblical characters with whom God kept covenant. While the hymns and anthems were central to the festival, the pastor’s brief meditation entitled “Why Are They Singing?” set the tone and explained the theme for the entire service.

September 1, 2000
Why Are They Singing? A short meditation

The following short meditation by Stan Mast is a bonus resource promised in RW57. The full service appears in the magazine.

You Are Our God
Click to listen  [ descant | melody | both ]

Text: Psalm 137

September 1, 2000
Wisdom of God, Word of God: A service of lessons and carols

This service of lessons and carols is rooted in the story of God’s eternal Word made flesh and living among the people. The readings, prayers, carols, and other folk music were chosen to embody this theme.

December 1, 1999
Songwriters Tell Their Stories: Kids in costume introduce a service of songs

Several well-known hymn writers “reappeared” recently for one hour in Bloomington, Minnesota. They were our guests at a hymn festival that was planned to build appreciation for the hymnody of the church among our children—and adults. The service was inspired by an article by Hal Hopson in The Chorister (Summer 1998), the journal of the Choristers Guild.

March 1, 1997
Same Time Next Year: A hymnfest with the singing men of Bryn Mawr

The idea for our hymn festival came from a concern that all too many men did not have the time to commit to a weekly choir rehearsal and demanding Sunday morning singing schedule. So in 1994 we offered a hymn festival for men! We held one rehearsal from 3:00-5:30 on the afternoon of the hymn festival; had dinner from 5:30-6:30; and the festival took place at 7:00. Over one hundred men signed up. So the next year we offered "Singing Men of Byrn Mawr II," and again over one hundred men participated.

December 1, 1996
I Am--The Sayings of Jesus: A festival of hymns

This service was prepared by Kenneth D. Powell and David Tiedman, pastor and music director respectively of Pilgrim Church (United Church of Christ), Sherborn, Massachusetts. Powell composed the prayers and Tiedman the musical arrangements, some of which are included here. Since the songs come from different sources, the printed program for the service includes photocopies of all hymns, text, and music.

September 1, 1996
Your Light Is Come: A hymn festival for Epiphany

In the past, all our Christmas banners and decorations just disappeared after Christmas. But this year we extended the season by planning a joint Epiphany hymn festival with the Ann Arbor Campus Chapel. It was a first for us but one I'm sure will become a tradition since it provided such an appropriate closure to the Christmas cycle.

March 1, 1996
Comfort, Comfort Now My People: A service of dramatic readings and songs from the book of Isaiah

The book of Isaiah is filled with poetry that has been set to music, more so than any other book of the Bible except for the Psalms. The gospel is clearly set forth in this Old Testament prophecy, which also includes visions remarkably similar to those of John in the book of Revelation. Last year was an "Isaiah year" for the Calvin Seminary Choir. The following service was part of the choir tour program. In addition to directing the choir, the choir director directed the congregation's entrances and gave cues for standing and sitting.

December 1, 1995
Beneath the Cross of Jesus: A hymn festival for Lent
December 1, 1995
Christ Has Died, Christ Is Risen, Christ Will Come Again! A festival service for Eastertide

We were buried with Christ through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

—Romans 6:4

September 1, 1995
From Eve to Mary: A service of lessons and carols on the lineage of Jesus, the Christ, according to the Gospel of Matthew

The gospel according to Matthew starts out with an unusual genealogy. Matthew takes pains to point out that Jesus' human family tree included not only Jews, but Gentiles, and not only upright heroes of the faith, but also those whose stories reveal some of the shameful and sordid part of the history of God's people.

This service of Lessons and Carols reviews that genealogy through the stories of the women of Scripture, including the five women specifically mentioned in Matthew 1.

June 1, 1994
Reformation Voices: Celebrating the revival of congregational song

This ninety-minute service was prepared for a 1993 Reformation Hymn Festival at Third Christian Reformed Church Kalamazoo, Michigan The service was designed by Emily R, Brink, editor of Reformed Worship, who read the commentary. The men who did the readings each wore black robes and hats, similar to the ones shown here.

March 1, 1994
Freedom to serve: a service based on Paul's letter to the Colossians

BULLETIN NOTE

Our guide for worship is Paul's letter to the Colossians. This epistle celebrates the lordship of Jesus Christ, reminds us of our "Freedom to Serve," and calls us to live in the fullness of our union with Christ. The order of worship mirrors the outline of this epistle, with hymns and prayers that serve to help us live into the truth of Paul's message.

June 1, 1993
Let All Nations Praise the Lord: A service celebrating the musical heritage of all nations

Worldwide Communion Sunday (or 'All Nations Heritage Sunday/' as it is often called in the Christian Reformed Church) is held each year on the first Sunday of October. The day presents a wonderful opportunity to broaden the perspective of the local church and experience and celebrate "the Communion of the Saints," as is professed in the Apostles' Creed.

June 1, 1993
My Sure Redeemer: A service celebrating God's faithfulness to his trusting people

Preludes:

"Great Is Thy Faithfulness" (piano)<
"My Jesus, I Love Thee" (organ)

Welcome

Psalter Reading: Psalm 111, read in unison

Hymn: "New Songs of Celebration Render" (Psalm 98)
[Tune: RENDEZ A DIEU; PH 28, RL W, TH14; concertato by Dale Grotenhuis available from CRC Publications (1-800-333-8300)]

We Celebrate Who God Is...

Reading on God's Word

John Calvin (1509-1564)

June 1, 1992
Sing to the Lord of Harvest: A hymn festival for Thanksgiving
We Enter into God's Presence with Praise

Prelude (The prelude will be organ music and congregational singing. The songs will be sung without announcement. Congregation is to join in as they enter.)

"God of All Ages"
[PH 262, PsH 599, RL 494, TH 710]

"We Plow the Fields and Scatter"
[PH 560, PsH 456, RL 17, TH 714]

"Now Thank We All Our God"
[PH 555, PsH 454, RL 61, TH 98]

June 1, 1991
The Lord's Prayer: Using hymns and the Heidelberg Catechism to reflect on the Lord's Prayer

Prelude: Variations on vater unser (Our Father)

Call to Worship: "Built on the Rock" [stanzas 1-2, choir, stanza 3, all]
(PsH 503, TH 351]

Greetings

OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN

Hymn: "Our Father, Clothed with Majesty," [stanza 1]
(PsH 562)

Why did Christ command us to call God "our Father"?

March 1, 1991
Our World Belongs to God: a Hymn Festival Using the CRC Contemporary Testimony
WE MEET GOD

Prelude and Processional: "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty," arr. M. Shaw, H. Hopson [PsH 253]

[The congregation is asked to join the choir in singing in unison stanzas 1,2, and 4 at the conclusion of the processional]

Reading: Psalm 95:1-2

Psalm 98: "Sing, Sing a New Song," arr. D. Grotenhuis [PsH 98]

Stanza 1—All
Stanza 2—Choir
Stanza 3—All

Welcome