Mary Jane Voogt is Director of Music Ministry at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, Kansas City, Missouri. She was also a member of the editorial council of Reformed Worship.
Are you looking for ways to bring a spirit of renewal to your worship this fall? One way to do that is to breathe new life into your congregational hymn-singing through the addition of istruments, soloists, children, concertato arrangements, reharmonizations, and antiphony.
The songs on these pages share three characteristics that might help you encourage revitalized hymn-singing in your worship this fall:
An Easter service often begins with great festivity, with bright organ and trumpet music, with "all the lights up." Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church chose a different mood for this Easter service. Their concern was to remember that Easter morning is the completion of the Holy Week journey. So the service began the way it concluded on Good Friday: in darkness, with no banners, no flowers, no prelude.
In situations of joy as well as in occasions of crisis, phrases or refrains of hymns will sing in our minds, offering encouragement and consolation. Because hymns are a powerful tool for learning and using theology, we need to consider where—or if—our children are learning to sing and love a variety of the great hymns of faith.
Helen Kemp. Garland, TX: Chorister's Guild, 1989, 91 pp., $12.95
It is easy to catch Kemp's enthusiasm for teaching young choristers as you read this manual for directors of younger elementary choirs. Her many years of experience in children's music result in practical and clearly presented suggestions.
Dear God,
Church is alright but you sure could use better music. I hope this does not hurt your feelings. Can you write some new songs?
Your Friend, Barry*
