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 The Verse
A monthly newsletter |
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The Hymn Society
in the United States and Canada | February 2011 |
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Greetings!
Greetings from The Hymn Society! After our first issue, we had several people ask why we picked "The Verse" as the name of our newsletter when we already have "The Stanza." While we know that in common practice "stanza" and "verse" are often used interchangably, we're thinking of "verse" as one line of poetry. Thus, our three publications move from larger to smaller units: The Hymn, The Stanza, and The Verse. If we come up with another form of publication, we may have to throw out the whole idea and start over! But for now, anyway, that's the explanation. I hope you're enjoying the news we're sending along. Please forward this to friends and colleagues who might also enjoy it. Anyone who's interested can receive The Verse! At the Calvin Symposium on Worship in January, we had over 50 people sign up for The Verse! Welcome to all of you who are in that group! (We had a grand time in Grand Rapids, didn't we?) Sincerely, Deb Deborah Loftis 
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HSGBI and IAH Renewals
Last call for enrolling or renewing your joint membership in our two sister organizations for this year. Cost for each organization is $12.50. If you wish to be listed for 2011 with either or both groups, please contact the office right away with your payment! |
 | | July 17-21, 2011 |
Summer Conference Update
Have you made your plans to join us in Colorado Springs this summer, July 17-21? Conference program information and online registration are available online. Click on the link to check out the details! conference information and registration
The printed brochure will be included in the Winter issue of The Hymn.
We have five exciting festivals planned for the week, in five different locations, each one beautiful and inviting. You'll want to make sure you don't miss the closing festival!
Sunday: "Touch the Earth Lightly: Singing our Care for the Earth" led by Don Anderson and members of the Southern Ontario Chapter of the Hymn Society -- Grace and St. Stephen Episcopal Church
Monday: "A Heart to Praise our God: a Festival Highlighting Hymns by Gay and Lesbian Poets and Composers" led by Donna Hamilton and Jim Mitulski -- First Congregational Church
Tuesday: "Rooted in the Rockies: Congregational Song with a Colorado Connection" led by Mark Alan Filbert and Thomas C. Strickland -- St. Paul Lutheran Church, Denver
Wednesday: "The Earth is our Mother" led by Nancy Faus, Sue Mitchell-Wallace and Sally Ann Morris -- First United Methodist Church
Thursday: "Look in Wonder, Hold in Honour" led by Joanne Reynolds and John Thornburg -- Air Force Academy Chapel
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News of Members
Earlier this month, Donald P. Hustad, FHS was presented a copy of the Festschrift in his honor by co-editors Tim Sharp and Paul A. Richardson, FHS.  Congratulations to Don for an honor richly deserved! Many Hymn Society members contributed to the volume entitled, Jubilate, Amen! A Festschrift in Honor of Donald Paul Hustad, which is available from the Book Service.
Harry Eskew, FHS, invites you to visit his hymnology website: SingWithUnderstanding.com. In addition to general hymnic information and links, shape note fans will enjoy a video interview with Raymond Hambrick.
On February 19, he joined about 100 Sacred Harp singers gathered in Bremen, GA for a surprise 80th birthday celebration for Hugh McGraw. McGraw, known as "Mr. Sacred Harp" led in producing the 1991 edition of the 1844 shape-note tunebook and has been an ambassador for Sacred Harp singing all over the US. Congratulations, Hugh!
David Hurd will host a workshop on his hymns for the American Guild of Organists Brooklyn, NY chapter on March 5, 2011. Find more details here: Hurd workshop This AGO chapter also held a program on the life and legacy of Calvin Hampton on February 26. We're glad to see their emphasis on hymnody!
"A Feast Prepared", a new requiem by Hymn Society members Amanda Husberg (composer) and Richard Leach (poet) will be premiered by The Elizabethtown Area Sacred Community Choir directed by Sida Roberts on Saturday, March 5 and Sunday, March 6 in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. The Saturday performance is at 7:30 PM at St. James Catholic Church, 307 W. Dixie Ave., Elizabethtown (270-765-6268), the Sunday performance is at 3:00 PM at First Presbyterian Church, 1016 Pear Orchard Rd., Elizabethtown (270-763-7663). Both concerts will also include TEASCC repertoire. The new requiem is written from a Lutheran theological perspective celebrating Jesus' victory over death, and is scored for SATB accompanied by flute, clarinet, cello and organ.
Keep our President, John Thornburg, in your prayers as he in travelling in Cameroon during the first half of March.
Dean McIntyre and others from the United Methodist Publishing House and the General Board of Discipleship will unveil the new hymnal supplement, Worship & Song, in Nashville, March 1-3. If you can't make it to Nashville, John Thornburg will lead a sectional on the supplement this summer in Colorado Springs. Hymn Society members have a role in 58 of the hymns, songs and choruses-30% of the contents.
Margaret Leask and colleagues will celebrate the centennial of Waterloo Lutheran Seminary and Wilfrid Laurier University and the sesquicentennial of Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada with The Leupold Legacy Lecture and other events, on March 5. Of note for hymnologists, Dr. Ulrich Leupold was a member of the hymnal committees for the Lutheran Service Books and Hymnal (1958) and for the Lutheran Book of Worship (until his premature death of Lou Gehrig's disease in 1970). He served on the Inter-Lutheran Commission of Worship in the 1960:s and edited the fourth edition of Laudamus (1970), the hymn and songbook of the Lutheran World Federation. Congratulations, Margaret, for the milestones attained!
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Brief Notes
The Spartanburg SC Music Trail was recently opened and at the beginning of the trail is the station for William (Singing' Billy) Walker (1809-75), who in his Southern Harmony of 1835 first published together the words of Newton's "Amazing Grace" with the folk melody now so closely associated with those words. The annual South Carolina State Singing in Memory of William Walker will be held at Wofford College on Saturday, March 19.
James Burson of Columbus, Ohio notified the office that he has 54 oblong tune books available for trade or sale. In addition, he has over 1,000 other hymns available. Please contact him at jburson001@columbus.rr.com
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| Hymn Contest
St. Peter's Catholic Church in Charlotte, NC is sponsoring a hymn contest in celebration of 25 years of Jesuit leadership. The content should include the qualitative aspects of Ignatian spirituality and ministry. Financial prizes for first, second, and third places will be $1000, $500 and $250, and will be awarded for both text-only and music-text submissions (priority being given to commonly used metrical settings). Deadline is June 6, 2011. Details available from Bill Rainey, music director at St. Peter's j_s_bachorgan@hotmail.com |
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News from Christchurch
The office has heard from Bill Wallace, a Christchurch, New Zealand-based hymn writer who has been at several of our conferences (and who will have a new collection of hymns presented this sumer by WLP) He and Barbara escaped harm in the recent devastating earthquake. Their home, though still habitable, sustained considerable damage. Please keep the people of Christchurch in your prayers as they struggle with the second major earthquake in less than a year. The city center is heavily damaged and many people are still missing. They have a long road to recovery. |
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Recent Hymn Festivals
Look for updates each month on recent festivals that have come to our attention. The Stanza will continue to provide a cumulative list semi-annually. If your congregation or community holds a hymn festival, please the office know about it and send copies of the program if possible.
November 8, 2010 - Sing a New Song to the Lord: A evening of new hymns and song. At Saint Paul United Methodist in Omaha, John Thornburg led a festival of hymns written by Hymn Society members. John also led similar events in Des Moines and Kansas City during November, publicizing The Hymn Society and encouraging people to attend our summer conference.
December 12, 2010 - Advent Hymns and Carols. Ronald D. Giles, baritone and Joan E. Giles, accompanist led the singing from the New Century Hymnal at Church of the Loving Shepherd at Bournelyf, West Chester, PA
December 15, 2010 - Hymns of the Season and Their Stories. Ronald D. Giles and Joan E. Giles led the singing from The Presbyterian Hymnal 1990. First Presbyterian Church, West Chester, PA.
*December 19, 2010 - "Carol Our Christmas" was held at Yanceyville Christian Church in Louisa, Virginia. Kelly Tennille Grooms led the service which was accompanied by George Payne, organist.
*January 16, 2011 - Kelly Tennille Grooms and Deborah Carlton Loftis led "For Everyone Born a Place at the Table: Singing in Celebration of Diversity and Encouraging an Awareness of Justice & Peace" at Yanceyville Christian Church, Louisa, Virginia. The organist was George Payne.
* Contact the office for a full script of the festival.
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