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 The Verse
A monthly newsletter |
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The Hymn Society
in the United States and Canada |
February 2012 |
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Greetings!
Just this week, I have had the opportunity to reconnect with some folks whom I haven't seen for years--a friend from seminary days, a former student, a family member. Because it all happened in one week, the reconnections have really caught my attention. How good it was to catch up, to relive old memories, to find out what each one is involved in now! At the beginning of my Lenten journey, I'm thinking of other significant people that I would like to reconnect with--people who have made a difference in my life. I'm grateful for them and want to be sure to let them know I haven't forgotten.
I'm grateful for the difference that The Hymn Society has made in my life (long before I ever dreamed of working in this office!). Many of you have encouraged and inspired me in my studies and in ministry. So, thank you for ways you have helped to shape my path!
Wherever your path leads you from now to Easter resurrection, may your Lenten journey be blessed.
Meanwhile, keep singing!!
Deb
Deborah Loftis
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Rusty Edwards' text, "Praise the One who breaks the darkness" was the first song to be sung in Antarctica, on January 1, 2012. It was sung during worship at the Chapel of the Snows at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Rusty tells us, "I was thrilled that they chose this song, and also realized that this means my hymns have now been sung on EVERY continent on Earth." Congratulations, Rusty!!
We remember in prayer the families of two Hymn Society members whose deaths were reported to us recently.
James R. Webb, Jr., who was a long-time Georgia resident, died May 30, 2010, Little Rock, AR. He was an active member from 1988-2006.
Forest E. Perkins died January 6, 2012 in Hebron, Maine. |
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March 3, 2012 - Olson Campus Center, Luther Seminary, 1490 Fulham, St. Paul, Minn. "Maurice Duruflé: A Liturgical Musician", a conference of Music, Lectures and Workshops. James Frazier, an expert on Duruflé and author of Maurice Duruflé: The Man and His Music, will lead conference participants into this topic. He will be joined by Anthony Ruff, a monk who teaches at St. John's University in Collegeville; Dirk Lange, a former brother at Taizé who teaches at Luther Seminary; and Christopher Aspaas, a choral conductor who teaches at St. Olaf College. Pre-registration is preferable. Contact Luther Seminary's Master of Sacred Music Office at 651-523-1612 or at krongsta@luthersem.edu; or by the conference website www.luthersem.edu/sacredmusic.
March 19-21, 2012 - Candler School of Theology will host The Singing Church: Current Practices and Emerging Trends in Congregational Song, a conference that will explore the emerging practices, leadership skills, and repertories of congregational song. Hymn Society members among the leaders include Barbara Day Miller, Carlton R. Young, James Abbington, Mary Louise Bringle, Greg Scheer, Tony Alonso, Delores Dufner, John Bell, and Deb Loftis. To register for the conference, purchase general admission tickets ($20) to the John Bell concert, or for more information visit: The Singing Church
Two upcoming seminars at Calvin College:
June 18-22, 2012, "Singing What We Believe: Theology and Hymn Texts" will led by Bert Polman, More information at http://www.calvin.edu/scs/2012/seminars/polman/
July 23-Aug. 3, 2012, "Globalization and Worship: Soundings from the Worldwide Church" led by Charles Farhadian. More information at http://www.calvin.edu/scs/2012/seminars/farhadian/
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2012 Summer Conference -- THE MEETING PLACE
The conference brochure is available online! You can view the schedule and find information about all the sectionals being offered.
To view the brochure, click here.
The conference brochure will be available in the Winter issue of The Hymn as well and should be arriving in your mailboxes very soon.
The Monday evening festival, "Making Full the Circle of God: Celebrating with More Voices" will be led by Bruce Harding and Lloyd MacLean. Though they live on opposite sides of the country, Bruce and Lloyd have worked together often, especially in introducing More Voices across Canada.
Bruce serves as contractor for music ministry at Crossroads United Church in Delta, BC, and as music leader at Pacific InterChristian Community in Vancouver, BC. He was Managing Editor for More Voices, the latest hymnal supplement from Wood Lake Books and The United Church of Canada, and is a past co-chair of Music United: The United Church of Canada Association of Musicians. Bruce is a writer and composer, a frequent workshop leader, and a song leader at gatherings across North America.
Lloyd serves as music director at Green Hill-Alma United Church in Alma, Pictou County, Nova Scotia, is part-time music leader at Trinity United in New Glasgow, NS, and often provides music leadership at Tatamagouche Centre in northern Nova Scotia. He is a member of the More Voices Development Team, and former Music Editor for Gathering, the periodical worship resource for the United Church of Canada. He is currently chair of Music United, and plays piano with Christian recording artists, the Common Cup Company.
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Contest Winner Announced
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church of Kansas City, Missouri, has selected a winner for the first phase of their hymn contest to commemorate and celebrate its 100th Anniversary. The winner of the text competition is The Rev. Prof. Adrian Low, of Staffordshire, UK. Phase two, the earch for a new tune to underscore this winning text, will begin soon. The winning text will be published with the new tune at the end of the search process.
Adrian Low, the winner, teaches at Staffordshire University, in the United Kingdom, as professor of computing education. Additionally, he is faculty director for research, resources, and enterprise. In 2010, he completed his MA in Theology and Pastoral Studies at Nottingham University. He is a clergyman in the Church of England, and curate of the parishes of Alrewas, Fradley, and Wychnor in Staffordshire. |
| Continuing Hymn Contests
Humbercrest United Church, Toronto, and the Southern Ontario Chapter of the Hymn Society
are co-sponsoring a hymn search "Marking Significant Moments in Congregational History. Full details and a very concise summary are available on our site at www.sochs.org. Deadline for submissions is May 15, 2012
United Theological Seminary
has announced a new competition: "New Songs and Hymns for Renewal: A Conpetition for Writers and Composers." This competition will search for hymns/songs in three distinct categories: (1) new text and tune, (2) new music for traditional hymn/song texts, (3) new hymn text for traditional hymn tune. The deadline for submission is April 20, 2012. Visit
http://united.edu/Music-Competition/New-Songs-and-Hymns-for-Renewal/menu-id-639.html for more details.
The Hymn Society
has opened a search for new hymns on Unity in Diversity for the 2012 Summer Conference, "The Meeting Place." Visit our website
www.thehymnsociety.org for more information, guidelines and entry forms. Deadline for submission is April 30, 2012.
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Who Said it First??
Joe Herl, hard at work on the companion for the Lutheran Service Book, contacted me with a most interesting question: Who first coined the term "hymn explosion" to refer to the outpouring of new texts and tunes that started in the 1960's and 70's?
The chase has led to delightful conversations and email exchanges with several scholars and a number of possibilities for the original phrase: George Shorney, Robin Leaver, Alan Dunstan, James Sydnor, Fred Pratt Green. . . but the earliest mention I have found in print is Erik Routley in The Hymn (April 1977) in an article entitled, "The Background of the English Reaissance in Hymnody." In the opening sentence, Routley states, "I have been asked to say why I think the hymn-explosion of the late 1960's occurred in England, and especially why we have produced such a crop of fine writers all at the same time." (p. 64)
His statement, however, clearly implies that the term was already in use! So--all you hymn sleuths out there, can anyone document an earlier appearance?
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