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 The Verse
A monthly newsletter
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The Hymn Society
in the United States and Canada
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February 2016
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As Ash Wednesday approaches to begin another Lenten journey, I pray you will find through the season a renewed faith and closer relationship to God. If your observance includes taking on a new discipline, perhaps this year you will consider making hymns a part of your Lenten work: reading and praying challenging new texts or comforting old ones, composing a new tune, or writing new words.
Keep in touch and keep singing ---
Deb Deborah Loftis
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Lifting Hearts - Joining Hands - Raising Voices: The Campaign for The Center for Congregational
S ong
2016 is the final year of our campaign to endow The Center for Congregational Song. We've been able to begin on many of our dream initiatives, but there's so much more we could do if funds were available.
Have you made a gift yet? If you made a pledge, are you up to date on your giving? This is a good time to review and make sure you are following through to help us succeed in this campaign.
Thank you for your commitment and participation and support!
Together we can accomplish much to encourage, promote, and enliven congregational song.
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2016 Annual Conference in Redlands, California ONLINE REGISTRATION IS OPEN!!!REGISTER NOWFestival Leader Jan Kraybill
Jan Kraybill is Principal Organist for the Dome and Spire Organ Foundation, an affiliate of the international headquarters of Community of Christ in Independence, Missouri, and Organ Conservator at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City. She regularly plays and oversees the care of the three largest pipe organs in the Kansas City metro area: the Community of Christ Auditorium's 113-rank Aeolian-Skinner (installed in 1959), the Temple's 102-rank Casavant (1993), and the 102-rank Julia Irene Kauffman Casavant (2012) in the Kauffman Center's Helzberg Hall. Jan has piano performance and education degrees from Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas, and a doctorate in organ performance from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance, who honored her with its Alumni Achievement award in 2014. In 2010 she earned the Fellow certificate from the American Guild of Organists (AGO), the highest certification available for organists.
Jan has long been an active member of The Hymn Society, recently serving on the Executive Committee as Member-at-Large. She was invited to be an official representative of The Hymn Society, along with Kenneth Hull, Geoffrey Moore, and Robin Knowles Wallace, to the joint hymnological conference in Cambridge, England this past summer. Jan planned and led from the organ our Society's hymn festival for that event. In Redlands, we will repeat this highly successful festival for our own conference attendees.
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Hymnary.org Resources FlexScores by Hymnary.org are a revolutionary type of score that lets your print lead sheets, large print, bulletin, or project different versions (with melody or harmony) of hymns. The technology also allows you to print out scores for orchestral instruments including brass and strings, transpose, and re-size music and text. Visit www.hymnary.org/flexscores for more details.
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New Orleans Conference Photos
The photo flash drives for the 2015 Annual Conference in New Orleans have been mailed. If a Hymn Society member would like a photo flash drive who did not make a request at the Conference, please email a request to Glenn Richardson GlenARich@aol.com
Be sure to include your mailing address.
Many thanks to Glenn and Judy Brown Richardson for their faithful photo documentation of our conferences!!
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Seeking an Online Hymnology Course
Do any of our readers have plans to teach or know of an upcoming hymnology course online? One of our members has inquired on behalf of a student who wishes to take such as course. Please contact Deb with information. deb@thehymnsociety.org
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Dictionary of North American Hymnology The DNAH Hymnal Collection now has its own website. Consisting of just over 1,000 hymnals, it is available for consultation and reference. Check it out at http://osu.campusguides.com/hymnalslima
Our thanks to Tina Schneider for continuing work as editor of this important database.
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Amazon Smile Remember that you can support The Hymn Society each time to buy books and products through Amazon. Enter the site through Amazon Smile, register The Hymn Society as your charity, and then enjoy your purchases even more, knowing that a percentage will come to us as a result.
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Reviews of Hymn-Based Compositions
Thanks this month to Dorothy VanAndel Frisch for reviews of choral music. Reviews
If you'd like to write some reviews of hymn-based compositions, please contact Robin Knowles Wallace rwallace@mtso.edu
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RCA Grant
The Reformed Church Center at New Brunswick Theological Seminary invites proposals for:The Alvin J. Poppen And John R. Young Fellowship
An opportunity for research and/or presentation in Reformed Worship and Liturgy
The Alvin J. Poppen and John R. Young Fellowship provides a $500.00 stipend, travel expenses, and the possibility a two-week residency at New Brunswick Theological Seminary to support research in Reformed Worship, particularly as it pertains to the RCA.
More more information please see: Announcement
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Worship Survey
Ed Frazier is conducting a survey on worship practices and invites your participation
The purpose of the "worship service questionnaire" is to determine trends by denomination, of the styles of worship, the music mostly commonly used in worship,
and any trends which have developed in recent years in our churches.
The questions are designed to be completed by clergy and musicians.
Your comments, feedback, and opinions are welcomed, so that I can improve this questionnaire before publication.
Thanks again for all your help. . Please click on the link to take the survey.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ejfhymns16
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What is a Hymnal?
Royce Eckhardt has written an article about the expansive meaning of hymnals that was published recently by The Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
It is one of HSGBI Short Guides. The article is attached here as pdf but all the Short Guides can be found on our website. Click on Resources then scroll to Other Resources. Click on Short Guides and you will be redirected to the HSGBI website where you can read or download all the Guides. Thanks to HSGBI for making these resources widely available. What is a Hymnal?
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New Hymn Contest
The Notre Dame Children's Choir announces a Hymn Competition for a new hymn with original text and original music.
The original text and tune will address the theme of God's love and our relationship with one another during times of turmoil. Put another way, in light of recent domestic and international violence, refugees searching for safety, nation warring against nation, and political divisiveness, craft a hymn text and tune that speaks to God's all encompassing love that is made complete through connection with one another.
The winning entry will receive $600, have their HYMN sung by the Notre Dame Children's Choir, and the HYMN will be considered for recording by the Notre Dame Children's Choir on their next album. Deadline for entries is midnight on March 31, 2016. The winner will be announced by April 15, 2016.
More Information
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Hymn Society Hymn Search
As part of The Hymn Society's ongoing commitment to the enrichment of congregational song and in anticipation of the 2016 conference "Formed in Faith, Shaped by Song" the Executive Committee has announced a search for a theologically rich hymn or song that engages the theme of the role of congregational singing in faith formation. The winning entry will be premiered at our 2016 conference in Redlands, California. An effective entry in this hymn search will address how singing as a part of a faith community shapes faith through various stages of life. The prize for the winning entry will be $500. Submissions must be received in The Hymn Society office by May 15, 2016. See the attachments for the full announcement, guidelines and entry form.
Announcement Guidelines Entry Form |
Continuing Hymn and Psalm Contests
Reformation -- 500th Anniversary Search
"We are searching everywhere for poets," shared Martin Luther in a letter to a friend, "so that the Word of God may be among the people also in the form of music" (AE 49:68).
Centuries later, The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod is looking for rising, talented writers too! Our hymn competition in honor of the Reformation's 500th anniversary is your opportunity to create a brand new hymn text that will bless the Church around the world. Join the ranks of Reformation hymn writers Martin Luther, Paul Speratus, and Elizabeth Cruciger with an original entry that reflects the historic purpose of Christian hymns: a proclamation of the Word, teaching the faith, and praise to God.
Fairmount Presbyterian Church, 2757 Fairmount Blvd, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118 announces a Hymn Writing Competition for a new hymn (text and tune) to celebrate its 100th anniversary in October 2016. The hymn text and tune must be original, suited for praise and celebration for a centennial worship service. A cash prize of $1,000 will be awarded to the winner (author-composer) or equally divided between an author and composer team. The hymn will be premiered on Sunday, October 23, 2016. Submissions must be e-mailed or postmarked by May 1, 2016. Contact: Robert Moncrief, Minister of Music and Organist, at Rmoncrief@fairmountchurch.org or 216-321-5800 (ext.135).
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News of Members
Lila Balisky completed a doctorate in missiology/ethnomusicology at Fuller Theological Seminary in 2016 under the supervision of Dr. Roberta King. The dissertation title is: "Songs of Ethiopia's Tesfaye Gabbiso: Singing with Understanding in Babylon, the Meantime, and Zion." Cynthia Wilson has been named Director of The Center for Music and Worship in the Black Church Experience (CMWBCE), a one-of-a-kind in North America.
Ken Nafziger led the closing worship on January 10, 2016 at Laurelville Mennonite Church Center for the 29th Annual Music & Worship Leaders Weekend. Next year the Weekend will be held January 6-8. For more information, visit the website:
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Upcoming Events
February 21, 2016 -- Keith and Kristen Getty invite you to join a global hymn sing "Facing a Task Unfinished" to underscore the work of the church in evangelism. Learn more at YouTube:
February 27, 2016 - The Southern Ontario Chapter of The Hymn Society will welcome Dan Damon, distinguished writer, composer, theologian, and clinician, to speak on "Justice in Hymnody" at Emmanuel College of Victoria University in the University of Toronto. The event is co-sponsored by the Department of Continuing Education of Emmanuel College. Registration is required and can be done at
Flyer
February 27, 2016 - "Singing with the Spirit," a workshop featuring national and local clinicians with tracks for pastors, music ministers, worship leaders, and keyboard players and a closing hymn festival, will be presented at Vienna Baptist Church, 541 Marshall Road, SW, Vienna, VA. CJ Redden-Liota is Music Minister at the church and host for the event. For more information, contact Brian Hehn brian@thehymnsociety.orgApril 2, 2016 - "Children Sing the World's Faith" an all-day event for children's choir with hymn festival open to the public at 3 pm. Brian Hehn will be the clinician. Location: Bon Air United Methodist Church, 1645 Buford Rd N Chesterfield, VA 2323. Contact Andrea Baxter for more information. abaxter@trinitylansdale.com
April 4-6, 2016 - the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America) is hosting a conference for worship leaders at Valparaiso University in Indiana. Delores Dufner, OSB, FHS has been commissioned to write a hymn for the event, and to be one of the plenary speakers, along with Paul Westermeyer, FHS and Don Saliers, on the theme: Bearing God's Creative Word to All the World: Vocation and Worship. The commissioned hymn is "Who Is the Neighbor" (inspired by the Good Samaritan story), which has been set to music by St. Paul composer Mark Sedio.
April 10, 2016 - "Write a Hymn - Who, Me??" Royal York Road United Church, on Royal York Road, Toronto, south of Bloor St. SOCHS member Lydia Pedersen will soon be finishing a D.Min. degree focused on workshops on hymn writing for beginners. In her interactive presentation, she will report on the results of these sessions with beginners in hymn writing: the folks in the pew who never thought they had what it took and were pleasantly surprised, and along the way, those who encountered unexpected personal transformations, and growth in their faith journeys. Come, hear the stories and sing their hymns, ask questions, and perhaps go home inspired to try your own hand at the fascinating art of hymn writing.
May 1, 2016 -- Join Hymn Society members Steve Starke and Andreas Teich as they present a hymn festival of ten Welsh tunes sponsored by the Saginaw Valley chapter of the AGO. We gather at Trinity Episcopal Church, Bay City on Sunday, May 1 at 4:00pm. Along with favorites, like Hyfrydol and Cwm Rhondda, we will sing less well-known ones such as Suo Gan and Blaenwern.
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