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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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August 2016
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Is it really August already?? Where has the summer gone? The days are speeding by. Well, truthfully, it's still pretty hot here in Virginia, but there are signs that fall is on the way. Some children are already back in school and stores are displaying sweaters and jackets.
We seem to live continually in "fast forward" mode, always looking ahead to what's just around the corner. I hope you'll find some time to put your feet up -- or take a walk -- and enjoy the present days. Maybe savor the memories of good vacation days or times with friends.
I'm remembering with thankfulness our very fine annual conference in Redlands. Ben Brody and his program committee certainly put together a group of stellar leaders and the singing was as uplifting as ever! Brian Hehn and Courtney Murtaugh kept everything moving along smoothly, and Sherry McCormick made sure there was plenty in the bookstore to fill our suitcases on the return trip. My thanks especially to all the members of the Executive Committee who were busy all week introducing sessions, making connections, and welcoming new attendees and the "regulars." It's always hard to say goodbye, but I hope John Ambrose and Kirk Hartung are finding that they have a few extra moments each week now that their responsibilities as Immediate Past President and Treasurer have concluded. A big thank to them for their wisdom and leadership over several years!
Believing that when one attains the exalted status of "nonagenarian" the party should go on all year, attendees at the conference this summer sang Happy Birthday to two of our Fellows -- Alice Parker and Carlton (Sam) Young. Here's the recording we sent to Sam and Alice. Sing along if you wish!
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 WE DID IT!!! It came down to the wire, but when we held the closing celebratory banquet to officially close the campaign, we were able to announce that we had received ONE MILLION DOLLARS
in gifts and pledges for our Endowment Fund. Gifts and pledges came in all week at the conference that brought us so very close and then Babs Baugh and her family stepped up once more and made a gift in honor of plenary speaker, Molly T. Marshall, that carried us across the goal. Of course, our ultimate goal is still out in front of us; the work is not over, but we have completed a historic fund-raising effort for The Hymn Society. Thank you, thank you to everyone who gave so generously. Your gifts will help us live into the goals we have to make The Center for Congregational Song a vital resource for all who work with the church's song! |
Writing the Church's Song The Text writers cohort is FULL and just a few openings are left for composers and song writers. Register now so you don't miss out! Outstanding faculty will guide participants, providing insights from their own writing process and offering feedback. There will be time for small group interaction and ample time for individuals to work on their own projects. The workshop will be held at Richmond Hill, an ecumenical community in the heart of Richmond, Virginia. Full schedule is available and registration is open on the website .
Registrations are already coming in so reserve your spot soon!!
Schedule Overview
Monday, Sept 26: check in after 4 pm and join the community for prayer and dinner Tuesday Sept 27 through Thursday Sept 29: workshop sessions Friday Sept 30: check out after breakfast and depart for home Faculty
   Adam M. L. Tice David M. Bailey Sally Ann Morris
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Call for Sectional Proposals for 2017
The Hymn Society is accepting proposals for sectionals for the 2017 Annual Conference to be held in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, July 16-20. The main focus of the conference is "500 Years since The Reformation." The secondary focus is "150 Years since Canada's Confederation." Sectional sessions are 75 minutes in length.
The submission deadline is October 1, 2016, and forms for submission are on The Hymn Society website, www.thehymnsociety.org. Be prepared to enter a title, description, primary leader's name and contact information, and if you will need a keyboard and/or projection equipment. Other information that will be useful includes secondary leader's name and contact information, biographical statements of the leaders, rehearsal time, handouts, and bookstore requests. Please use the online form for submission. If you have any difficulty with the online form, contact Brian Hehn brian@thehymnsociety.org
Anyone is welcome to submit a proposal, however submissions that support and uphold the mission of The Hymn Society and that address the 2017 conference focus will be given priority. Priority will also be given to submissions by members of The Hymn Society and/or the Association for Reformed and Liturgical Worship (AR&LW), who is co-hosting our conference in 2017.
Accepted proposals will be notified in November of 2016 and will be offered partial support to attend the conference.
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Interfaith Prayer for Peace
In 2011 Howard Maples wrote "Interfaith Prayer for Peace" for the tenth-anniversary observance of the September 11 attacks. If you are interested in using that hymn for the 15th-anniversary observance on Sunday, September 11, Howard has sent his 2015 revision of the text along with reprint permission information. Hope Publishing Co. now administers the copyright to this hymn through their "Hope Online Hymnody" resource, so you can download their PDF with congregation, organ, and descant parts by visiting "Hope Online Hymnody" and following the reprint permission directions on the Hope website.
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The James and Shelly Lutzweiler Hymnal Collection
James Lutzweiler has spent five decades collecting hymnals that now number in the thousands. Recently, Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia accepted the collection which includes many gospel song collections.
The hymnals' dominant theme is American evangelism, and the majority of the pieces are from between 1875 and 1950. Included in the collection is a first-edition of Golden Showers by William Bradbury, which includes the first appearance of "Jesus Loves Me," as well as an evangelistic rally hymnbook signed by Billy Sunday, according to a news release.
For the full article, see: Lynchburg News and Advance |
Hymnal Collection AvailableRonald Keeney has a collection of roughly 1500 hymnals and related reference works. He collected them over the last 30 years or so, but now must consider their ultimate destination. Because of the efforts spent in locating and acquiring them, he would prefer to donate them as a collection to an organization that could use them, rather than having them dispersed by dealers. Any interested organization can contact him at keeney.r@sbcglobal.net.
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Hymnals Available
St. Simons Presbyterian Church has 180 1990 Blue Presbyterian hymnals to donate.
Contact information:
Rhonda Hambright, Director of Music
St. Simons Presbyterian Church
205 Kings Way
St. Simons Island, GA 31522
USA
rhonda@sspres.org
(912) 638-2220
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Hymnary.org
Hymnary.org recently released mobile app updates for two hymnals -- "Lift Up Your Hearts" (for Android) and "The United Methodist Hymnal" (for iOS - for iPads only). These are official apps for the respective publishers with powerful search capabilities. The free version of both apps includes page scans of public domain materials. Copyrighted materials and FlexScores are accessible through in-app purchases.
Kai Ton Chau
Program Manager, Hymnary.org
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Jazz for the Journey
The second National Jazz Symposium is coming soon to Eden Theological Seminary, St. Louis, Mo
Featuring Keynote Presenter
The Reverend Geoffrey Black
Visiting Professor of Leadership and Ecumenical Studies at Eden Seminary and
retired General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ
Jazz for the Journey - an exciting event exploring the power of jazz in the church's worship and ministry.
Experience jazz worship, keynote addresses, workshops, creative jazz/spirit reflections, and more.
Perform in our Friday night concert.
Registration goes "live" in a few weeks.
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MTSO Offers Congregational Song Courses in 2016-17
Methodist Theological School in Ohio will be offering two congregational song courses in the 2016-17 academic year. Music of Taizé will meet Sept. 10 and Oct. 1, 2016, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., with some online work during those months. Praise and Worship will meet Feb. 11 and 25, 2017, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., with some online work in February. Both courses carry one hour of graduate academic credit and are taught by Dr. Robin Knowles Wallace. To enroll, contact admissions@mtso.edu . To audit the class for no credit, contact academicaffairs@mtso.edu.
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Reviews of Hymn-Based Compositions
We have two sets of reviews this month. Jane Best sends her reviews of anthems and Lance Peeler sends reviews of Christmas compositions. Thanks to both Jane and Lance!
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New Psalm Contest
In an effort to encourage Psalm-singing, Church of the Servant invites congregational songwriters to submit a Psalm-based song to its 2016 COS New Psalm Contest. The winner will receive a $500 award. There is no entry fee and the contest is open to all. Submissions must be emailed or postmarked by October 1, 2016. The song will be premiered in worship on January 29, 2017. Church of the Servant is a Christian Reformed Church with a rich history of encouraging the arts in worship. Its worship is Reformed, liturgical, participatory, eclectic, and open to creative new worship expressions
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Continuing Hymn Contest
Macalester Plymouth United Church announces that their 2016 hymn contest seeks a hymn that welcomes individuals of all ages to share and connect as people of God at the communion table. Entries must be postmarked by December 31, 2016 and the winner will be announced in March 2017. For more information see the attached Press Release |
News of Members
Jonathan and Kelly Allen Hehn welcomed Augustin Kelly Hehn into their family on July 11. Brian Hehn is the proud uncle.
Maria Hopson Aggen and George Thomas Aggen made a gift to Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary to endow The Hal H. and Martha S. Hopson Symposium Fund, honoring the lives and work of Maria's parents. Austin Seminary President Theodore J. Wardlaw said, "Hal and Martha Hopson are icons of sacred music in America. Not only have they influenced generations of musicians by their compositions and hymn settings, they have also been equally comfortable at the organ bench-both playing the service and directing choirs. Choir directors, organists, and parishioners all over the country know and appreciate their lifetime of service in shaping the song of the church. Austin Seminary is deeply blessed to steward into the future the Hopson Symposia!" The purpose of the fund is to promote the life of music and worship in the church and to enhance the work of the faculty holder of The Gene Alice Sherman Chair of Sacred Music. This fund will generate the resources necessary to provide students and practitioners with educational opportunities beyond the classroom. The symposium fund will make possible a variety of opportunities such as conferences, guest speakers and musicians, residencies, hymn song festivals, commissioning of hymns and songs, partnering opportunities with other organizations, music and worship related forums, workshops, special assemblies, and much more.
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Upcoming Events
September 18, 2016 - John Kleinheksel will lead a Hymn Festival in Christ Memorial Church, Holland, MI, on the theme, "How Canons Model God and Human Interaction." Leaders from the S, A, T, and B sections will model and lead congregants in singing canons composed by John and others.
September 30, 2016 -- "I've Heard That Before: Hymns and Songs that Inspired Our Favorite Anthems. Presented by CJ Redden-Liotta, Music Minister, Vienna Baptist Church and Music in Worship Repertoire and Resources Chair, Virginia ACDA
Freemason Street Baptist Church
400 East Freemason Street
(the intersection of Bank and Freemason Streets)
Norfolk, VA 23510
Free and Open to the Public;Part of the Virginia ACDA Music in Worship Festival
The Grand Rapids Chapter of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians, coordinated by chapter director, Bob Batastini, FHS, is presenting a hymn festival celebrating the Jubilee Year of Mercy in Song, in six different locations around the diocese between this spring and next fall. Divided into five parts, focusing on a different aspects of God's merciful relationship with his people, each part will be preceded by a brief reading of the words of Pope Francis on this subject. Two additional presentations in Spanish, with appropriate music, are being prepared for next fall. For more information go to www.npm-gr.org Upcoming dates and locations are:
September 16th: Cathedral of St. Andrew September 23rd: Holy Family, Caledonia September 30th: St. Francis de Sales, Muskegon October 30, 2016 - SOCHS EVENT "Heart Songs of the World" 2:30 - 4:30 pm - How do people around the world express their joys and sorrow in song? What do they sing at funerals? Weddings? Times of celebration or desolation? What brings hope and healing? Saya Ojiri, student in the Emmanuel College Master of Sacred Music Program, will introduce us to hymns of Japan and invite us to join her in song. Please note: this event will include a short time for the SOCHS Annual Meeting.
November 6, 2016 -- Alice Parker, FHS will visit College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, IL to lead a community hymn sing on Sunday night. Tickets will be required for the event. Contact Lee Kesselman, lrkmus@sbcglobal.net
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