Suggestion Box

                                                                                                   9/5/10

It would be nice to try some more contemporary hymns or songs during the worship service.

This note appeared last month in our suggestion box. I think I might agree with the sentiment expressed in the note, but I can't be sure what it means by contemporary.

On Sunday, Sept. 5, we sang these hymns:

• #455 "All Creatures of Our God and King" [words 1225, tune 1623]
• #353 "Great God, Your Love Has Called Us Here"  [words 1973, tune 1609]
• #525 “Here I Am, Lord” [words & tune: 1981]

So two of these hymns were written within 20 years of the publication of our hymnal. They might have been considered contemporary by the hymnal committee.

Perhaps the suggestion intends a different style of music? The are composers of church music creating today in many different genres: praise music, gospel, Christian rock, international, jazz, even hip-hop.

To give a listen to some of these options, click on these links, and sample the sounds:

• "Yeshua" by Cheryl Bear (one of my favorites--a Native American, contemporary song)
• "Yeshua" by Beckah Shae (another, more urban)
• "Beauty in the World" by Macy Gray is a pop-music sermon. I played it at the Children's Time and danced and clapped in my farewell as Interim Pastor with the United Presbyterian Church of Middletown, NY
• "Everlasting God" by Praise-Apella is a mix of pop, jazz, hip-hop and R&B.
•  "Sweet Surrender" by HisNameHigh is cutting edge, youth, Christian rock band.

What do you hear on "contemporary" Christian radio stations today? Music by singers like Michael W. Smith, Third Day, The Newsboys, Jeremy Camp, Casting Crowns, and Jars Of Clay. If I recognize their names, they're probably considered ancient by any Christian under 30!

My personal favorite "more contemporary" hymn can actually be found as #557 in our hymnal. I dare you to get it out and then follow along as Fernando Ortega sings "¿Con Que Pagaremos?"

If we could hear our community requesting a particular song/hymn, or style of music for worship, I'm sure the congregation would be willing to try it. I aim to please, but anonymous notes in the Suggestion Box are hard to follow up on. You'll need to contact me.

--Jack Lohr, Interim Pastor

PS: You may not be aware that in Presbyterian churches the pastor normally chooses the hymns and the music director chooses the service music and choral anthems. I try to choose at least two familiar hymns each Sunday. If we were going to introduce a regular practice of singing songs/hymns that are not in the hymnal, I'd want to include the Worship & Arts Committee in that decision and arrange to subscribe to one of the copyright licensing services.