Thank you for your responses a few weeks ago when I asked you to list your three favorite hymns. It is instructive to view “our” favorite hymns in the list published below. First of all, no one hymn was everyone’s favorite. Secondly, the list reminds us that when we’re singing a hymn we don’t particularly like, it may be someone else’s favorite. Thirdly, no one gets their favorite hymns all the time; we must take turns.

We may think our favorite hymns are the “best”: how could everyone not feel the same? We see from the list that we do not all agree about which hymns we like, or which style of hymns we should sing. In addition, for any particular hymn, we probably don’t all agree about its tempo, the accompaniment, the frequency or the singability. Music preferences are often a very personal choice for reasons which touch our emotions more than our intellect. I think this is one reason church people “fight” about music styles and choices more than some other things.

While some people in the survey gave no particular reasons for choosing their hymns, we might guess that either the music or the words are meaningful, moving and/or uplifting. Or maybe they just liked the tune and the way they felt when singing it. Or it reminded them of a particular time in their life.

Here’s a sample from those who gave more specific reasons for their choices: The importance of the Trinity (Holy, Holy, Holy); God speaks to us in a “still small voice of calm” (Dear Lord and Father of Mankind); these [hymns] are comforting and let us know Jesus is not far away (Jesus Loves Me); it speaks of God’s love; a hymn of assurance that always lifts my spirit (Amazing Grace); I remember this as a song during the Civil Rights Movement (Precious Lord Take My Hand); the total surprise: God did want me though I felt so unworthy (Is It I, Lord?); all from my childhood; all make me smile and cry at the same time (Holy, Holy, Holy; The Old Rugged Cross; Blessed Assurance); Resurrection power—universal and personal (Christ the Lord Is Risen Today). Someone wrote: “All these hymns were personally very precious to me since high school and college. There is the challenge [and] the promise of God’s faithfulness.”

Music is such an essential part of our worship. God enjoys all kinds of music, with all kinds of accompaniments, in all different tempos—as long as the music and words honor God, give glory to Jesus Christ and are sung from hearts filled with the Spirit. Our music and our songs are thank-offerings to God, who has given us voices to sing his praises:

“. . . be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:18b-20

Let’s keep singing,


Pastor Stephanie

OUR FAVORITE HYMNS
April 2011
The number indicates how many times the hymn was listed by participants in the survey.

A Mighty Fortress     1
Abide with Me     1
Amazing Grace     12
And Can It Be     1
Angels We Have Heard on High     1
Are Ye Able     1
Away in a Manger     1
Be Thou My Vision     4
Blessed Assurance     3
Blessed Be the Tie that Binds     1
Breathe on Me Breath of God     1
Christ the Lord Is Risen Today     4
Dear Lord and Father of Mankind     1
Eternal Father Strong to Save     3
Faith of Our Fathers     1
Freely, Freely     1
Gift of Love     1
Go, Tell It on the Mountain     2
God of Grace and God of Glory     1
God Will Take Care of You     1
Great Is Thy Faithfulness     3
Here I Am, Lord     7
He’s Got the Whole World     1
He Leadeth Me     2
His Eye Is on the Sparrow     1
Holy, Holy, Holy     4
How Great Thou Art     6
Hymn of Promise     2
I Believe     1
I Love to Tell the Story     2
I Need Thee Every Hour     1
In the Garden     2
It Is Well     1
Jesus Loves Me     4
Joyful, Joyful     1
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms     1
Lift High the Cross     1
Lord of the Dance     5
Love Divine, All Loves Excelling     1
Morning Has Broken     1
Nearer My God to Thee     1
O Holy Night     1
O Sacred Head, Now Wounded     1
Old Rugged Cross     3
On Eagle’s Wings     2
Onward Christian Soldiers     4
Open My Eyes     1
Precious Lord     3
Silent Night     1
Spirit Song     1
Standing on the Promises     1
Surely the Presence     1
Sweet Hour of Prayer     1
Take Time to Be Holy     1
‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus     1
Trust and Obey     1
Up from the Grave He Arose     2
Victory in Jesus     1
Were You There     1
What a Friend We Have in Jesus     1
When Morning Gilds the Skies     1