Hymn sings can be grand affairs, with special anthems combining choir with congregation, extra instrumentalists to plan for and rehearse, and scripture readings to coordinate with the hymns’ themes. But a hymn sing can also be very easy to plan and host. Here’s the 3 basic steps:
You don’t have to sing out loud in order to sing. You can sing silently. I call it “inner singing,” just like we have the terms “inner speech” or “inner monologue” to describe the silent but very real flow of words in our heads.
Church acoustics reflect what a congregation believes are important sounds. Church acoustics also reveal what church leaders think the Hears of the Word should hear. That’s one reason Protestant Reformers changed their church buildings—they wanted to hear different sounds, like a sermon. And today, a church that uses a contemporary worship style will design a …
What’s So Important About Church Acoustics? An Infographic Read More »
It’s not a coincidence that this winter season is full of scripture readings about light. These are dark, cold weeks, and I, along with many other people, am finding them heavy and full of what Jesus called “wars and rumors of wars.”
Rise and Follow Me: I’ll Make You Worthy Next Sunday’s Gospel reading comes from Matthew—Jesus begins his ministry and calls several fishermen away from their work, saying, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Such a simple but radically life-altering command.
I sing to my infant son whenever we’re in the car together, and since singing whatever comes to mind usually means “Come Thou Found” on repeat, I try to sing songs according to the liturgical year(ish).* *haters gonna hate, but there was a lot of Christmas music happening during Advent—sorrynotsorry y’all!
This post is part of a series on the National Congregations Study, a sociological study of religious congregations in America. Check out my summary of the study’s main findings and specifics on worship services, the surprises and highlights of the study, and what it tells us about the power of small groups and choirs. The recent report …
National Congregations Study: Worship Is Increasingly Informal Read More »
This post is part of a series on the National Congregations Study, a sociological study of religious congregations in America. Check out my summary of the study’s main findings, the growing informality of worship services, the surprises and highlights of the study, and what it tells us about the power of small groups and choirs. Want …
National Congregations Study: How Does Your Worship Service Compare? Read More »