congregational singing

Is ANYBODY listening to the words?

Do you think people listen to song lyrics? Maybe? Maybe not? How about congregational singing: do you think people pay attention to the words they’re reading and singing? Honestly, I’m not convinced most people pay attention to the words, whether or not they’re singing or listening to someone else sing.

Image description: blue hymnals in a pew rack.

Forget hymnals. The issue is accessibility.

I love hymns. I can sing hundreds from memory. I’ve been a church musician for 20 years, always in churches that used “traditional” hymnody. I even did a PhD dissertation focused on Christian congregational music. BUT. I don’t love hymnals.