The following is a sermon preached by Rev. Nathan Dell based on the text of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by James
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After the General Assembly 219th in 2010 lifted the ban on the ordination of gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals, the leadership at my past church thought it might be a good idea to host a couple of evening classes to
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Question: “Why should European-American Presbyterians in the United States include world music in our worship?” I love a good mashup; I suspect we all do. There is something powerful about the collision of two different songs, a mess of lyrics and melodies that seem to work together while simultaneously offering
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“Heaven is Singing for Joy / El Cielo Canta Alegria,” (#382) was written in 1958, but/and Glory to God is the first Presbyterian hymnal to include it. The notes below the hymn read as follows: “Written in 1958 for a picnic of theological students in Argentina, this piece represents the
MoreThe following is a sermon preached by Rev. Nathan Dell based on the text of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by James Weldon Johnson, Hymn #339 in Glory to God. Two widely known prayers that are often set to music are the Lord’s Prayer and the Prayer of St. Francis
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Glory to God indeed! Alleluia! I add my voice to the chorus of my brothers and sisters throughout the country singing from our new hymnal. I celebrate this new powerful resource, a labor of love that took great time, energy, and perseverance from faithful people. This hymnal will help the
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Along with the invitation to write this article about gender justice in the new PC(USA) hymnal, Glory to God, I received a list of relevant hymns. My first reaction was, “Wow, that is a whole lot of hymns with the word ‘woman’ in the title.” It felt awkward, a bit
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Hymns are a powerful form of discourse. Along with other acts of worship, it is through hymns that our theological beliefs begin to be shaped. Indeed, it may be that hymns—out of all the forms of discourse in a traditional worship service (e.g., sermon, scripture reading, prayers)—have the greatest influence
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When I was in fifth grade, my mom became the director of Christian Education at my home church. Consequently, before I learned to drive, I spent many hours at church waiting until it was time to go home. As it was before the age of smart phones – and because
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It may sound like the start of a joke, but the question is a legitimate one: How many Presbyterians does it take to decide to buy a new church hymnal? In reality, it is a significant decision that will wind its way through countless committees, congregation members, and Sessions. It
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