Hymns for a Pilgrim People: A Congregational Hymnal

Available NOW!!!

 To order: Call GIA at 1-800-442-1358 and ask for
Item # G-7200 or go to
http://www.giamusic.com/products/P-7200.cfm

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Progress Reports on the creation of the Hymnal

As of May 15, 2007 the hymnal is at the printer.  It will be ready for introduction at the Annul Meeting in St. Petersburg, FL on June 23!

 Progress Report 1/24/2007:

• All of the hymns and songs are now either engraved, or at the engravers. 350 have already been proofed.

• GIA is securing copyrights on all the songs and hymns.

• Our editor is now making the complete psalter (NRSV translation) ready for engraving.

• The committee is choosing the cover color and design.

• GIA is preparing a glossy promotional flyer for the new hymnal, which will be mailed in the late winter or early spring to all NA member churches, as well as non-NA churches who have expressed an interest in the hymnal.  Included in this flyer will be ordering information and details about the hymnal.

• As soon as all materials are engraved, the next step is the hymnal layout.  When that is completed, it will be ready for printing.

• There will be an article included in the next issue of The Congregationalist chronicling the journey of this new hymnal, with sidebars highlighting particular features of the hymnal.

• Hymns for a Pilgrim People will be featured prominently at the Annual Meeting in St. Petersburg this June.  A copy of the hymnal will be part of the registration packet given to each attendee.  There will also be one session with the entire group to officially welcome the hymnal, as well as a workshop addressing the use of the psalter.

Great News!!

The list of hymns is complete!                  Hymn List
 

Hymnal Naming Contest

There were nearly 50 entries for this contest. Because so many of them were so good, it has taken us longer than anticipated to choose a name for the new hymnal. The committee would like to thank everyone who made an entry or shared their opinion.

We are happy to announce the name of the new hymnal is:

Hymns for a Pilgrim People:
A Congregational Hymnal
 

A Challenge…

The First Congregational Church of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin is issuing a challenge to the member churches of the NACCC. They are donating $1000 for hymnal publishing costs, and are asking 39 other churches to do the same. Please contact Rev. Dr. Steven Peay at the Wauwatosa church at 1-414-258-7375. Thus far, about $8000 has been received in Challenge monies. We are hopeful that more churches and individuals will contribute soon. $40,000 is needed to pay for the publishing costs of the new hymnal. Without these funds, the price of the book will be impacted. All donations should be sent to the NACCC offices in Oak Creek, Wisconsin and be specifically marked “New Hymnal Committee Challenge.” We anxiously await your donations!
 

New Hymnal Committee

Purpose:

The purpose of the new hymnal committee is to create a hymnal that will meet the diverse needs, tastes and worship styles of the NACCC member churches. This hymnal will contain music from divergent time periods, cultures and musical styles. Traditional hymns and gospel songs, as well as praise songs and spirituals will be included in the new hymnal, a children’s section, plus songs for the church year and special occasions in the church. Hymns and songs by Congregational composers and from Congregational history will also be included.

The New Hymnal Committee feels strongly that a common hymnal is a unifying element in an association of churches such as the NACCC. When we share a common hymnal in worship, we are sharing the hearts of our sister churches as we worship. With the completion of this new hymnal, we are hoping to have in one volume a group of musical selections that are truly representative of our churches’ varied musical tastes and worship needs. When we worship God using such a hymnal, we are connecting with our sister churches through the gift of music, singing what they sing, praising as they praise, establishing unity among us.

Creating this new hymnal, representative of our churches, is not something that the New Hymnal Committee can do on its own. We need input from our member churches. We need you! We need your opinions and ideas. We need your favorite hymns and your special needs. More than anything, we want you to share in the creation of the new Congregational hymnal. We want this to be your hymnal--a hymnal of the NA’s people and churches—a truly Congregational endeavor!

Please become involved! Share with us the worship music that you love! May we bring glory to God as we sing together!

Committee Members:

Rev. Cynthia Bacon (Heritage Congregational Church, Madison, WI), Chair
Helen Gierke (First Congregational Community Church, Cape Coral, FL)
Rev. Lowell Linden (First Congregational Church, Redlands, CA)
Rev. Lin McGee Rev. Lin McGee (Eagle Rock Cong. Church, Thomaston, CT.)
Rev. Casey vanderBent (SouthCross Community Church, Burnsville, MN)
Jeremy Wood (First Congregational Church, Bunker Hill, IL)



Preliminary Research:

a. comparison of Pilgrim Hymnal to other major hymnals to establish a base of information-summer 1999
b. polity paper on the evolution of Congregational hymnody-fall 1999
c. development and mailing of survey for NACCC member churches-
spring 2000 (This survey can be viewed on this web page.)
d. compilation of survey results, research into publication costs, final paper with survey results, proposed schedule and budget-summer 2000
e. presentation of survey results at Congregational Symposium- Derry, NH-fall 2000 (This paper can be viewed on this web page)
f. presentation of survey results at Wisconsin Congregational Association meeting, Kewaunee, WI-spring 2001
g. sign-up in Resource Room at National Meeting in Lansing, MI (those who are interested in the establishment of a hymnal committee)-summer 2001 (There were forty-seven affirmative responses)
h. comment sheet regarding hymnal, their layout and use, at National Meeting in Spokane, WA-Summer 2002

Commonly Asked Questions:

1. How can the NA afford a new hymnal?
The New Hymnal Committee is saving money in many ways. First of all, we are meeting at NA member churches. They are graciously providing us with housing and food.. We are also not seeking funds from the NA general budget. Instead, we are receiving funds from individuals and churches who have expressed an interest in specifically supporting this project. Lastly, we have researched the most economical ways to print the hymnal. The new hymnal will be of high quality as well as moderately priced. We will not compete in any way with regular NA sponsored fund raising for this project.

2. How was the committee chosen?
The New Hymnal Committee was chosen from individuals who expressed an interest at the 2002 Annual Meeting in Spokane. They are representative of the geographical, musical and theological diversity in our Association.

3. What about inclusive and/or archaic language?
The New Hymnal Committee strongly feels that we need to keep the theological, poetic and musical intent of each piece in tact. We will not change the words to old favorites. However, a variety of language will be seen through the inclusion of new hymns and songs that have more modern language. That way, the entire hymnal will accomplish a balance of both inclusive and historical language.

4. What about large print hymnals?
The New Hymnal Committee has chosen a larger size for the new hymnal. It will be about an inch larger all around than the Pilgrim Hymnal. That way, the print will be significantly larger and yet the hymnal will still be of a size to fit in the pew rack.

5. Have you thought of alternative methods of publishing?
Yes! It has already been determined that the new hymnal will be published both in book form and on a CD. On the CD there will be the entire hymnal, plus “words only” versions for those who wish to project the words for congregational singing. We are hoping to issue updates to the hymnal periodically with additional CDs.

6. When will the hymnal be available for purchase?
We are hoping (and praying) that the new hymnal will be available by Spring 2007.


For more information contact Rev. Cynthia Bacon, Chair New Hymnal Committee, Heritage Congregational Church, 3102 Prairie Rd., Madison, WI 53719, (608) 274-0833, cbacon@heritagemadison.org 
 

New Hymnal Committee,  Survey,  Survey Results, 

Hymns Alphabetically