We Believe: Faith, Community, and the Holy Act of Singing

Sponsored by Lucy Goman

Worship planners are accustomed to connecting the hymns and songs they select with the scripture readings and/or the theme of each service. Unfortunately, such important and commendable attention can become too focused on the needs of individual services and lose sight of larger patterns involved in hymn selection. In particular, routinely favoring one kind of hymn (for example, hymns that emphasize feeling) can lead to neglect of other styles of hymnody that foster the development of a wider range of spiritualities.

Expanding the categories identified in Urban T. Holmes III’s A History of Christian Spirituality, this sectional will consider both the negative and the positive aspects of the range of spiritualities likely to be found in any worshiping assembly. Each of these qualities will be illustrated and experienced by the singing of relevant hymns and songs, including a number of familiar ones that may not have been considered from this perspective.
Although the conceptual framework governs the choice of what is sung, the overall experience of this sectional is intended to provide an opportunity for engaged singing that leads to new insights and appreciation for the importance of congregational song in deepening and expanding singers' spiritualities.