The Faith We Sing

on August 01, 2011 by Walt Dilg

August is going to be an exciting month in worship for us here at LJUMC. Vacation Bible School Sunday will take place the first Sunday of the month. It’s always a great joy to have the kids share with us what they learned at VBS and for the whole congregation to join them in joyful praise songs. Then, the fol-lowing three Sundays, August 14, 21, and 28, we will be branching out in a new direction. We’re calling these "Singing Sundays," and, as you might guess, they are worship services grounded in song.
The Preface to our United Methodist Hymnal says: "From the time of John and Charles Wesley, Methodist and Evangelical United Brethren hymnals have constituted the ‘worship book’ of our corporate and private piety and praise. Hymn singing has been a vital and distinctive component of our worship of God. From our beginning we have been ‘a singing people.' Our hymnals also serve as instruments by which the spiritual heritage received from the past is celebrated in the present and transmitted to future generations. Next to the Bible, our hymnals have been our most formative resource."
With the help of Bob Wuertz, our Choir Director, we intend to sing our hearts (and souls) out in August. Each worship service will begin with a hymn sing of our congregation’s favorite hymns. You choose ‘em, we’ll sing ‘em. Then, as part of the sermon, we will sing a variety of hymns and look at how our Trinitarian faith is given voice through sacred song.
It’s going to be a great time. So tune up your vocal chords, choose your favorite hymns, and let’s all gather these August Sundays to make a joyful noise by singing our faith.