Give Thanks...For Change

 I wasn't supposed to lead the music in church today, but I was called upon, and so I did. I'm glad I did because I was able to lead the congregation in a new hymn, as indicated by the extra-long hymn number on a board which was not made for such long numbers.

The song's not new, of course. It's an old hymn, written by a sinner in the mid-1700s. 

If you're LDS and interested in the new hymns recently announced, hymn #1001 is Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. I thought I'd do a little research and I found a website that gave me some knowledge about the song's history, information I did not know. You can click: HERE to access the site.

If you're unfamiliar with the song, please click the link. In addition to some history, it also includes a link to the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square performing an incredible rendition of the show. I urge you to click the video and turn up the volume. It's powerful, it's moving, it brings the spirt, and it includes close-ups of several people I know.

Today, I led a congregation singing the same song. It's one of my favorite songs and I'm so glad it's now included as an "official" LDS hymn. I'm thankful for the change to include it and other songs in the collection of song...some I know, some I don't. I look forward to learning and hearing them all.

With change, results can be positive or negative, depending on the results, or even more importantly, depending on how people react to those changes. Leading the music to this song was fun. I'm glad I was called upon this morning.

Time To Include This Song...Again

 I don't know where I first heard this hymn, but some music just reaches you, speaks to you on a different level. For me, this is one of those songs. Apparently, I'm not the only one. This particular hymn is a favorite of many, or so I'm told. The song was part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint's collection of hymns, but since 1985 it's not been included.

I think it's time for a change.

I heard a while back that the LDS Church is considering revamping their hymnal. It might even be completed--I don't know. A change after almost forty years sounds reasonable--probably a good time for a change. I wonder if they'll include Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing as an "official" selection.

Deciding what would be included and what won't be included must be a tough job. You're never going to please everyone. Imaging if a new hymnal comes out next year or the year after that and this song is not included, well...I'll be one that's not pleased. Let's say they do include the song and there are people out there who hate it. They won't be pleased...pleasing everyone is an impossibility.

I heard one time that the reason the hymn was not included when the new hymnal came out in 1985 was because it wasn't popular. I say give it another shot--see if people like it or if congregations will sing it. Hopefully, they will, but if not, then maybe they were right back then.

Time will tell.

Tune My Heart...

I've only been a member of one religion all my life, so I don't how know they do things in other churches. I do know how the Mormons do things, at least, how they do things now. Each Sunday we have three hours of meetings and we sing songs. In those three hours, we usually sing three to four songs during the first meeting, almost none the second meeting, and at least one during the last meeting. The kids, under twelve-years old sing a lot more. I guess when they're singing, they're not talking.

Then there are church choirs. Within our religion, there's a lot of things said of church choirs. It's because sometimes a congregation can have a lot of talent found within its borders. Normally, I've found that within any given congregation, there's plenty of talent. Whether or not those with talent choose to share those talents is what can make or break a church choir. 

Today, during our first meeting, our choir sang one of my favorite songs, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. Before the meeting began, we sang through the number a few times. As we began, three words in the first line caught my attention. "Tune my heart." I've sung that song dozens of times and never noticed those three words. Tune, a musical term. Tune my heart to sing thy grace.

I don't know much about other religions, but I suspect most, if not all, incorporate music as part of their worship service. Different deities, different customs, different rules, they all share one thing, a connection, and that's music. What would we do without it?

An Oldie...But A Goodie

On Sunday I found an old LDS Hymnal. It was stored in an unused section of the church. I have fond memories of these hymnals. Growing up a bored child (or parent...) could take a piece of paper and a pencil and make an imprint of the famous Mormon Tabernacle Pipe Organ. The new hymnals have the same imprint, but it's not as pronounced. 

There's also another thing that this old hymnal has that is missing in the new one. Contained inside is one of my favorite songs, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. This hymnal was replaced in 1985 so these particular editions are a little hard to find.

This particular song is one of those songs that can reach into your soul in a way few can, at least, it does for me. It's such a beautiful song and a kick to sing. Then, thanks to Mack Wilberg, it's become very popular, especially in my neck of the woods.

I haven't done a lot of research about this, but I heard that this song was not added to the 1985 hymnal because it was not well known. I'm sure that was true at the time. But the same cannot be said of the song today. Yes, we no longer use this particular edition in our Sunday worship, and sometimes I wish we would--at least, for one song and to make interesting graphite art  when I'm bored.