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HYMNOLOGIE Geschiedenis van de Hymnodie Oud Joodse Hymnodie Vroeg Christelijke Hymnodie Griekse Hymnodie tot 900AD Latijnse Hymnodie Lutherse Hymnodie Calvinistische (Franse) Psalmodie Nederlandse Gemeentezang na de Reformatie Engelse Hymnodie Muziekgeschiedenis

PREFACE REJOICE & SING 1991

'Hymns are the folk-song of the church militant.' Erik Routley's remark in 1952 is illustrated by the fact that the later twentieth century has been as creative a period for the writing of new hymns as any in the history of the Church. Hymns have always been particularly important to those traditions represented in the United Reformed Church, whether Congregational, Presbyterian, or Churches of Christ, for they have enabled congregations to express together their worship and praise, their wonder at the almighty power and grace of God.

The United Reformed Church was formed in 1972, and a year later The Church Hymnary: Third Edition was published for use among Presbyterian Churches in the United Kingdom. It was therefore not thought an appropriate time for the new Church to produce a new main hymn-book of its own, and instead New Church Praise was published in 1975. This was intended as a supplement to existing books and contained some of the most recent hymns which were not in earlier collections. At the beginning of the 1980s there were hopes that the new hymn-book then being planned by the Methodist Church might become an ecumenical hymn-book for all Churches; and the composition of the editorial committee for Hymns and Psalms reflected that hope. In the event, however, these hopes were disappointed. In 1985 the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church, noting that stocks of Congregational Praise would soon be exhausted, instructed the Doctrine and Worship Committee to make proposals for a new main hymn-book, and these
were considered and approved in 1986.

An Editorial Committee was appointed, consisting of Dr David Thompson (Convener), the Revd David Gardner and Mr Alan Haywood (Joint Secretaries), the Revds Barbara Gates, Alan Gaunt, David Jenkins, Dr Fred Kaan, Donald McIlhagga, Caryl Micklem, Brenda Stephenson, Margaret Taylor, Dr Colin Thompson, with Mrs Carolyn Brock, Mrs Marilyn Raggett, Dr Alun Jones (who had to resign in 1987), and Mr Andrew Satchell. The Revd James Binnie attended as an observer from the Congregational Union of Scotland. Sub-committees were appointed to advise on words and music as follows: words-Dr David Thompson (Convener), the Revd David Goodall (Secretary), the Revd Donald McIlhagga, the Revd Dr Stephen Orchard, and Miss Ann Phillips; music-the Revd Caryl Micklem (Convener), Mr John Hunt (Secretary), the Revd Brenda Stephenson, Mrs Carolyn Brock, Messrs Paul Bateman and Alan Haywood, and Dr Bernard Massey. The Committee is grateful to others who have given freely of their time to help in the production of the book, particularly Messrs Richard Wallis and W. E. White; the staff of Oxford University Press have been most helpful; and the Revd Terry Oakley and Mrs Caroline Ritchie, from the Faith and Life Department
staff have helped us in ways too numerous to mention. Finally, the Committee's decisions have been assisted by the views expressed by the many Church members who have written in response to the lists of hymns published in REFORM.

Unlike the existing hymn-books in use in the United Reformed Church, Rejoice and Sing is not a revision of an earlier book. The presence of three different traditions in the Church also means that where versions of a hymn or the customary tune differ, no particular version or tune has an established claim. The Words Sub-committee has tried, so far as possible, to establish the original text of each hymn, and in many cases has preferred that text to later amended versions. The Music Sub-committee has sometimes paired tunes from different traditions and sometimes chosen completely new tunes. The Editorial Committee in general has looked at recent hymn-books and collections with the intention of presenting the best from all parts of the Church in many lands and across the centuries. The result is a freely `catholic' selection of hymns which, in addition to Watts, Wesley, and other classic hymn-writers, includes great hymns of earlier centuries as well as contemporary hymns and some from the world Church.

Certain features of the book deserve special comment. From the earliest times the psalms have been an essential part of the Church's worship. The Committee's aim has been to ensure that the book contains sufficient psalms for every Sunday of the liturgical year and it has provided a single selection of psalms. This contains traditional metrical psalms from the Scottish and Irish Psalters, other metrical versions written by authors past and present, and prose psalms set for chanting using Anglican chant, psalm-tones, and Gelineau settings. In this way congregations have the opportunity to become familiar with the great variety of ways in which psalms can be used in worship. Hymns which are based on psalms, but explicitly relate them to the Christian Gospel, are placed in the main sections of the book. There is also a
section of canticles, which includes traditional canticles like the Magnificat and Te Deum and hymns based upon them, and new canticles based on New Testament passages.

There is not a section of hymns for `times and seasons'-morning, evening, marriages, funerals, harvest, etc.-and for these reference should be made to the thematic index. Nor is there a separate section of children's hymns.
Instead the Committee has tried to ensure that in every section of the book there are hymns which can be sung by children and adults together. The Committee has had to make some difficult decisions about the language of hymns. Some years ago the General Assembly resolved that inclusive language should be used wherever possible in the publications of the Church. The Committee has therefore avoided the use of words like `men', `brothers', `sons', etc. where the reference is intended to include both sexes. Only in a handful of cases, where the original poetry would have been destroyed by any change, has this not been done. Following another Assembly ruling, however, the Committee has not attempted to remove `he', 'his', etc. when the reference is to God.

Similar problems occur in relation to archaic language. The Committee has not attempted to eliminate all references to `thee' and `thou', though where it has proved possible to substitute `you' in a way which does not jar with the
original style this has been done. Words which have changed their meaning present a more difficult problem. Amendments to such words have been made as long as hymn-books have been produced, and this book is no exception.

The feature which will probably be most novel is the inclusion of prayers and responses for congregational use. The Order of Service for Holy Communion in New Church Praise was widely welcomed. Here the Committee's aim has been slightly different, since in order to maintain the freedom and variety in worship which has characterized our tradition, we wished to provide material which could be used in different ways. Hence the book begins with an outline order of worship, and contains a numbered sequence of prayers and ancient hymns which will be particularly useful for
Communion but can be used at other times as well. It is included at the beginning because this seemed to be the easiest place to find it in a book of this size. In the body of the book there is also a section of prayer responses, and single verses which may be repeated several times. Some of these have proved popular at places like Taize and Iona, and may be especially useful on ecumenical occasions. Confessions of faith and statements of faith, which may be used at baptisms and ordinations, appear at the end of the book.

The order of the hymns reflects the truth that our worship begins and ends with God. `When we speak to God,' wrote P. T. Forsyth, `it is really the God who lives in us speaking through us to Himself. His Spirit returns to Him who gave it, and returns ... bearing our souls with Him ... The Christian ... prayer is the secretary of Creation's praise.' (The Soul of Prayer, p. 32.) The first main section therefore contains hymns of adoration for One God in Trinity.

God's love overflows in creation and redemption, and this is the theme of the second main section. It is divided into three parts. The first, centred on God the Creator, includes such themes as God's created works, his call to righteousness, his forgiving and saving love, and our response of praise. The second, centred on God Incarnate, includes hymns on Christ's coming, birth, epiphany, life and ministry, passion, resurrection, ascension, and reign, and concludes with praise for the crucified and risen Lord. The third, centred on God the Life-Giver, has hymns of prayer for the Spirit and on the Word and the Spirit, concluding with praise for the Spirit.

The theme of the third main section is creation's responses to God's love. Again there are three parts. The first is concerned with the Gospel-the need for God, and hearing and responding. The second is concerned with the
Church's life and witness, containing hymns for Sunday worship and the sacraments, and for the significant moments in the life of the people of God-their growth in faith and discipleship, the proclamation of the Gospel and the Church's continuing hope. The third is concerned with the way the Gospel becomes effective in the world, introducing such themes as love in action, justice and peace, and healing and reconciliation.

The book concludes with a section on the unity of all creation in eternal praise. `So identical is the praise of salvation,' wrote Henry Allon, `that the first great song of the Christian Church on earth can hardly be distinguished from the last song of the redeemed in heaven.' (Church Song in its relations to Church Life.)

We gather for worship to praise God and to listen for his word. As we do so, we see only too clearly that all our words and deeds are but a feeble response to what God has done for us. In the words of Isaac Watts's doxology to the
Holy Trinity (hymn no. 37):

Where reason fails, with all her powers,
there faith prevails, and love adores.

This also enables us to see his meaning when he says in another place (hymn no. 31):

None but thy wisdom knows thy might,
none but thy word can speak thy name.

The Committee hopes that this book will enable all our congregations to rejoice and sing in the eternal praise of God, to whom be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.

David M. Thompson
(Convener)