September 8, 2012
I Love to Tell the Story
David Gambrell
One of the things I love about the forthcoming (2013) Presbyterian hymnal,
Glory to God, is that it is shaped by a
story -- the story of our salvation in Jesus Christ.
There are lots of ways to organize a hymnal: topical categories, theological doctrines, liturgical seasons, even alphabetical order (we tried that with the
Worshipbook). But
Glory to God is shaped by the story of salvation history.
The first half of the hymnal, therefore, is all about
Christian faith, telling the story of
God's Mighty Acts. It begins
before the beginning, with hymns and songs about the Triune God. Then it moves through the the great arc of history, from creation to new creation:
Creation and Providence
God's Covenant with Israel
Jesus Christ
Advent
Birth
Life
Passion and Death
Resurrection
Ascension and Reign
The Gift of the Holy Spirit
The Church
The Life of the Nations
Christ's Return and Judgment
A New Heaven and a New Earth
As people of faith, we are shaped by story too. Our lives are shaped by what God has done for us in Jesus Christ, as we seek to proclaim the mystery of faith, continue in Christ's ministry, and share good news with the world.
So the second half of the hymnal is about
Christian life:
Our Response to God. It includes three primary sections, each with three subsections:
Praising the Triune God
Adoration
Thanksgiving
Celebrating Time
Joining in the Spirit's Work
Dedication and Stewardship
Discipleship and Mission
Justice and Reconciliation
Hoping for Christ's Return
Lament and Longing for Healing
Living and Dying in Christ
Trusting in the Promises of God
In between, there is
Christian worship: where God's action meets our response, where God's grace meets our gratitude. So the middle section of the hymnal,
The Church at Worship, is organized around the shape of the liturgy:
Gathering
Confession and Forgiveness
The Word
Prayer
Baptism
The Lord's Supper
Sending
This section also includes Service Music: settings of the
Kyrie,
Gloria,
Alleluia,
Sanctus,
Mysterium Fidei,
Amen, etc.
God's action, our response. God's grace, our gratitude. This is the heartbeat of Christian faith, life, and worship. This is the church's song, the story we have to tell to the world. Glory to God!
Tags: faith, hymnal, life, worship