“At midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them” (Acts 16:25).
Paul and Silas had been imprisoned for preaching the gospel, but their songs of praise and their understanding of God set them free. Many people have been set free from the prisons of sickness, of fear, sorrow, and lack by singing the hymns in the Christian Science Hymnal.
Besides being the Church’s hymn book for singing at services, it is a healing resource for everyone seeking peace and inspiration.
To keep abreast of human needs for fresh inspiration and to offer a more global outlook, plans are afoot to bring out another Hymnal Supplement that builds on the one published in 2008. Positive reports from those who are using the 2008 Supplement have encouraged this further work. The new texts and contemporary musical settings, they say, have brought freshness to services and to Sunday schools.
“Since the publication of our Hymnal in 1932,” says Ann White, Hymnal Supplement Coordinator, “many hymns have been added to the Christian repertoire. Some of them have become popular favorites over the decades.
“A few of these were included in the 2008 supplement, such as ‘Amazing Grace,’ ‘Lo! They that follow after good,’ ‘Endless song,’ and ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God.’
“In our exploration of new hymns, we have looked at recent hymnals and supplements published by other denominations. There are many ecumenical hymns now sung around the world that we can join in singing with fellow Christians.
“One passage from a hymn in the Christian Science Hymnal that has meant a lot to us as we’ve been doing this work is, ‘Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath, / The Christian’s native air’ (No. 284),” says Ann. “This sincere prayer knows no denominational boundaries. We sing prayers written centuries ago as well as those that articulate that same healing truth, which were written in recent decades—or even this year! Hymns are beloved prayers, sung collectively. They speak from heart to heart and touch universal themes. These sincere prayers cannot be defined by geographic boundaries or influenced by feelings of cultural superiority.”
The goal for the new Supplement is to retain hymns from the previous edition while adding more to the mix. In addition to general Christian hymns, there will be some newly written ones. Christian Scientists have submitted hundreds of hymns, along with original poems and music, that have been reviewed. Many more were received than can be used, but every submission has been appreciated.
“We are so grateful for the love, prayer, and support that went into each one,” Ann noted. “When the new Supplement comes out, we also plan to provide two CDs as we did with the previous one. As before, one CD will have the words sung to the music to help people learn the hymns; another will provide just the accompaniment to support use of the new hymns in church services.”
The new Supplement will be the outcome of work by four teams. One reviewed the music itself while another looked at hymnals of other Christian denominations for classic hymns that might be considered for our own hymnal. A team of Christian Science teachers reviewed the new hymns for metaphysical accuracy.
The international team sought to capture some hymns that would reflect the Church’s broader community, especially in Africa. Its purpose was to ensure that other cultures where Christian Science has taken hold in the 20th and 21st centuries are now represented in our hymn repertoire.
For more Hymnal Supplement news to sing about, watch this space for updates or go to members.christianscience.com/hymnal-supplement.
