by Hal Parker

As many of you know, I was a free-lance church musician before I came to GUCC in 2010. Hardwick UCC was one of the churches I served, and it was there I met Roger and Judy Waible and the New Century Hymnal (NCH). There were so many things I liked about it that I borrowed a copy from the Hardwick church and have used it here at GUCC as a valuable resource.

We have recently acquired the NCH for our use. Here’s a bit about the background, contents, benefits to the worship experience, impact on our music ministry, and how we will use it.

BACKGROUND: Last summer, parishioner Dona Lee made a request to consider obtaining the NCH. She was very impressed with this hymnal, which is used in her Burlington church. A committee was formed to explore this request and a decision made to purchase the NCH and use it in conjunction with our current hymnal (Songs of Spirit).

CONTENTS: The NCH was first published in 1995 and is the official hymnal of the UCC, with 58% of UCC churches using it. It contains traditional and contemporary hymns and songs, and a large selection of world music of non-European-American origin. What it is most famous for is using inclusive language and avoiding outdated language such as “thee”, “thine”, “thou.” It’s sensitive to militaristic and authoritative language such as “master”, “king” and “sovereign”. It is also sensitive to the gender of God, as the UCC writes: The NCH as “the only hymnal released by a Christian church that honors in equal measure both male and female images of God.”

BENEFITS TO THE WORSHIP EXPERIENCE: The contemporary language and robust selection of music helps to enhance our thematic approach to worship. The hymnal indexes are easy to use and are a rich resource for music selection.

IMPACT ON OUR MUSIC MINISTRY: With sacred music following the liturgical calendar, the NCH has abundant options. As an example, under the Advent topic there are 23 hymns, where other hymnals have 3-15 options.

One of those beloved hymns, “Gentle Joseph, Joseph Dear” (sung in December), is only found in the NCH, and under the Communion section is Ralph Vaugh Williams’s “Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life,” which has been sung several times over the years as an anthem and has gotten favorable feedback. Funeral, wedding, and special occasion music is also easily available.

HOW WE WILL USE IT: Our Songs of Spirit hymnal will continue to be a valuable resource for our congregation. The NCH is a wonderful enhancement and, like many churches, will be used in partnership with Songs of Spirit. You’ll notice both in the pews, and we’ll avoid mixing them during a worship service.

I would be happy to answer any and all questions you may have about this new hymnal. I hope you enjoy the selections and that it brings new depth and meaning to our worship services, fulfilling our mission of “Serving God Through Music.”