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“Many Streams of African American Congregational Song”Calvin Grants Colloquium – Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MIWednesday, June 26, 2019 – 1:30-2:30pm and 2:45-3:45pmJames Abbington, DMA, FHS, Associate Professor of Church Music and WorshipCandler School of Theology – Emory UniversityBackground for One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism: An African American Ecumenical HymnalChallenged and informed by the research for an essay “If It Had Not Been for the Lord on My Side: Hymnody in in African American Churches” in 2013 that I was invited to contribute to a book New Songs of Celebration Render: Congregational Song in the Twenty-first Century edited by C. Michael Hawn, I discovered some very interesting patterns and disappointing trends. Most historically Black denominations were not updating, revising, or planning to publish new hymnals. This book explores the essential, yet profoundly diverse role congregational song plays across cultures and denominations. Hawn was interested in various “streams and tributaries” of hymnody that had developed since Vatican II: (1) Roman Catholic liturgical renewal song, (2)?Classic contemporary Protestant hymnody, (3) African American congregational song, (4) Gospel and revival song, (5) Folk hymnody, (6) Praise & Worship, and (7) Global and Ecumenical Congregational Song.What is the African American church?In his essay “Introducing African American Churches”, William D. Watley defines the African American churches as:…primarily the independent indigenous institutions of a “third-world” people in a “first-world” context. They are creations of a domestically colonized people of primarily African descent whose social location is the White West but whose mission is international. While ecumenical cooperation and joint venture in some specific projects have been part of their history, these churches are completely autonomous, answerable to no other ecclesiastical body beyond themselves for their actions, and dependent on no other sources for their financial support. These are the churches that African Americans have built from the bricks they have made, even as they gathered their own straw.What became immediately apparent was the need for an African American Ecumenical Hymnal that would contain all the various musical “streams and tributaries” outlined in Hawn’s research and one that would include the unique, rich treasures, and neglected contributions of African American composers – past, present, and future. The next step was contacting the music directors, leaders, and musicians from the denominations that did not have plans or resources for a new hymnal.The eight denominations that were invited to the Core Committee were the following:AMEsAMEZsBaptists (PNBC)(African American) Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)Church of God in Christ (COGIC)(African American) Episcopalians(African American) Seventh-day Adventists(African American) United Church of Christ / Congregational (UCC)Denominations that had rather recent hymnals:The Roman Catholics - Lead Me, Guide Me, Second Edition, 2012The ELCA and Missouri Synod Lutherans - This Far by Faith, 1999The National Baptist Convention of American – The New National Baptist Hymnal (21st Century Edition, 2001The National Baptist Convention, USA – Total Praise: Songs and Other Worship Resources forEvery Generation, 2011The United Methodist – Songs of Zion, 1981 / Zion Still Sings, 2007Hymnal outdated and in need of revision:AME – AMEC Bicentennial Hymnal, 1984AMEZ – The AME Zion Bicentennial Hymnal, 1996COGIC – Yes, Lord! 1982 (?)/ 1985Episcopalians – Lift Every Voice and Sing II, 1993Progressive National Baptist (PNBC) – The New Progressive National Baptist Hymnal, 1982[The Christian Methodist Episcopal Church – (CME) – The Hymnal of the Christian MethodistEpiscopal Church, 1987 was in the process of revising and updating their hymnal.]Black congregations in predominantly White denominations with no African American hymnal or worship resourceChristian Church (Disciples of Christ) - The Chalice Hymnal, 1995 (official hymnal)Seventh-day Adventists – The Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal, 1985 (official hymnal)United Church of Christ / Congregational (UCC) – The New Century Hymnal, 1995 (official hymnal)Hymns will be selected from this list from One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism# 12I Was Glad When They Said Unto Me(AMEZ)#443When from Bondage We Are Summoned(AMEZ)# 20We’ll Praise the Lord(AME)# 595Blessed Absalom(Episcopal)# 519The Lamps of Evening (Phos hilaron – a Song of Light) (Episcopal)Tune: Harry T. Burleigh# 680Psalm 78: Do Not Forget the Works of the Lord(Episcopal)# 513When Our Confidence is Shaken(Episcopal)Tune: David Hurd# 67Holy One, We Worship Thee (Non-Denomination)# 541What a Friend We Have in Jesus(Baptist)Tune: ANNIE LOWERY# 68There is a Name(Non Denomination)# 518Holy/Sabbath Rest(SDA)# 90I Lay My Sins on Jesus(SDA)Tune: Allen Foster# 608Watch Ye Saints(SDA)# 121I Will Make the Darkness Light (Holiness-Pentecostal)# 460Come Unto Me (Holiness-Pentecostal)# 438Something on the Inside (Pentecostal)# 75O Give Thanks(COGIC)# 499My Soul Loves Jesus(COGIC) ................
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