Givin' it a Go Part One: Hymn Selection

On June 1st I had the opportunity to try something I'd always wanted to do: lead a church service.

I was quite excited by the idea. I've been a secondary teacher for 20 years, but the past few have been spent as a literacy coach, without a class of my own. I've honed my presentation skills--the bigger the audience the better.

I've spent years and years preparing for three 76 minute classes a day--an hour long church service? Hah! I could practically do it in my sleep. Especially since I wouldn't have to worry about being interrupted by folks asking to go to the bathroom or trying to creep down a pew and out a side door for an illicit cigarette.

Two weeks before the service, I sat down to see what the Scripture readings would be. Wow! The story of Abram's call. I wouldn't have to dig too hard to develop a sermon for that. I wanted to speak from the heart and to connect that ancient tale with the here and now.

Knowing that, I followed my husband's advice. The first deadline would be to make certain the church secretary had the prayers etc. for the order of service. The sermon could wait.

Woohoo! I got to pick all the hymns!

Four hymns to choose--mine, all mine! Slowly, methodically, I went through the hymnal, one by one, putting little coloured stickies at each possible choice. By the time I got to the end, there was a bright fringe of turquoise and pink around the book, and I had learned a lot about my current theological stance.

As a child in the Baptist church, The Old Rugged Cross was my personal favourite, closely followed by Just as I Am. We don't do much singing about the Blood of the Lamb these days in the United Church, and I don't mind that--but it did seem to me that there were an awful lot of cheery peppy little numbers that were...well...just...shallow. And more than a little guilty of the very thing I am coming to believe is the worst sin of all: complacency.

I had never really paid much attention to the flow of our church services--except when it was interrupted--but I realized that I wanted a particular pattern. I thought of my childhood lessons on the structure of the Lord's Prayer: praise and gratitude, confession, request... So, our first hymn? Great is Thy Faithfulness.

My children's time was based on the idea of packing more than you needed for a journey, and how sometimes all you need to carry actually fits better in your heart. I would be bringing in a picture of my grandmother. One of my earliest memories was sitting next to her on the piano bench, learning 'God Sees the Little Sparrow Fall'. I remember watching her fingers on the keys and looking forward to singing for my mom and dad when they came to get me. God Sees the Little Sparrow Fall wasn't in the hymnal, but the words would be printed in the Order of Service.

Now, I didn't want to hit people on the head with my message (not too hard, anyway), but there was no doubt about the hymn I wanted sung right before my sermon: Open My Eyes That I May See.

And now, a sending forth: I, the Lord of Sea and Sky. It contains one of the most powerful lines I have ever sung.

"I will break their hearts of stone, give them hearts for love alone..."

Oh yes, the pattern was set.

And look, it only took three days to decide...