»  Prayers for Myanmar and China
»  Evaluating Worship and Music
May 16, 2008 (#191)
Here are 25 statements of evaluation or measurement that can be applied to your church's worship. After each statement, you can select the response that best applies to your church. You may want to re-word these statements to call for an individual and personal response from the person answering or for a response that evaluates the question as a congregation.
»  Worship Resources for Times of Crisis -- Natural Disasters
»  "If God Created All We See"
Andrew Pratt wrote this text in response to the devastation from the 2007 Peruvian earthquake. It is equally appropriate as a response to the 2008 earthquake in China.
»  Memorial Day (May 26) Worship and Prayer Resources
»  A New Hymnal . . . Are We Together?
May 9, 2008 (#190)
»  "When Every Source of Hope Is Torn"

On Saturday, May 3, 2008, Cyclone Nargis and its 200 km/h winds and 12-foot high wall of water brought death and disaster to the southeast Asian nation of Burma. As of Tuesday, May 6, the death toll had risen to 30,000, with up to 250,000 deaths expected. Some 41,000 are missing. Such devastation naturally brings questions to the minds of Christians. British Methodist pastor and hymn writer Andrew Pratt has given voice to some of these in this hymn written following the storm.

»  Hymns and Resources After the Cyclone
On Saturday, May 3, 2008, Cyclone Nargis and its 200 km/h winds and 12-foot high wall of water brought death and disaster to the southeast Asian nation of Myanmar/Burma. As of Tuesday, May 6, the death toll had risen to 30,000 with up to 250,000 deaths expected. Some 41,000 are missing. Such devastation naturally brings questions to the minds of Christians. Here are hymns for use in worship or personal meditation following such disasters.
»  "My Eyes Have Seen the Glory"
This contemporary adaptation of the familiar Battle Hymn is by Ralph Barlow, a pianist at Westwood UMC in Los Angeles.
»  Church Music Summer School, Perkins School of Theology
S.M.U., Dallas, Texas
June 16-26, 2008
»  "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God"
This large and festive setting of the familiar hymn is for choir, but may also be used as a congregational hymn.
»  Sermon Transcripts from General Conference 2008
»  Delegates Give Green Light to New Hymnal; Revision Committee to Bring a New US Hymnal to 2012 General Conference
(April 28, 2008, General Conference, Ft. Worth, TX/GBOD) — General Conference 2008 passed legislation, April 28, which will lead to the creation of a new hymnal revision committee that will ultimately develop a new United Methodist hymnal for the United States.
»  Proposed New Hymnal Will Go to 2012 Assembly
United Methodist congregations in the United States could have a new United Methodist Hymnal within five years.
»  New Hymnal Research Report 2007-2008
In 2007 the Boards of Directors of The General Board of Discipleship (GBOD) and The United Methodist Publishing House (UMPH) proposed legislation to the 2008 General Conference to develop a new hymnal for the USA. GBOD conducted a series of six online research surveys designed to ascertain the opinions of United Methodists on a variety of subjects related to United Methodist worship, congregational singing, and The United Methodist Hymnal (1989) and The Faith We Sing (2000). The surveys drew 18,591 responses. The following reports are the results of that research.
»  Hymns for Confirmation
The following hymns are suggested for use for youth and adult confirmation or reaffirmation, together with Baptismal Covenant I in The Book of Worship and The United Methodist Hymnal.
»  Graduation & Baccalaureate Resources
»  Many Hymnal Proposals at General Conference
Hymnal-related proposals before the 2008 General Conference are making their way to a final decision. These proposals have been discussed by legislative committee with a recommendation made to the full General Conference for action.
»  New Composer Biography: Thurlow Weed
»  Hope for Africa Children's Choir
»  New Composer Biography: Stan McDaniel
»  Worship Planning for the Season after Pentecost (Ordinary Time) Year A
In what kinds of directions is Christ calling you for the coming months? And how might your attention to the streams of readings in the lectionary help your congregation get there?
»  A Prayer-Poem for Earthquakes, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday and Other Extra-Ordinary Times
»  "Love Lifted Me"
This old standard gospel hymn was probably thought of as quite contemporary when it was published in the original Cokesbury Hymnal of 1923. What is surprising is that in the recent new hymnal research surveys, we asked, "What hymns or songs would you like to appear in a new hymnal that are not now contained in The United Methodist Hymnal or The Faith We Sing?" "Love Lifted Me" tied for first place. The other most requested title was "Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord."
»  "Will the Circle Be Unbroken"
This well-known and popular song recorded by Johnny and June Cash and many others was originally written as a rollicking gospel song, with words based on Matthew 22:32. It is presented here with all five original verses so that it can be sung by unaccompanied voices, accompanied on a keyboard, or using the chord symbols provided.
»  "Shout to the Lord" on American Idol
On American Idol's recent Idol Gives Back televised event, the show assembled the eight semifinalists on stage with chorus and orchestra to close the show with Darlene Zschech's "Shout to the Lord." The finale was "powerful and inspirational," but not without controversy.
»  "Perfect Love"
This hymn by John R. Kleinheksel, Sr., is rooted in Genesis 1:1-5 and the Gospel reading for May 11, 2008 (John 20:19-23).
»  21st Century Worship Resources
Litany: "God Makes Visible the Invisible"
Written for 2007 Rocky Mountain Annual Conference
»  21st Century Worship Resources
Litany: "The Diversity Among Us"
This is an edited form of a litany originally part of worship at a 2007 Rocky Mountain Annual Conference Service of Holy Communion.
»  Worship, Music, and Preaching from the Center (WMPC)
January 15-19, 2009
Nashville, TN
Presented by The General Board of Discipleship's Discipleship University.
»  Witnesses to Baptism
»  A New Service of Baptism for an Infant/Young Child or Those Unable to Speak for Themselves and Congregational Reaffirmation of the Baptismal Covenant
This service reframes the structure and vows of the current Baptismal Covenant (United Methodist Hymnal, 33 and 50, and 2004 Book of Discipline, paragraph. 217) in fresh imagery and a more interactive style. It also recognizes that not all people unable to speak for themselves are infants or small children.
»  May is Mental Health Month
 

 
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