At the National Conference of Worship, Music, and the Arts, July 28-31, 2008, Christian Worship: Supplement will be introduced. This publication will complement the 1993 hymnal, Christian Worship: a Lutheran Hymnal.
“Halfway [through its expected life-span] would be the time to produce some publication that keeps up with new materials that are out and new things that have been appearing in worship since the publication of the hymnal,” says Dr. Kermit Moldenhauer, professor at Martin Luther College and chairman of the supplement committee. “This seems like the right time.”
The more than 200-page supplement will include 86 new hymns, two liturgies, 24 psalm settings, seven devotions, an expanded lectionary, and more.
The hymns, chosen from more than 800 possibilities, embrace a wide assortment of styles, including folk tunes and ethnic variety. “The late 20th century was a gigantic explosion of solid, wonderful hymnody and texts and songs in different styles,” says Bryan Gerlach, administrator for the Commission on Worship.
Additional materials to support the supplement include:
- An accompaniment edition that includes the services, psalms, and hymns; alternate settings; instrumental descants; notes on the hymns; and MIDI files for those who use electronic means to accompany services.
- A guitar edition with chords for accompanying hymns.
- An electronic pew edition to use in preparing worship folders.
“The supplement will definitely give people a broader musical palette to choose from,” says Gerlach. “The electronic files [in the accompaniment edition] will provide all sorts of variations in accompaniment from descants to alternate harmonizations to rhythm instrument suggestions. All of these things are upping the ante of creativity and musical engagement.”
To introduce congregations to the supplement, the Commission on Worship is producing a two-CD set of some hymns from the supplement that will be mailed to all congregations in the spring of 2008. The CD will include “a wide variety of instrumentation and mood, impact and energy,” says Gerlach.
Though many congregations have expressed interest, “this book is not being published with the assumption that every congregation will buy it,” says Gerlach. “This book is being published for those who would like to enrich their worship.”
He continues, “As much as it is good to have variety and different things and fresh things, there is still something neat about being able to worship with your eyes closed. We want to strike a balance between that comfort and familiarity and some good resources that are solidly Lutheran, with excellent texts that proclaim the gospel with depth and substance. This book helps us do that.”
Christian Worship: Supplement committee members are Pastor Mark Bitter, Prof. Keith Wessel, Pastor Steven Lange, Pastor Michael Schultz, Pastor Peter Prange, Dr. Kermit Moldenhauer, Pastor John Koelpin, Pastor Bryan Gerlach, Pastor Jon Zabell, Grace Hennig, Teacher James Bakken, and Teacher Ruth Mattek.
