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ADDITIONAL SERVICES
Hymn & Anthem Commissions
Hymn Festivals
Workshops & Retreats
New music is often commissioned in memory of a loved one, in recognition of an individual's gifts or contributions, or in celebration of a baptism, anniversary, dedication, or other special event. Mary and John accept commissions for new hymn texts and tunes from individuals, churches, and organizations, and John can provide anthem settings for the hymns as well. Persons commissioning a work sometimes provide a theme or scripture as the basis for the text, and suggest voicing and instrumentation for the tune. Fees are negotiable, and the lyricist and composer retain the copyrights.
Here is a list of hymns that Mary and John were commissioned to write:
"Church Is Our Safe Haven, The" (SAFE HAVEN), a hymn commissioned in memory of Helen Ogle of Sioux Falls, SD, by her family. This is included in the collection, Time Now To Gather.
"Come, Believers in the Gospel" (GREAT ENDS), commissioned for the Montreat 2003 Conference on Music and Worship by the Presbyterian Association of Musicians. The anthem setting for SATB and piano with opt. treble voices, trumpet, and handbells, is available from MorningStar Music Publishers (MSM-50-6037.)
"Come, Praise God, for Faithful People" (WINCHESTER NOW), commissioned by First Presbyterian Church, Winchester, VA, in celebration of the church's 200th anniversary. This is included in the collection, The Song Lingers On.
"Creator God, Who Has Composed" (GOD SONG), commissioned by the Atlanta Chapter of Choristers Guild for their January 1999 celebration of the Guild's 50th Anniversary. The hymn was also sung the National Choristers Guild Anniversary Festival in Dallas in September 1999. It is available in an anthem setting for combined unison and SATB choirs with keyboard, optional congregation, and optional 3 octave handbells. The hymn text, set to FOREST GREEN, is included in Hymns of Heritage and Hope, published by the Advent Christian General Conference of America in 2001. (Choristers Guild, #CGA853.)
"God Calls Us to Worship" (KAPELLMEISTER), commissioned by First Presbyterian Church, New Bern, North Carolina, in celebration of Pat Rowlett's twenty years of music ministry. This is included in The Song Lingers On.
"God of Every Generation" (WAUWATOSA), commissioned by Wauwatosa Presbyterian Church in Wauwatosa, WI, in celebration of its seventy-fifth anniversary as a congregation. This is included in The Song Lingers On.
“Hope, for A Child” (Drake), commissioned by the Rev. Dr. Graham Bardsley, as a gift to Peter Drake, retiring member of the board of Hope Unlimited, in appreciation of his leadership and generous support of this organization that serves the street children of Brazil.
“How Can We Sing Our Love for God” (MCDONALD), commissioned by St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, Hickory, NC, in memory of the Rev. Thad McDonald, a former and much-loved pastor.
“How Glad We Are To Be Alive” (CARLETON), commissioned by the Carleton College Class of 1956, and sung at the Carleton College Alumni Worship in June, 2006, at the college in Northfield, MN
"We Thank You for Music" (GREENSBORO), commissioned by Starmount Presbyterian Church, Greensboro, NC, in honor of Loretta Gordon James' fifteen years of music ministry at the church. This is included in the collection, The Song Lingers On.
"When Life Becomes A Nightmare" is the text for an anthem, "We Know Our God Is Faithful," that was commissioned by Choristers Guild as a tribute to all children affected by the American tragedy on September 11, 2001. It may be sung as a hymn to the familiar tune, AURELIA.
"With Dancing Banners, Tuneful Bells" (FESTIVE PRAISE), commissioned by Central Congregational Church (United Church of Christ), Dallas, TX, in celebration of its centennial. An anthem setting for intergenerational choirs, keyboard, congregation, flute or violin, and opt. 3 oct. handbells, is available. (Choristers Guild #CGA955.)
John and Mary also wrote a Benediction response based on Romans 15:13, commissioned by a United Methodist Church in North Augusta, SC, in honor of a retiring Director of Music Education.
For more information about commissioning a hymn, contact Hymns, Etc.
John and Mary are available to design and lead hymn festivals or hymn sings for your congregation around a theme of your choice, emphasizing congregational song with the possible addition of anthem settings of hymns, extra instruments, soloists or ensembles, etc. They work with the church staff to develop a script around a theme, select scripture readings, choose hymns and decide how to sing them, and provide commentaries on the hymn texts and tunes, all within the context of your worship order. John serves as organist for the festival, and Mary as the lector.
In recent years, John and Mary have led hymn festivals and hymn sings in churches in Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, South Dakota, and Tennessee. Some of these have been planned as part of special celebrations such as church anniversaries, or in support of special events such as a stewardship campaign or a Holy Land tour. One was funded by memorial gifts.
Several of the festivals were planned around the lectionary readings for the day. Other themes have been:
"God Gives Songs in the Night" (Old and new hymns for "night seasons" in life)
"Hymns for the Season after Epiphany" (Events in Jesus' life celebrated in Ordinary Time)
"Hymns Old and New" (Pairing traditional and new hymns on similar themes)
"Journey to the Holy Land" (Hymns that mention biblical sites and events)
"Love Is Faith at Work" (Hymns on how God works through people of faith.)
"Making A Difference" (Focus on a denominational stewardship campaign)
"Methodist Hymn Writers" (Contemporary, as well as traditional)
"Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs" (Familiar and new music for the day's readings)
"Restoring Emotion to Reformed Worship" (New hymns that allow us to express our feelings to God)
"Singing the Seasons of Life" (Hymns for life events celebrated by a congregation)
"Celebrate Our Journey" (Hymns related to the life of the congregation)
“Singing God’s Song in A Strange Land” (Psalm 137)
“The Feast of St. Francis” (a mini-hymn festival based on the canticle and prayer of St. Francis)
“The Healing Power of Hope” ( A multi-generational service of hymns, anthems, readings, and prayers)
John and Mary are also available to lead a limited number of festivals or hymn sings to introduce hymns from their own collections, Come Away With Me: A Collection of Original Hymns, and Time Now to Gather: New Hymns for the Church Family (both published by Abingdon Press in 1998), and a new collection, The Song Lingers On: New Hymns for Our Journey of Faith (to be published by Zimbel Press in 2004).
Organist Mark Adkins, Music Director Ron Sinclair,
Mary, and John at St. Luke's United Methodist Church
in Hickory, NC in October.
WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT HYMN FESTIVALS LED BY JOHN AND MARY
"A highlight of our centennial year."-Kristin Schultz, Centennial Chairperson at the United Church of Christ in Gaylord, MN. "If I listen carefully, I can still hear the sanctuary reverberating with the blessed sounds of Sunday. So many here have told me how much the hymn festival meant to them. One even said it was one of the most significant spiritual events of her life."-William W. Williamson, Jr., pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Columbia, TN.
Workshops and Retreats
Mary and John with Paul Weber at Lenoir-Rhyne College, Hickory, NC in October.
John and Mary can offer leadership for workshops and retreats on congregational song in contemporary times. Here are some examples of events they have led together:
"Bridging the Gap between Traditional and Contemporary Hymnody." Finding hymns that speak to the head and the heart.
"Let the Children Sing: Involving the Children in Congregational Song." A holistic approach that looks at creative ways that children can learn our heritage of hymns through the children's choir, church school, and congregational worship.
"Helping the Congregation Find Its Voice" (What to Do When Your Choir Numbers Dwindle and Your Financial Resources for Music are Limited) Ways to encourage the "choir in the pew" and make the most of your hymnal.
"A Festival of Congregational Song: Selecting Hymns and Singing Them Well, The Art of Hymn-Writing, and Planning A Hymn Festival." A three-part workshop for worship leaders and others who want to learn more about hymns.
“The Evolution of a Hymn from Text to Tune” (Choosing a theme, researching and discussing the idea, developing the text, and setting it to a new tune. Understanding this process helps listeners consider the criteria for evaluating new hymns, and think about the different roles hymns play in the liturgy.)
“The Evolution of a Musical Drama” (The creation of a musical drama from biblical or historical subject, to dialogue and lyrics, to musical setting. Illustrations are taken from the latest Keithahn/Horman musicals.)
Contact Hymns, Etc. for more information.
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Hymns, Etc.
4212 Carmel Point
Rapid City, SD 57702
Tel/Fax: (605) 716-2141
E-mail: marynk@hymnsetc.com
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Updated 3/26/2008