Day 18 - Our hope to follow duly

Hymnary.org is a wonderful website for preachers. Type in the Scripture you are using during your service and the site not only offers… this would be easier with a definite example.

The lectionary readings for tomorrow (Third Sunday in Lent, Year C) include Isaiah 55:1-9. I put Isaiah 55 into the search bar and 269 hymns/songs are offered to me – I have to do the hard work of finding those relevant to the first nine verses.

My eyes instantly spot “I heard the voice of Jesus say”; I always try to include an “oldie but goodie”. But the riches of Hymnary.org do not stop there. Tapping on the hymn title opens another page, where I am informed that this hymn was written by Horatio Bonar and is available in 1139 hymn books. Fortunately, our hymns all appear on screens and these words are no longer copyrighted. I check that the three verses are a version I am familiar with and I skip down to TUNE.

As a poor musician and a weak singer, I try to choose familiar tunes. Hymnary offers: Kingsfold and Vox dilecti but I note that over half the hymnbooks offer an OTHER tune.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYqgBMrmeZA - Kingsfold)

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8X_Lb7ei2I&t - Vox Dilecti)

Each verse is clearly written as a 'calling' of 4 lines, and a 'response' of 4 lines. I could be rather radical and use the tune O little town of Bethlehem! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo8tujW04es)

Psalm 63 search throws up nothing of interest.

Luke 13:1-9 suggests “Just as I am” or “Amazing Grace”.

1 Corinthians 10: 1-13’s best choice for our congregation is “O Jesus I have promised”. That brings another tune-fest beginning with Angel’s Story, which I have never heard and the more usual Day of Rest (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pr3H4FdMF5k), Thornbury (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_OfeTZy__g), Wolvercote (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svgHDdzP5xY), and my personal favourite Geoffrey Beaumont’s Hatherop Castle. Beaumont collaborated for many years with Patrick Appleford and with others they set up the "Twentieth Century Church Light Music Group". Hatherop Castle is situated between Cirencester and Fairford and is now an Independent School. There is a lot online, mostly from organists who don’t like it, but no-one seems to know why it’s called Hatherop Castle.

On the ABSRM forum page, Hatherop Castle is criticised: “Hatherop Castle is the only tune … that completely destroys the entire meaning by interposing gaps where the words need to carry on.” Another writes: “I don’t think pausing stops you from understanding the meaning…it gives you time to think about the words”. But the last forum word has to go to this comment: “However much people like the tune, its effectiveness is the first consideration and in this Hatherop Castle scores nil every time”.

Heavenly Father, our hymns offer our praise to you. Help us to concentrate on the words, not just the tunes.

Jesus our Saviour, our hymns remind us of your love and sacrifice, your mercy and compassion.

Holy Spirit, you enable our hymns and songs to leave our hearts and larynxes, so that all our praises are heard in Heaven. Amen.

Elaine Kinchin