Gillian Warson, Roots' music in worship adviser, gives an overview of how she goes about selecting music for each issue of Roots.
I thought you might like to find out a bit more about how I select the hymns that are listed each week in Roots. It’s no easy business choosing hymns when everyone has their personal views and pet hates – often passionately held! Nevertheless, with the help of Tracey (Adult & All Age editor) and Melanie (Managing Director), I can rise to the challenge!
I receive the broad subjects for each edition and the conference notes from Tracey and these outline the subjects to be covered for the week. It is then up to me to sift through and select appropriate hymns. A theme from one of the Bible readings is often the focus for the week and that will tend to inform my choices. However, there is always plenty of other material to consider – for example the week may be part of a national or global initiative such as Christian Aid Week, Aids Week, Fair Trade Week and so forth.
I cast my net widely but make sure that there is plenty of variety and I like to suggest some new material for those wishing to try out something fresh. Broadly I divide my choices into three categories: classic hymns, contemporary hymns, and songs.
What is a ‘classic hymn’?
I use the term classic hymn for items which belong to the rich canon of English hymnody. These are hymns that can be found in many books and are usually sung to well-known tunes. They can be several hundred years old, but their meaning and potency is undiminished by time. When I survey the wondrous Cross by Isaac Watts, for example, is an example of Protestant art as well as a beautiful hymn expressing deep Christian truths. Amazing Grace, how sweet that sound by John Newton has recently passed its 250th anniversary but is still sung on countless occasions.
What is a ‘contemporary hymn’?
Choosing contemporary hymns is exciting. These are hymns that are newly written – perhaps in response to current concerns such as social equality, justice, or climate change. Such hymns invariably use inclusive language; challenge previously accepted norms; and generally look for new ways of expressing ideas. Like classic hymns, these new hymns are often sung to well-known tunes and make an excellent choice for congregations who want to explore more contemporary language. Some of these hymns can be found in printed hymn books, but the very fact that they are often written in response to current events means that they may only be available online.
What is a ‘song’?
There is much discussion about whether there is a real difference between a hymn and a song. Indeed, it is the basis for many a PhD! But for the purposes of simplicity (and in this case only), I define a ‘song’ as something that is well-suited to being accompanied by a band or worship-group. It could be that some of these ‘songs’ are not especially new and already appear in many hymn books. For example, Lord, the light of your love is shining (Shine Jesus, shine), has been with us for over thirty years, but it is still ideally suited to band accompaniment. Of course, we are never likely to reach complete agreement on making this distinction. The writers of In Christ alone, for example, are clear that they consider this to be a ‘hymn’, but as it is usually accompanied by a band, I have chosen to define it as a ‘song’.
Other criteria
Having made my choices, I return to the brief to make sure that I have covered as many of the subjects listed as possible. Also, I make sure that there is a balance between the three categories. As I’m working, I set myself three challenges:
- I choose hymns and songs that start with opening words from across the alphabet. As I look at lists and indexes, it would be all too easy to get stuck with “Alleluia” and never move on to “Jesus”!
- I make sure that as many writers and composers are represented as possible – and this includes choosing male and female writers, as well as those from different traditions – and I generally select only one piece by a given writer per week.
- I try very hard to avoid selecting any hymn or song more than once per issue. This means that I really must look beyond the usual suspects!
Where to find my recommendations
I am aware that it can be difficult to find some of the hymns that I have selected. So, I make sure that most of them can be found in one, or more, of the following books: Singing The Faith, Baptist Praise and Worship, Mission Praise and Church Hymnary (4th Edition). I am careful that each item can also be found on HymnQuest which is ideal for finding (and downloading) the text. It will also tell you where the hymn can be found and give you a list of suitable tunes. I also use SongSelect which offers options for downloading texts, tunes and arrangements. It is often possible to listen to recordings of the hymns too. Both HymnQuest and SongSelect require modest subscriptions, but I feel that the many benefits justify the cost of subscribing.
I hope my choice of hymns is helpful and enriches your experience of using Roots!