The Christian Hymnal

A very interesting book to read, hey, it was their favorite… The Christian Hymnal.  I read/sang along in Trinity Church in NYC as it was hard to find The Christian Hymnal anywhere else.  The Hymnal was written in 1982. This version had the parts of the mass in the front section of the Hymnal and then the various songs, set up by the time of the church year.  This version did NOT have titles listed with the songs; I think a real disadvantage of the Hymnal.  I would have liked to have the name of the songs (remembering from my few times I attended a Protestant service in my life, my father was Methodist and I was raised Catholic).  The opening of the book began with daily prayers for morning, afternoon, evening and then nighttime.  Obviously a lot of the Bible is found within the Hymnal – in the various songs and canticles.  There were sections of songs for liturgies for special days and the holy Eucharist.  I found lots of versions for same songs, from the Nicene Creed, Alleluia’s, Holy, Holy, Holy, and Memorial Acclimations. There were over 288 different versions of the section of the mass, to include the canticles. There were songs for Advent, Easter, and Christmas and with all of the obvious favorites: It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, Hark the Herald Angel Clear, What Child is This.  Other categories of songs fell into: The Epiphany, Lent,  Holy Week, Ascension, Pentecost and then many of the sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, and Burial. The other categories after special days of worship included: Holy Trinity, Praise to God  songs,  Jesus Christ Our Lord songs, Holy Spirit, Church Mission songs, Vocation and Pilgrimage, Christ in Responsibility, Kingdom of God, Church Triumphant, Holy scripture the Christian Life and yes National Songs (such as My Country Tis of Thee and America the Beautiful).  And yes, my favorite church song – The Church is One Foundation was in there.  This is not a “book” I would consider to be a favorite book for me, but it does provide remembrances of life’s most memorable moments with background music from the Hymnal.  An interesting choice for a favorite book….