When We Sing We Praise God Twice

Don't get me wrong, I love the old hymns. There is nothing like a the full on pipe organ experience on a Sunday night, or evening. But just because I experience God in that mean does not mean it is the only musical event that God can be experienced in a liturgical sense. It also does not mean that everyone with experience God in that kind of music. For that reason it is important, no, crucial, that the clergy explore and experiment with new kinds of liturgical expressions which incorporate contemporary music.

I would also like to state I'm not a fan of contemporary "Christian" music. I never rule out any kind of music for good, but all that I've heard merely adapts modern song structures and pastes simple, to ridiculous, lyrics on top. There is not artistic blending of the two which is found in other genre. Sure, it's great to acknowledge that God is Great and Jesus is Great, etc., etc. But We should also be praising the Message. We should be exploring the happy and the sad moments of the life that God gave us. And maybe even the humourous and sarcastic.

For this reason I am arguing for a new kind of hymnal to be created. I'll call it New Tyme Hymns©, until I can think of something better.

What I have in mind is already done in a slow, round-a-bout way. Cat Stevens' "Morning Has Broken" is now in the Anglican hymn book "Common Praise". Stevens' song was released as a secular pop song, but has risen to a higher service. I think that there are lots of songs that can be used in this way. When we sing them in the context of a worship service the meaning and intent changes and the deeper meanings held in the music come out to touch us as nothing else in the worship experience can.

Take a read of these lyrics form the Dolly Parton song "Travelin' Through". It reads like a great hymn of praise and the theology is spot on!

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Well, I can't tell you where I'm going I'm not sure of where I've been. But I know I must keep travelin’ till my road comes to an end. I’m out here on my journey trying to make the most of it. I’m a puzzle I must figure out where all my pieces fit.

Like a poor wayfaring stranger that they speak about in song I’m just a weary pilgrim trying to find what feels like home. What that is no one can tell me, am I doomed to ever roam? I’m just travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, I’m just travelin’ on.

Questions I have many, answers but a few. We’re here to learn the Spirit burns to learn the greater truth. We’ve all been crucified and they nailed Jesus to the tree. And when I'm born again your gonna see a change in me. God made me for a reason and nothing is in vain. Redemption comes in many shapes with many kinds of pain.

Oh, sweet Jesus if you're listening keep me ever close to you. As I'm stumbling, tumbling as I'm travelin’ through. I’m just travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, I'm just travelin’ through. I'm just travelin’, travelin’, I'm just travelin’ through.

Oh, sometimes the road gets rugged and it's hard to travel on. But holding to each other we don't have to walk alone. When everything is broken we can mend if we try. We can make a world of difference if we want to we can fly.

Good-bye little children. Good-night you handsome men. Farewell to all you ladies and to all who knew me when. And I hope I’ll see you down the road you meant more than I knew as I’m travelin’ travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, travelin’ through. Drifting like a floating boat and roaming like the wind.

Oh give me some direction Lord, let me lean on you as I'm travelin’, travelin’ through. Like the poor wayfaring stranger that they speak about in song I'm just like a weary pilgrim trying to find my own way home. Oh, sweet Jesus if your out there keep me ever close to you as I'm travelin’, travelin’, travelin’ through, travelin’ through.

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Try to take a listen if you can keeping in mind my new proposed use.