Do traditional hymns mean much to you?

This is a question many church folk contemplate today. For years, the church community grew up learning and singing hymns that became a staple of their worship. Many of these hymns reflected a deep personal belief that shaped ones spiritual life.  Some hymns were carryovers from the Gregorian chant times, while others were more Gospel oriented from the 19th and early 20th centuries.  Whatever they may have been, many people hold the message of the lyrics set to inspirational tunes near and dear to their hearts.

With the inception of what many now call “Contemporary Worship,” many people struggle to find opportunities to sing and enjoy those great old traditional hymns of faith: songs like “Holy, Holy, Holy,” “O God Our Help in Ages Past,” “The Church’s One Foundation,” “For All the Saints,” and “God of Grace and God of Glory.”  For me personally, these hymns express the grandeur of our Creator and the Divine Holiness.

If you miss this type of experience, I have the answer to your desire.  The First United Methodist Senior Choir, along with its Hand Bell Choir, organ, and magnificent brass are presenting a Hymn Festival on Sunday, May 18, at 7 p.m. During this hour-long program, you will have the opportunity to sing, listen, experience and worship in a magnificent setting with glorious traditional hymns.

Interspersed with the hymns will be scripture readings as well as meditations and significant, historical readings on the background of these hymns. I have put this program together to bring a passionate worship experience with traditionally loved hymns for those who miss it. It will be an interactive musical worship experience where you will be occasionally invited to join in singing or just sit back and soak it all in.

This will be a totally “unplugged” program.  But majestic and grandiose sounds will be lifted high with organ, brass, hand bells, percussion and voice.  It will be more like when the Psalms were written.  I don’t believe God had created electricity yet!

You are invited to join us and bring friends.  It will begin at 7 p.m. with a magnificent brass and organ prelude you won’t want to miss, so prepare to arrive and get a good seat ahead of time.  I hope to see you there!

I do want to give big congratulations to the Lincolnview High School Choir. It was the only high school music ensemble from Van Wert County to represent us in the recent Ohio Music Educator’s state competition in Columbus.  They did us proud by returning with a Superior (I) rating. I know the kids and their director and accompanist worked very hard for a long time and they were rewarded with the highest honor in the state.  Congratulations, Mrs. Korte and all you Lincolnview singers! It needs mentioning.

This weekend features a big Mother’s Day event at the Niswonger.  Perhaps the most well-known Broadway musical of all time will be moving in for two big performances this Sunday. West Side Story will be performed at 2 and 7:30 p.m. in Van Wert.  Nearly 1,900 seats are sold for these two performances. Make mom happy and bring her to one of the biggest Broadway shows to ever hit “The Great White Way: West Side Story, right here in Van Wert!

FINÉ.