Congregationalist hymnal is here

After a recent blog post, I ordered the 2007 National Association of Congregational Christian Churches (NACCC) hymnal Hymns for a Pilgrim People, published by (nominally?) the Congregational Press and GIA, better known for its Catholic hymn resources.

I’ll review it in bits as I have the occasion.

First, it comes as a relief. We’re in a trough, as hymnals tend to be published in generational cycles and the hymnals created in the last green spell (mid-80s to mid-90s), while being heavily supplemented are not quite ready to be replaced.

The “NA Congregationalists” missed the last cycle of hymnal publishing. As the title suggests, I’m guessing most of their churches use the old (1958) Pilgrim Hymnal and think that the UCC’s New Century Hymnal (now itself 14 years old) is too precious and idiosyncratic.

Unitarian Universalist note: the NACCC has “fraternal relations” with the Council of Christian Churches within the Unitarian Universalist Association. So there’s some reason to be interested in it.

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Categorized as Hymns Tagged

By Scott Wells

Scott Wells, 46, is a Universalist Christian minister doing Universalist theology and church administration hacks in Washington, D.C.

1 comment

  1. I almost wish there was an UCC church within 70 miles of me, so I can see what a precious and idiosyncratic hymnal looks like (although I suspect i know).
    i am trying hard not to order more hymnals…..

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