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By Emma Prestwich
On the nights that I put my daughter to bed, I sing her “Don’t Be Afraid,” a simple song of assurance from More Voices. She hears the first notes and settles into my shoulder, the melody cuing her for sleep.
She is, for now, free from the uncertainty and fear that plagues so many of us, but she is not alone in finding comfort in music, especially songs from the United Church tradition.
Many of us have a favourite hymn, whether it comes from the relatively recent More Voices or the red Hymn Book that populated the pews for decades.
And the release of a new hymnal holds the promise of new favourites. The denomination’s newest musical offering, Then Let Us Sing!, aims to ensure that these new favourites also represent marginalized communities, including racialized, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQ+ and disabled people.
“We’re trying to model who we hope to be as an anti-racist and intercultural church, and we’re trying to build the beloved community, where everyone is respected equally and their skills and gifts are appreciated and celebrated,” says Rev. Alydia Smith, a lead staff support for the online resource.
The team behind Then Let Us Sing!, which will contain new hymns as well as some existing ones, aims for a mid-2025 release, which would put it close to the United Church’s 100th anniversary.
You can read more about the United Church’s new hymn resource here.
Speaking of the big anniversary, you may have heard that Broadview’s June issue isn’t our standard fare. We’re planning a special keepsake issue to mark the denomination’s centennial. You can read more here about what you’ll find inside, and make a memorial donation to have your loved one’s name appear in the issue.
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