CONGREGATIONAL SERVICES District Name Date of presentation

worship 2018 Report to the Twelve Districts

2018 District Convention Update

Timeline Project start date – Advent 2012 Targeted release – Advent 2021 With most of the committees starting up their work in the latter part of 2013, the hymnal project committee members have been asked to conclude most of their work in a span of seven years. We would wish to express our thanks to the more than 80 volunteers who have been diligently working on this project. The main content committees of the hymnal project will for the most part be wrapping up their work at the end of calendar 2019. From January 2020 to August 2021 Northwestern Publishing House will be intensely working on the production of all the resources.

Two Worship Books Hymnal Psalter The new hymnal will feature an excellent new design look and will have three communion services, Daily Office services and devotions (Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, etc.), 64 psalms appointed for the lectionary, and approximately 650 hymns (approximately 475 existing hymns from Christian Worship and Christian Worship: Supplement, and approximately 175 new or “new to us” hymns. The musical settings of the hymns have been treated in such a way as to be more accessible for singers. The new psalter will include all 150 psalms and will feature at least two and in some cases up to six or seven different musical settings of a psalm, in various musical styles. This is certainly a strong candidate to serve as a second worship book in hymnal racks or chair racks. Producing this volume has almost been like producing two new hymnals instead of one. It will total approximately 450 psalm settings. We believe congregations will have good reason to give this new book a warm reception.

Three Accompaniment Books Accompaniment for Hymns Accompaniment for Liturgy and Psalms Accompaniment for Psalter These volumes are being custom produced for musicians, 8.5X11 portrait format, spiral bound, larger musical print than the pew edition for easier reading on the music stand. These volumes will also have settings in addition to what is in the pew edition, for example, an alternate accompaniment or an alternate key. A majority of the hymns will have such additional settings.

Five Professional Books Altar Book Agenda Pastor’s Companion Commentary on the Propers Worship Planning Guide While the Christian Worship library was built over a number of years, these professional books are slated to be available when the new hymnal launches. Altar Book is for the presiding minister, including all the rites and also prayers for various occasions and circumstances. Agenda is the update of the previous Occasional Services book, with special rites such as installations, dedications, etc. Pastor’s Companion is the smaller volume pastors use for various rites, typically “on the road.” Commentary on the Propers, with a staggered release according to the current church year (Years A, B, and C) will be a welcome addition to the pastor’s shelf. These volumes will be an expansion of the previous Planning Christian Worship, with commentaries on the lessons, psalms, and prayers, especially aimed at demonstrating the integrated theme of the day, the thematic thread that runs through all of the lessons and prayers. Worship Planning Guide is an 8.5X11 spiral bound desk copy which will include comprehensive indexes (such as scripture index for hymns), suggested hymns for all the Sundays of the year and for individual lessons in the lectionary, and the like.

Four Manuals Pastors Musicians’ Guide Parish Sourcebook Devotions While the 1993 Christian Worship Manual was a single volume, there will be four new manuals aimed at four distinct audiences. Pastors will be able to read up on the background information on all the rites, information about presiding, comprehensive worship principles, church architecture, and so forth. Musicians’ Guide will take up the many issues for accompanying the song of the gathered assembly. Parish Sourcebook will be an excellent resource for congregational groups such as elders, ushers, altar guilds, acolytes, etc. Devotions cover all the various aspects of regular corporate worship, in a devotional format; general readership, all ages, new members, etc.

Three Digital Products Service Builder Worship planning and service folder production Musicians’ Resource Additional online files for hymns, psalms and rites Personal Hymnal App Devotional use Digital products are in the process of being researched and developed. A “Service Builder” product allows worship planners and office personnel to do long-range worship service planning and to produce and print off high quality service folders, making use of all of the hymnal’s assets. Use of this product will also bring about a tremendous time savings when it comes to producing service folders each week and especially at those festival or other special event times when multiple services are being held. Musicians’ Resource is an online store where music is available for a broad array of various instrumentalists, all in support of the hymns, psalms and rites in the new products. These files are in addition to the music that appears in the pew and accompaniment editions. Thousands of downloadable files are envisioned in this online resource. As you think in terms of stewardship of human resources in your congregation, this will be a marvelous resource for involving more instrumentalists in the corporate worship life of the congregation. Personal Hymnal App would be the last item to be developed, to ensure that the latest technology would be utilized. This resource is envisioned especially for personal devotional use.

Hymnal Introduction Program Rev. Adam Mueller, national chairman Public activity begins in early 2020 Conference presentations Regional workshops for every congregation Rev. Mueller has begun his work. All congregations are encouraged to look forward to participating in the workshops and other events where the hymnal products will be introduced across the synod.

Thank you Thank you for your prayers and support. Thank you for your feedback on various surveys and your many comments through our website. www.welshymnal.com Thank you. Highlight the website address where people can still subscribe by email address and receive in their inboxes automated notifications of new information being posted on the site.