One of my cherished childhood memories is of being seated in the sanctuary of the original Northeast Church of Christ every Sunday morning. The building, located at the corner of Joyce and Genessee Avenues in the Linden area of Columbus, Ohio, was the place where I learned to worship and love and respect God. I was baptized there when I was 9 years old. After a new building was completed in my teen years, the old building continued in use for various functions. Even though that old structure was eventually destroyed, it was where I spent so much quality time as a boy, that my memory can still worship there.
Every Sunday morning's service would begin with the congregation standing and singing Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty ! The choir would enter the stage area through a door on the left, singing as they entered, and face the congregation. Maybe part of the fact that is such a special memory is because I liked seeing my beautiful Mother come in with the choir. To this day, whenever that song is sung, I stand up and travel back to the 1950's and realize that the same God who has seen me through so much, watched me first come to love Him in that place.
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| The sanctuary of the Northeast Church of Christ, sometime in the late 50's. I am not sure what the occasion is....possibly Mother's Day recognition. My Mother is standing at the far right of the back row. |
I can remember singing my heart out in that building. Especially when there was a children's program, and we were reminded by our teachers to sing loudly. I was still just young enough not to be self-conscious or to be in the least concerned about whether I was singing in tune. No one told me I didn't have a quality singing voice. I suppose they may have thought it was too soon to tell or too soon to make any difference one way or the other. Time would prove that God did not bless me with sweet-sounding vocal cords. But even though I would never be asked to sing a solo, nor did I ever learn to play a musical instrument, God did bless me with an uncommon love for music and an extraordinary appreciation for those who are musically talented. I suppose when I've struggled the most with envy, it has been when I hear a man sing with a rich baritone. I pretend that I'm a baritone, but it's always when I'm by myself either in a perfectly echoing stairwell, or in an automobile where I can conveniently sing a duet but drown myself out with just the right amount of volume from the radio.
In the 1950's, there was no "contemporary" music as we know it today, for worshippers to choose. Today, I love both the rich, traditional hymns and the relatively recent praise songs. I can worship well with either style. But nothing can ever replace the hymns that have been sung for decades, some even for centuries.
I would hope that my descendants will continue to experience and have a deep appreciation for them, even if your preferred worship songs are those that are more modern. The lyrics of many of these revered hymns point our hearts to a loving God and our precious Savior. And the music that was composed to go with the lyrics is soul-stirring.
In a future essay, I'll share some of my favorite contemporary worship and praise songs, for I've grown to love them as well.
I decided to go through some hymnals and make a list of hymns that I began to sing as a boy, and continue to enjoy hearing and singing even today. I like singing all 100 of these songs, but I anticipated someone might wonder which of these are particular favorites, so I've placed a star next to those. If you've gotten away from them in general or never experienced them in the first place, try to listen to a few of my favorites that I've starred here, and see if you agree that , just as well as the Praise songs, the lyrics and music of the hymns can help lift you into the kind of God-honoring worship that we all desire.
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed
All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name
Amazing Grace*
Are Ye Able, Said the Master
At Calvary *
Battle Hymn of the Republic
Be Thou My Vision
Beneath the Cross of Jesus *
Beautiful Garden of Prayer
Beulah Land
Beyond the Sunset
Blessed Assurance *
Break Thou the Bread of Life
Burdens Are Lifted at Calvary
Christ Arose!
Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing *
Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus
Count Your Blessings
Crown Him with Many Crowns
Draw Me Nearer
Eternal Father Strong to Save
Face to Face
Fairest Lord Jesus
Faith of Our Fathers
God Be with You
God Will Take Care of You
Great is Thy Faithfulness *
Have Thine Own Way, Lord
Haven of Rest
He Hideth My Soul
He Leadeth Me *
He Lifted Me
He Lives *
Heaven Came Down
Higher Ground
His Eye Is on the Sparrow
His Name is Wonderful
Holy, Holy, Holy ! Lord God Almighty *
How Firm a Foundation *
How Great Thou Art
I Am Thine, O Lord
I Know Who Holds Tomorrow
I Know Whom I Have Believed
I Love to Tell the Story *
I Must Tell Jesus
I Surrender All
I Will Sing of My Redeemer *
I Will Sing the Wondrous Story
I'd Rather Have Jesus *
In the Garden *
It Is Well with My Soul
Ivory Palaces *
Jesus Is Calling *
Jesus Loves Me
Just a Closer Walk with Thee
Just As I Am
Lily of the Valley *
Living for Jesus
Love of God, The
Love Lifted Me
Make Me a Blessing
Near the Cross
Near to the Heart of God
Nearer, My God, to Thee
Nearer, Still Nearer
Nothing But the Blood
O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing
O That Will Be Glory
O Worship the King
Old Rugged Cross *
Onward Christian Soldiers
Open My Eyes That I May See
Praise Ye the Lord, the Almighty
Precious Lord, Take My Hand
Room at the Cross
Savior Like a Shepherd Leas Us
Search Me, O God
Shelter in the Time of Storm
Softly and Tenderly *
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Sweet Hour of Prayer *
Take the Name of Jesus with You
Ten Thousand Angels *
The Longer I Serve Him, the Sweeter He Grows *
The Savior Is Waiting
There Is Power in the Blood
This Is My Father's World
'Tis Midnight and on Olive's Brow
'Tis So Sweet to Trust In Jesus *
Trust and Obey
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
Under His Wings
What a Friend We Have in Jesus *
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
When We all Get to Heaven
Whispering Hope
Whiter than Snow *
Wonderful Grace of Jesus
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