Introduction to the Lectionary Companion – 57.1

In my suggestions for youth choral anthems this year, I have done my best to provide options that exhibit the following criteria: connection to the lectionary texts, accessibility, and pedagogical awareness. In my searching, it was important to choose anthems with strong ties to the lectionary texts in each liturgical season. Accessibility was also a vital consideration in the selections I provided, so that each youth choir will be able to find selections appropriate for their unique context and capability. Each piece includes musical interest that will be meaningful for the conductor, singers, and congregation. A pedagogical approach was also important for me as I made this year’s selections. Many youth choirs include singers ranging in age from sixth through twelfth grades, and with that diversity in age comes developing voices all around. Not only do youth choral anthems teach music and singing, but they can also serve as a medium for Christian education. Overall, the list of anthems for youth choirs includes many difficulty levels and styles. It is my hope that these selections will benefit you and your youth choirs in your worship planning.

I serve in a congregation whose primary instrument in worship is the piano, so I spend time every week choosing appropriate piano preludes, offertories, and postludes for worship. I mostly utilize arrangements of hymn tunes for these moments and attempt to cover an eclectic range of styles and moods with my selections throughout the year.

I hope that you find my lists of seasonal suggestions useful, as I’ve tried to include several difficulty levels to accommodate many levels of piano artistry. Pieces that are graded Easy (E) and Moderately Easy (ME) may be sight readable or ready after one rehearsal. Pieces graded Moderate (M) may be ready to play after a rehearsal or two for the intermediate pianist. Pieces graded Moderately Advanced (MA) may have several key changes, time signature changes, or syncopated rhythms, and they may take up more “space” on the keyboard, so rehearsal time will be dependent on individual piano proficiency. Pieces graded Advanced (A) are virtuosic and expressive and may take some preparation for even the most seasoned player.

Willie Nelson said that “all music is sacred.” The vocal solo selections in this edition come from this spirit, so they may contain a few surprises and unlikely choices. Music from a wide variety of genres may share appropriate connections with biblical texts. Pop music and songs written for the contemporary musical theater are included. While this list doesn’t contain them because of the contextual awareness and care required in their choosing and use, many spiritual songs by hip hop artists, like the song “Faithful” by Common with John Legend, also brilliantly and eloquently speak about social justice concerns and incorporate biblical themes.

The grading scale for difficulty is as follows: Advanced (A), Moderately Advanced (MA), Moderate (M), Moderately Easy (ME), and Easy (E). My interpretation of this scale is subjective and general. You may use your own judgment based on your knowledge of personnel and musical forces, strength of accompanist, rehearsal time, and other factors. Selections marked (A) or (MA) might be reserved for those with accomplished technique or may require sensitivity in other areas when choosing them, regardless of musical or technical demands.

When texts are strong, more than one example may be offered, and some like pieces have been assigned the same difficulty level for different reasons. Some may have an accessible melody but may require more vocal range or stamina, for example, while others may have an independent vocal line, requiring stronger music reading and aural skills, but may support a more limited range.

Think creatively, and don’t be afraid to be controversial. While there is enough sacred repertoire to last for hundreds of years of this resource, stepping outside the conventional can illuminate texts and themes in a fresh way, energize conversation in worship planning, and provide inspiration for parishioners and perhaps even the professed disinterested. Worship should hold space for many different voices. Like Willie says, it’s all sacred.

The choral selections included in this year’s edition are primarily based on the corresponding Scripture readings for each week in Year B and are designed to provide you with a comprehensive list of choral music representing a diverse array of musical styles and diverse traditions from across the world (African American, Latin American, South African, etc.). I also sought to find a balance between what I call “traditional choral gems” and newly published music composed by emerging composers.

Given the wide array of choral ensembles in our places of worship, I designated levels of difficulty based on the amount of time needed to prepare each selection. Easy (E) designations are given for anthems that may require less preparation, while those marked Advanced (A) may require more time to prepare. It is my hope that you will find selections that will meet the needs of your choral ensemble. I feel privileged to collaborate on this project and I hope you will find these selections useful, inspiring, and a blessing to your congregations. Please feel free to contact me if I can assist you in any way.

The setting of Hebrew poetry into English metrical verse allows for theological and cultural (re-)interpretation. The recommended metrical settings of psalms represent a breadth of traditions and approaches to psalm interpretation, but each instance purposes to track the assigned lectionary verses. Though responsorial psalmody hews closer to the Hebrew, even here the selection of a refrain can powerfully shape the way the congregation will appropriate the psalm. Such power demands discernment and care. Over time, the psalms should be presented in ways that help us to associate them with both the Old Testament and New Testament lections, with both the original singers of the psalms and contemporary worshipers.

The 2018 Book of Common Worship provides a complete Psalter with eight transferrable refrains that can be used for responsorial singing of all the assigned lectionary psalms and canticles. This Psalter, prepared by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, provides beautiful and natural contemporary language that is inclusive and expansive for both divine and human referents. Particularly with regard to responsorial resources, we are glad to point to Roman Catholic resources. Note that the most recent official Roman Catholic responsorial psalmody draws from The Revised Grail Psalms. Some of these verses use exclusive language (man, men, he) in reference to humanity. In such instances it is possible to substitute the original Grail Psalms translation or to use verses from other sources, such as the Psalter in the Book of Common Worship.

There are many ways to bring visual art into community worship. Art can be physically present in your worship space, printed images can be a part of your worship bulletin, or digital images can be projected during spoken or musical elements of the liturgy or incorporated into streamed worship services. Art that invites worshipers into the presence of God, enhances the proclamation of the Word, and/or broadens and deepens the worship experience should be chosen. The art suggestions provided here include the work of artists in a wide variety of mediums, including painting, sculpture, fiber art, and calligraphy. Some are from centuries ago and some are contemporary. All are chosen to support the lectionary texts for the given week. Excellent liturgical art is available directly from artists, from artists’ representatives, and from collections such as the Vanderbilt Divinity Library (https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/). You will see that the Vanderbilt collection is the most cited source for three reasons: first, the collection is very large and organized according to the Revised Common Lectionary. Second, there is no charge for use of the Vanderbilt images, and third, copyright is covered by Vanderbilt with clear directions for captions and citations provided. A few artists in the Vanderbilt collection require direct contact in order to use their images, which is noted in the library in those cases with directions about how to obtain permission.

Other resources to consider include Eyekons (https://eyekons.com), which represents a large group of liturgical artists and has a fee of either $9.99 or $14.99 depending on the required resolution (online or projected images require less resolution than printed images). When working directly with artists, copyright requirements and fees will vary. For example, the fee for Jan Richardson’s art (https://www.janrichardsonimages.com/) is $15.00 per image or an annual subscription of $165. Other artists charge fees that range from $0 to more than $100, but many do not charge for church use if you request and receive permission from them to use their work. Most churches, even very small ones, have artists or art collectors among their membership, who can be a great resource. If a member is sharing something from their own art collection, copyright approval is still required from the artist.