{"id":10669,"date":"2011-07-24T21:52:50","date_gmt":"2011-07-25T02:52:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/praytellblog.com\/?p=10669"},"modified":"2011-07-24T21:52:50","modified_gmt":"2011-07-25T02:52:50","slug":"hymns-for-a-lifetime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/praytellblog.com\/index.php\/2011\/07\/24\/hymns-for-a-lifetime\/","title":{"rendered":"Hymns for a lifetime"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ed. Note: Audrey Seah attended this year’s Hymn Society conference <\/a>and offers this reflection on one of the breakout presentations.<\/em><\/p>\n

Over the past 25 years, Ken Wilson, music minister at Knollwood Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has fostered a culture of hymn singing amongst the entire congregation through a remarkable program of hymn memorization for children in grades 3 – 5. Through the program, children systematically memorize one or two stanzas of 20 hymns, carefully chosen to fit year A, B and C of the Revised Common Lectionary. The children are exposed to part-singing early as they learn to sing both soprano and alto parts. The basics of hymnody such as hymn forms and tune names are also taught.\u00a0 Children who successfully memorize 60 hymns are awarded with a place on the “hymns for a lifetime all-stars” board that is displayed in the church sanctuary.<\/p>\n

This video gives you an idea of what has been accomplished:
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Learning the Language of Praise<\/a> from Stephen Ball<\/a> on Vimeo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

As part of his presentation, Ken Wilson shared 10 reasons for developing a culture of hymn singing among children. A few that struck me:<\/p>\n