Peter Moger, National Worship Development Officer for the Church of England, presents part two of a two part series on selecting hymns:
In my last article, I offered some thoughts on the placing of hymns and songs at various points in the liturgy, using the RSCM’s Sunday by Sunday hymn lists in VL, looking in particular at opening hymns and hymns before the Gospel.
The main liturgical purpose of a hymn at the Preparation of the Table (often called an ‘Offertory Hymn’) is to manage the ‘gear-change’ from the Liturgy of the Word to the Liturgy of the Sacrament. It should be long enough to cover the preparation of the Table and the gifts (and perhaps also the taking of a collection, and censing in some traditions) – so a hymn of double metre (e.g. 8 7 8 7 D) works well here.
Offertory hymns don’t have to be overtly sacramental, but inevitably many hymns chosen for this point in the service are. Coming before the Sursum corda at the beginning of the Eucharistic Prayer, this hymn can be a powerful means of encouraging the congregation to prepare to join their worship with that of ‘the whole company of heaven.’
The distribution of Communion is the place for a devotional hymn or song which helps worshippers meet with Christ in the sacrament. A hymn with a strong sacramental theme works best here. The volume of this hymn is crucial: unaccompanied singing is often preferable here (if you have singers to lead it), as is the use of Taizé chants or quiet worship songs.
The job of the final (post Communion) hymn is not to get the clergy out of the way so that everyone can have coffee, but to send out God’s people ‘to live and work to his praise and glory.’ It is a mission hymn. Common Worship makes it clear that post Communion hymns should come before the blessing and are not intended as recessional hymns. Hence, as long as they do their job, they don’t have to be over-long.
Peter Moger