Embodied Believing

There’s a lot going on in this worship series: Lectionary! Climate justice! Different, additional justice themes are incorporated into each week! Easter! On the one hand, this might mean there’s too much to pick from. On the other, what a rich, broad opportunity for our musical worship to be expansive and life-giving! The hymns and contemporary song suggestions for each week try to incorporate climate justice, each week’s particular intersectional justice issue, the scripture readings, and Eastertide as a whole.

Consider using a “thread” song (could be just part of a song) that ties each week to the same refrain. This can create a deep association for worshipers and tie seemingly disparate ideas together in a way that will follow them into the future. Our theology becomes lived through song, especially songs we sing over and over and over again. After all, anecdotally, John Wesley did call the hymnal a little book of practical theology!

Thread Song Suggestions:

“Blessed Assurance” - Believing into Christ is an act of faith that requires deep commitment! Throughout the season, “Blessed Assurance” can accompany us on this journey as a traditional favorite.

“Hymn of Promise” brings both the aspects of faith - believing that a new world will come to fruition - and the creation imagery that we celebrate especially in this season.

The Mark Miller anthem, “I Believe,” would be a great tune to accompany the congregation’s growing commitment to believe into Christ throughout the season.

“Beyond Belief” incorporates themes of doubt and questioning and reminds us that believing into Christ makes love come alive for us. What better way of believing into Christ than admitting that belief is a process, a choice, and a journey rather than simply intellectual assent.

Both “Testify” pieces, by NeedtoBreathe and Wynonna, call us to bring our embodied belief into the community by testifying to it.

Just as the preaching notes for Eastertide were written by theologians of different backgrounds, so should there be a diversity of voices through the music. While many popular contemporary Christian music (CCM) artists are not closely aligned with Wesleyan theology and our church’s social stances, some lesser-known artists are! I’ve tried to incorporate songs from artists who are advocates for climate justice and for the justice topics each week.

We hope these song selections will enrich your worship and inspire your congregations. Blessings on your Easter season!

Abbreviations:

• United Methodist Hymnal - UMH
• The Faith We Sing - TFWS
• Worship and Song - W&S

Music Notes

This week, hymns and songs that focus on doubt, embodied belief, and disability justice align well with the worship materials. “Blessed Assurance” (UMH 369) by Fanny Crosby recalls the confidence Thomas experienced when his doubt was assuaged (Jn. 20:28); another of Crosby’s hymns, “Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior” (UMH 351), would also tie in with the disability justice theme. “Bring Many Names” (TFWS 2047) reflects the diversity of abilities and attributes associated with different images of God, affirming a potential focus on disability justice this week. “Welcome” (W&S 3152) would be a great opening hymn, and it ties in themes of creation. “I Believe” and “Beyond Belief” are ballads that deal with themes of overcoming doubt. “These Bodies” takes an intimate, personal approach to remind us that each body is made good and holy and is a place where the divine is experienced. “Testify,” “Testify to Love,” and “Oh How Good It Is” are upbeat pieces that help us continue the celebratory nature of the Easter season.

Find a list of more hymns related to disability justice here from the United Methodist Church’s Disability Justice Committee.

Hymns:

• UMH 384 - Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
• UMH 505 - When Our Confidence Is Shaken
• UMH 369 - Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine
• UMH 111 - How Can We Name a Love
• UMH 351 - Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior
• UMH 707 - Hymn of Promise
• TFWS 2047 - Bring Many Names
• TFWS 2115 - Christ Has Risen
• TFWS 2196 - We Walk by Faith
• TWFS 2206 - Without Seeing You
• W&S 3129 - Touch the Earth Lightly
• W&S 3152 - Welcome

Contemporary Songs:

• These Bodies - The Many
• Oh How Good It Is - Keith & Kristyn Getty
• By Faith - Keith & Kristyn Getty
• I Believe - Mark Miller
• Beyond Belief - The Many
• Testify - NeedtoBreathe
• Testify to Love – Wynonna

Rev. Kristina Sinks is a graduate of Garrett Seminary and a Provisional Deacon in the UMC (California-Nevada). She sings and manages tours for the music collective The Many, which brings justice-oriented music to progressive Christians and spiritual communities around the world, serves at GreenFaith, a global, multi-faith climate justice organization. She resides in the Chicago area on the traditional, unceded homelands of the Council of Three Fires—the Ojibwa, Ottawa and Potawatomi.