21 ... ,. ... ~ ·;- ... ~

·· ·. October .1996

Resolving hymnal conflict took energy, prayer hy the Rev. Jared Rardin

Connie!. Sadly, it's a word that we in the church have come to dreacl .

Connie! is the inevitable expe-rirnre any group ha<> when its unity r<'els threatened. Yet in and or ilsclr, ii is neither good nor bacl , it simply is. What makes a ronnirt "good" or "had" is our response to it. We can allow it to bring out the automatic "fight or night" instinct~ in us, or we can embrace ii as a vehicle for sclr-discovery. It is true that the rruit<> or "fight or night" ar<' hiller. 1r. howev-er, the response is one in which opposing parti<'s value understand-ing more than they do "winning" or avoiding, then the fruits or conOict ran he sweet indeed.

Ni1w months ago, we at South llrit;1in Congregational Churrh found OUrsdVl'S d!'!'ply ronnirfl•d OV!'r the f\'1•111 <.'1•11/111:1· llrmnal. Mll·r 1warly a year of rcOt>Cling, studying, singing and disrnssing, we werr still deeply divided over the changrs the NCI/ had wrought with familiar hymn tex t<>, and the lheologiral and rhris-tological concerns SOllll' or those rhanges raised . Our division was most dearly hrought to light at our ;u11111aJ meeting in January, in which a VOil' affirming the purchase or lhe New (,(>11f11ry l~Jmma/ pa<>scd by a slim margin or thret• voles.

During the W<'<'k that <'llSll('(I, it hl' rn nw rlt·ar that the vol<', ir acted upon imm<'diately, would not he in the best interests of the rnn-gregation . As informal discussion

continued, many who had voted in favor of the New Century Hymnal found themselves experiencing "new century reservations."

What emerged was not so much a search for a quick fix hut a desire to come together in the search for a mutually satisfying solution . The resull was a subse-quent resolution by our Church Council , hased upon informal polling of the congregation, to put the purchase on hold and to create a new committee made up of nine memhers with opposing viewpoints to discuss and research all other available hymnals. II was that deci-sion which gave us what all congre-gations need to think more clearly: breathing room.

The Ingredients On April 25, the special com-

millt'<' ronv1·n<'d. Rather than try-ing lo "solve the problem;'. mem-bers of the committee focused instrad on defining the outcome it felt the congregation wanted. They defined the outcome in terms of "the perfect hymnal for us," under-standing that no hymnal would per-fectly fit that description . The fol-lowing is a summary list of the "ingredients" the committee select-ed;

- A large measure of old favorites, with minimal tune or text change;

- II healthy infusion of new hymns, hringing freshness and new id!'as lo worship hut with inclusive

language that was not so far-reach- "finalists." Next, a list of the com-ing as to be considered "exclusive"; mittee members ' favorite 225

-A large measure of moder- hymns was cross-referenced to nity, reflecting the explosion in each of the three hymnals still being hymn writing in the last two considered. All omissions, text decades as well as concerns for changes and tune changes were diversity and inclusivity; noted and discussed. By the end of

-A sprinkling of selections the meeting the list had been nar-from other cultural or religious Ira- rowed to two hymnals. Before con-ditions; eluding the meeting, hymn selec-

-A small dose of "old lions from each were sung in the hymns;, which had been left out of meetinghouse with an accompa-the Pilgrim Hymnal; nist.

-Several patriotic favorites left On June 11 , the committee out by the New Century Hymrial convened one last time to compare

In short, the outcome was again and sing selections from the defined as "a hymnal that is fresh two finalists. Following discussion for today, retains and celebrates the on the theology and history of the traditions of the past, and will still Disciples of Christ, the Committee be vital tomorrow." The second and voted unanimously and without third criteria made ii clear to all that reservation for the Chalice hymnal, neither the New Centttry Hymnal citing the fact that in content, pre-nor the Pilgrim Hymnal were the sentation and spirit, "it felt like our hest options. !laving established the hymnal should feel." Soon therc-shortc0mings-in-~the· ... .,...,..afterrtllwumitte'1made &t\**alU commJttee proceeded. presentations to the Music Commit-

The Preparation April 18 - May 28. Having invit-

ed anyone interested to attend the meetings, the committee researched eleven hymnals pub-lished since 1975, including the Presbyterian Hymnal, the Methodist Hymnal, the Chalice Hymnal (Disciples of Christ), the Mennonite Hymnal, the Moravian Hymnal, and the Worshipping Church.

By May 28 the list had been readily whittled down to three

tee, the Diaconate and the Church Council , receiving unanimous approval and gratitude from all.

Food For Thought' The spirit and unanimity with

which everyone thus far has embraced the Chalice hymnal has been nothing short of remarkable, given the differences that had arisen over the January vote. Although a special meeting of the congregation is still needed to affirm the recom-mendation of the special commit-tee and to amend the action taken

last January, a spirit of comfort and assurance has prevailed

While the process was often draining, I am thankful for the experience. It has validated the notion that the funclion of pain in the body of Christ, just as in the human .body, is to preserve life and encourage growth. Pain can also be an Invitation to seek out God's pres-ence in new ways. Several individu-als have shared with me the thought that throughout the conflict over the New Century Hymnal, a larger hand has been at work, teaching us about ourselves, shoWing us how to grow in love and admiration for one another, and reminding us that the question to ask is not, "How do we get out of this mess?" hut rather, "How might God be using this mess to strengthen and stretch us?"

Our recipe for reconciliation may not suit the l:tsles of of her con-

+ g1cgcztlon&. Bttt we shae ~e~ -hope that others going throuih a similar experience will remember to season their work together with respect and pepper ii wjth humor, knowing that the result can be an experience not unlike a f eac;t, a feast which will nourish them well into. the future. I suspect that if you were to ask a member of our special committee if they have any regrets about the way things have turned out, they would answer, as I do , "I wouldn't have had it any other way."

fared Rardin is the Pastor of the South Britain Congregational Church in Southbury.