Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (1988 - present)

I loved the inclusion of so many different hymns, and was profoundly impressed by the diverse backgrounds from which the hymns were selected. However, I am disappointed with the changes made to the older hymns: whole verses were cut from some, and wordings were unnecessarily altered. I can understand the desire to make the words more gender-inclusive, but some changes didn't involve gender at all.

For example, "Ah Holy Jesus" shifts the first verse from the third-person voice to the first. show more This would be all right in different circumstances, but the whole song builds to the dramatic first-person shift in verse three, and the sorrow that comes from the shift in verses four and five. In this hymnal, it begins with first person, then changes abruptly to third, and then shifts back, again, to first. There is no logic to the overall structure of the piece.

Finally, much of the music has been cut, and only melody lines are available for many of the songs. This not only makes it next to impossible for a congregation to sing parts, but it requires anyone interested in harmonization or instrumentation to purchase the organist edition.

This is nice as a supplement, but don't expect it work alone. Don't ditch the LBWs. show less

This hymnal may be the single best mainline Protestant comprehensive hymn collection available today. It's liturgical, musically diverse, and sensitive to inclusive language without being reactionary. The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is because it is not available in a version without "Lutheran" in the title, making it a 'hard sell' in congregations in other mainline denominations even though it may be exactly what they'd be looking for.

Hymns 230-894. Psalms begin on page 335. Service music is numbered 151-238, Daily Lectionary begins on 1121- 1153. Service outline from pages 1154 to 1159. Luther’s Catechism on pages 1160-1167. Indexes: Acknowledgments, copyright, hymns topical and metrical, Source of music and hymns, first line.

From creation to Pentecost to our world today, the third person of the Trinity blows into our lives like a divine wind, inspiring, prompting and leading us to Jesus Christ.

Comes with User's Guide, Seasons of Renewal and Her Words Took Wing