Randi J. Martin
YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER
Preserving Traditional Hymns
Randi Martin | Master of Fine Arts Thesis
THE PROBLEM
The preservation of traditional hymns in a modern worship service has become a common topic of conversation in today’s evangelical Christian churches, as worship leaders and churches navigate music styles and preferences to choose songs that honor God. Hymns, with their deep theological roots and rich historical significance, have been a cornerstone of Christian worship for centuries. In recent decades, modern worship styles have developed with many churches shifting toward contemporary music. This raises important questions about the future of these time-honored traditions. Traditional hymns are increasingly less common in evangelical worship services, resulting in worship teams and churchgoers missing the theological depth, historical significance, and musical appreciation that accompany many hymns.
THE PROPOSED SOLUTION
The proposed solution is primarily digital, and features an e-book guide for worship leaders that focused on traditional hymns as well as downloadable digital resources that accompany the e-book. The goal of the e-book is to a selection of traditional hymns, and provide context that could help introduce the song in a modern worship service. For copyright reasons, these hymns needed to be in the public domain. It was also important to make sure that these hymns were theologically sound, as the research showed that the lyrics of the songs that we sing are incredibly important to create an authentic worship experience.
The e-book will include the following:
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An illustration to introduce each of the songs
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A brief history of the hymn and/or the background of the author
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Relevant Bible passages that could be used to introduce the hymn
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Recommendations for traditional hymns and contemporary worship songs that pair well with theselected hymn
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Sheet music and chord charts
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Links to additional digital resources
Additional digital resources will include:
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Printable copies of any sheet music or lyrics (public domain)
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Song slides that can be used for presentation during services
THE E-BOOK
The final e-book design is broken up into 12 chapters, 1 for each selected song. Each chapter features a similar layout.The first page of each chapter features a full-page introductory image. These illustrations are different for each song and match the lyrics and theme of the hymn.This is followed by the lyrics of the song to introduce it to the reader. Pages 3 and 4 feature the main written content. This includes a devotional that features the history of the hymn, passages of Scripture that relate to the song, and suggested pairings for the worship service. The final pages of each chapter include music that could be used to play the hymn in a worship service. This includes the traditional hymn arrangement as well as a lead sheet with guitar chords.
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PAGE 1
INTRO IMAGE
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PAGE 2
SONG LYRICS
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PAGE 3
DEVOTIONAL
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PAGE 4
SUGGESTIONS
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PAGE 5
SHEET MUSIC
E-Book Illustrations
The illustrations were a key part of this project. These were designed to bring the song to life and give the reader a visual representation of the lyrics. These 12 illustrations would also be used to design the song slides.
Download the E-book
THE SONG SLIDES
In addition to the e-book, slide decks with song lyrics are also included with the project. A 2018 Lifeway Research Survey points to significant changes in the use of technology in the church. When the survey was conducted, nearly half of surveyed churches were projecting song lyrics, and this is likely to continue to grow. Because this is such a common practice across churches, including lyric slides for each song was an important addition.
Each set of slides features a cover slide that includes a version of my illustration, along with a song title and corresponding Bible verse. The rest of the slides include the lyrics to the song, the verse number or chorus labels, and the title of the song. In addition, there is a light and a dark version of each slide. Having both options gives the person who is planning the service options so that they can pick whatever fits their service better. For example, in a darker room, one may be more inclined to choose the light text on the dark background so that the light on the screen is not overwhelming for worshipers. In a brighter environment, the dark text on a light background might be a better choice. Ultimately, the goal of the slides is to enhance the meaning of the lyrics, not to detract from them.
