How great thou art?

stringofmisery

Just wondering if anyone can help me...is 'How great thou art' sung in any Protestant churches in Ireland?

neemish

Yes, it's used in the Church of England so presume it's used in the COI as well.

neemish

*as long as you sing all four verses, that is!

Peregrinus

It's in the Church of Ireland Church Hymnal at no.32, under the title "O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder".

(The Church Hymnal likes first-line titles.)

Its use is, of course, optional. Whether it's sung in any particular parish, and how often, depends on the style of music favoured in that parish and on the personal tastes of whoever is in charge of the music there.

homer911

Absolutely, but there is a rich collection of modern and traditional hymns and songs and we like to mix it up a lot (Presbyterian)

Whether its in a hymn book or not is irrelevant to us - we are registered with CCLI and use EasyWorship for Songs, Scriptures and Sermons

Peregrinus

Just to clarify, CofI parishes aren't limited to what's in the Church Hymnal. It's just a useful resource that is provided and that is widely use, and the inclusion of this hymn in it shows that, yes, it probably is sung in lots of CofI churches.

(Is EasyWorship a bit like cheap grace? )

santing

It's in "Mission Praise" one of the most widely used songbooks:
https://www.missionpraise.com/fullindex

keano_afc

santing wrote: »

It's in "Mission Praise" one of the most widely used songbooks:
https://www.missionpraise.com/fullindex

Got there ahead of me. We use Mission Praise and How Great Thou Art is a favourite of mine.

Lord Riverside

santing wrote: »

It's in "Mission Praise" one of the most widely used songbooks:

keano_afc wrote: »

Got there ahead of me. We use Mission Praise and How Great Thou Art is a favourite of mine.

None of these are scriptural though.

Which one of the denominations in Ireland shuns all music except the psalms again ?

neemish

Some of the Presbyterian Churches only sing Psalms

Benny_Cake

neemish wrote: »

Some of the Presbyterian Churches only sing Psalms

I think the Reformed Presbyterian Church only sing Psalms unaccompanied by musical instruments.

stringofmisery

Thanks all for your replies

keano_afc

Benny_Cake wrote: »

I think the Reformed Presbyterian Church only sing Psalms unaccompanied by musical instruments.

Yep, this is true. Friend of mine leads a Reformed church and they only sing unaccompanied Psalms.

homer911

keano_afc wrote: »

Yep, this is true. Friend of mine leads a Reformed church and they only sing unaccompanied Psalms.

There was a short series on BBC NI recently that did an episode on one of these churches. Interesting, but not for me - they are missing out on a lot in my opinion

keano_afc

homer911 wrote: »

There was a short series on BBC NI recently that did an episode on one of these churches. Interesting, but not for me - they are missing out on a lot in my opinion

Yeah I'd be of the same opinion. Very authoritarian. Not really for me.

KatyMac

Psalms are heavy going with or without music! Much rather a good rousing hymn myself. Then, I'm in charge of choosing the weekly music so can pick all my favourites!!!!

Lord Riverside

keano_afc wrote: »

Yep, this is true. Friend of mine leads a Reformed church and they only sing unaccompanied Psalms.

At least they practice sola scriptura instead of the others that pretend to.

silverharp

santing wrote: »

It's in "Mission Praise" one of the most widely used songbooks:
https://www.missionpraise.com/fullindex

I remember coming across this book somewhere and they this page tippexed out :pac:

God save our gracious Queen
God save our gracious Queen, ...

keano_afc

Lord Riverside wrote: »

At least they practice sola scriptura instead of the others that pretend to.

Don't get me wrong, not criticising at all. My own church is sola scripture.

keano_afc

silverharp wrote: »

I remember coming across this book somewhere and they this page tippexed out :pac:

No 194 if memory serves me right

Lord Riverside

keano_afc wrote: »

Don't get me wrong, not criticising at all. My own church is sola scripture.

Not if they sing anything other than Psalms its not.

santing

silverharp wrote: »

I remember coming across this book somewhere and they this page tippexed out :pac:

I wouldn't tippex it out - I am sure she needs saving!

There are plenty of other songs in Mission Praise that I have questionmarks over, but that's ok, after all only the Bible is God's inspired Word.

Lord Riverside

santing wrote: »

I wouldn't tippex it out - I am sure she needs saving!

There are plenty of other songs in Mission Praise that I have questionmarks over, but that's ok, after all only the Bible is God's inspired Word.

You'll find it's only "sola scriptura" when it suits.

santing

Lord Riverside wrote: »

You'll find it's only "sola scriptura" when it suits.

NO, I find 'Sola Scriptura' everywhere... But when I say to God early in the morning 'Thank you for a new morning' I am not quoting Scripture, I am talking with God and I know that my expression of tahnkfulness may include wrong ideas or sentences - but they are my expressions, expressions of my relation with God. Only Scripture is perfect.

Lord Riverside

santing wrote: »

NO, I find 'Sola Scriptura' everywhere... But when I say to God early in the morning 'Thank you for a new morning' I am not quoting Scripture, I am talking with God and I know that my expression of tahnkfulness may include wrong ideas or sentences - but they are my expressions, expressions of my relation with God. Only Scripture is perfect.

All of which contradicts "sola scripture" and what scripture actually says . . .

santing

Lord Riverside wrote: »

All of which contradicts "sola scripture" and what scripture actually says . . .

No it doesn't. 'Sola Scriptura' doesn't mean that I can only speak in phrases from the Bible, it means that the authority of anything I belief, say and do must be directly linked to the Scriptures. If anything I say must be 'Sola Scriptura' then if we happen to have a meal together, the conversation would be rather limited. And if we would be in a restaurant I have no idea if I actually could manage to order something using 'Sola Scriptura'!

Lord Riverside

santing wrote: »

No it doesn't. 'Sola Scriptura' doesn't mean that I can only speak in phrases from the Bible, it means that the authority of anything I belief, say and do must be directly linked to the Scriptures. If anything I say must be 'Sola Scriptura' then if we happen to have a meal together, the conversation would be rather limited. And if we would be in a restaurant I have no idea if I actually could manage to order something using 'Sola Scriptura'!

Please don't pretend we were talking about having a meal, that's beneath honesty.

We all know it sola scripture only when it suits, and services that promote non scriptural hymns and music outside the psalms are a classic example.

At least the churches that only sing psalms try to practice sola scriptura.

What's most ironic of all is the fact that the 1500's invented doctrine of sola scriptura actually completely contradicts what is written in scripture.

santing

Lord Riverside wrote: »

Please don't pretend we were talking about having a meal, that's beneath honesty.

I disagree. Both the Judaistic and the Christian worship centers around a meal: 'fellowship offering' and 'the Lord's Table.'

Lord Riverside wrote: »

We all know it sola scripture only when it suits, and services that promote non scriptural hymns and music outside the psalms are a classic example.

I am actually of the opposite opinion - worship that only uses the Psalms will never be 'Christian' music as the Psalms only look forward to the coming of the Saviour. So by using Psalms only you miss the boat....

Be filled with the Spirit, address one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, sing and make melody to the Lord with your heart, give thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Lord Riverside

santing wrote: »

I disagree. Both the Judaistic and the Christian worship centers around a meal: 'fellowship offering' and 'the Lord's Table.' I am actually of the opposite opinion - worship that only uses the Psalms will never be 'Christian' music as the Psalms only look forward to the coming of the Saviour. So by using Psalms only you miss the boat....

So you can't be honest about what we were actually discussing, I see.
That and the fact you clearly don't know the psalms.

steamengine

'How great thou art' is a hymn more associated with evangelical church circles in my experience. It needs a congregation that puts its heart and soul into singing such as the Salvation Army, Baptists and others. Large choirs can do it the necessary justice as well - as I recall it was/is often sung by Welsh male voice choirs.

Jellybaby1

Lord Riverside wrote: »

None of these are scriptural though.

Which one of the denominations in Ireland shuns all music except the psalms again ?

I have heard of a church called the Church of Christ and in some (not all) of their branches they sing hymns/songs but do not allow musical instruments. I would find that very strange.

Peregrinus

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

I have heard of a church called the Church of Christ and in some (not all) of their branches they sing hymns/songs but do not allow musical instruments. I would find that very strange.

All depends on what you're used to. In Eastern Christianity they have a very rich tradition of liturgical music, but it's all completely unaccompanied. No musical instruments at all - just voices.

Jellybaby1

Unfortunately not all voices are as angelic as we would hope. Just as well that God only listens to our hearts. Back OT, 'How Great Thou Art' is a wonderful hymn and I have often belted it out in CoI churches. It definitely needs a good bass section though.

keano_afc

All of our musicians were away yesterday morning - the singing made me very thankful we are blessed with talented guitar players and piantists

Jellybaby1

keano_afc wrote: »

All of our musicians were away yesterday morning - the singing made me very thankful we are blessed with talented guitar players and piantists

All right, I have to ask, if ALL your musicians were away, how come you had guitarists and pianists?

keano_afc

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

All right, I have to ask, if ALL your musicians were away, how come you had guitarists and pianists?

Sorry, badly phrased on my part. They were all away so we were singing a capella. We didnt always get the right key so it made be very appreciative of what we have.

Jellybaby1

Ah, I see. I thought you might be one of those strange people who only consider organists to be church musicians!

homer911

"Lord Riverside"'s posts have reminded me of a recent article I read on the misuses of the term "Christian"

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/four.terrible.misuses.of.the.word.christian/64342.htm

If a Christian makes music, is it Christian Music? if an atheist makes a movie about good and evil, is it a Christian Movie?

There are some people on this forum who need to consider what the term "Christian" actually means. "Christ-like" is a definition we should all aspire to with God's help..

Jellybaby1

homer911 wrote: »

"Lord Riverside"'s posts have reminded me of a recent article I read on the misuses of the term "Christian"

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/four.terrible.misuses.of.the.word.christian/64342.htm

If a Christian makes music, is it Christian Music? if an atheist makes a movie about good and evil, is it a Christian Movie?

There are some people on this forum who need to consider what the term "Christian" actually means. "Christ-like" is a definition we should all aspire to with God's help..

I prefer 'Christ centred'. That is, Christ is at the heart of it, and should be the subject or object of the song. I don't agree with secular love songs being used in Christian churches and being labelled as Christian just because the lyrics are full of love. If it was written with Christ in mind, to bring Christ to others, then it would, in my humble opinion would more be worthy of the label 'Christian'. I'm sure others would not agree though.