10 Feb GS 2004 art 77

Posted at 14:25h in CanRC, GS 2004 by

GS 2004 Article 77 – CPEU re: the Common Songbook

Committee 2 again presented its proposal on the report of the CPEU re: the common songbook.  After a brief round of discussion, the following was adopted:

1.    Material

  • 1.1.   Report of the CPEU re: the common songbook
  • 1.2.   Letter from the church at Lincoln

2.    Admissibility

The letter from the church at Lincoln is admissible since it interacts with the report of the CPEU.

3.    Observations

  • 3.1.   The committee received the following mandate from Synod Neerlandia:
    • 3.1.1. To work closely with the committee re: songbook appointed by the URCNA synod;
    • 3.1.2. To produce a songbook that contains the complete Anglo-Genevan Psalter and other suitable metrical versions, including hymns that also meet the standard of faithfulness to the Scripture and the Reformed Confessions;
    • 3.1.3. To keep the CPEU updated on the progress;
    • 3.1.4. To provide the CPEU with a report in sufficient time for it to produce the comprehensive report for Synod in a timely fashion.
    •    (Acts General Synod Neerlandia 2001, Article 95, p. 108).
  • 3.2.   The joint committees were able to adopt the following future direction:
    • 3.2.1. The URC Psalter Hymnal Committee will propose to its next synod that initially both the Book of Praise as well as a Psalter Hymnal be recommended for use in the churches.
    • 3.2.2. While the Psalter Hymnal Committee is mandated to produce a complete Psalter, it is not bound to include the 150 Anglo-Genevan psalms. Our committee, however, is bound by its mandate to include them.
  • 3.3.   The combined committees decided to:
    • 3.3.1. Continue to work together, using the Principles and Guidelines to scrutinize and recommend suitable hymns.
    • 3.3.2. Be gracious, open and amenable to each other’s point of view, remaining cognizant of each other’s mandates while striving towards unanimity.
    • 3.3.3. Concentrate our efforts on the hymns.
    • 3.3.4. Use the divisions of the Apostles’ Creed as a general guide to organizing the hymns.
    • 3.3.5.Maintain close contact between our committees, reporting to each other on our progress re: hymns every other month starting May 1, 2003.
  • 3.3.   6.Hold our next combined meeting in Jenison, MI, in March, 2004.
  • 3.4.   In addition to this, our committee decided that in our contact with the URC Psalter Hymnal Committee we would restrict our discussion to the psalm and hymn sections of the proposed combined songbook.
  • 3.5.   Over the past three years the committee was able to meet two times as combined committees. Both committees could thankfully note the brotherly harmony in which they could work and that good progress could be made thus far.
  • 3.6.   The church at Lincoln is thankful that both federations make psalm singing a priority. However, it is concerned that the URC committee appears less keen to include the complete Anglo-Genevan Psalter.

4.    Considerations

  • 4.1.   Synod receives the report as the progress report of the committee’s work. As the committee continues to publish its activities, churches are encouraged to forward their suggestions directly to the committee for its consideration.
  • 4.2.   Synod can endorse the ‘future direction’ of the committee report as it provides a clear direction toward the fulfillment of its mandate given by Synod Neerlandia 2001.
  • 4.3.   The church at Lincoln fails to consider that it is not in the mandate of the URC committee to include the 150 Anglo-Genevan Psalms; however, at the next URC synod, the committee will propose that, “initially both the Book of Praise as well as a Psalter Hymnal be recommended for use in the churches.”

5.    Recommendations

Synod decide:

  • 5.1.   To thank the committee for the common songbook for its work.
  • 5.2.   To give the committee the following mandate:
    • 5.2.1.To continue working closely with the committee re: songbook appointed by the URCNA synod;
    • 5.2.2.To continue to produce a songbook that contains the complete Anglo-Genevan Psalter and other suitable metrical versions of the Psalms, including hymns that also meet the standard of faithfulness to the Scriptures and the Reformed Confessions;
    • 5.2.3.To keep the CPEU updated on the progress;
    • 5.2.4.To provide the CPEU with a report in sufficient time for it to produce the comprehensive report for Synod in a timely fashion.
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