Secretary’s Newsletter 90 Autumn 2021
The Secretary’s Newsletter:
No.90: Autumn 2021
From the Secretary:
Revd Robert A. Canham
Windrush
Braithwaite
KESWICK
CA12 5SZ
Phone: 017687 78054
Email: Please see our Contact page
The Hymn Society Website: www.hymnsocietygbi.org.uk
The Hymn Society of Gt Britain and Ireland
Apologies for the lateness of this final mailing of 2021, due to the Secretary and unnavigable circumstances. However, it does present me with the rare opportunity to offer you all Greetings for this forthcoming Special Season. May you all have a truly Blesséd and Peaceful Christmas as we hope for Good Things in 2022.
Resumption of The Hymn Society Annual Conference in 2022
Plans are in hand to resume our Annual Conference from Tuesday, 26th – Friday 29th July 2022 at the Preston Leyland Hotel, part of the Signature Collection run by Best Western. It is possible that the availability of rooms may be limited, so please note the dates in your diary and be ready to book swiftly when the Booking Form is available early next year. More details in the next mailing.
The 2022 International Hymn Societies Conference
As mentioned in the previous Newsletter, this will take place in Washington DC from Sunday 17th to Thursday 21st July 2022. Hosted by The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada (HSUSC), it coincides with their Centenary Celebrations. The Conference theme is ‘Sing the World God Imagines’. It will be a ‘hybrid conference’ so can also be attended online. If you are considering attending it would be helpful if you could advise the Secretary.
IAH Conference
There will also be an IAH Conference in 2022. This will be held at the University of Mainz, Germany, from Thursday, 8th – Saturday, 10th September 2022. The theme of this short Conference is ‘The societal relevance of hymnody’. Mainz, birthplace of St Boniface and home to the Gutenberg Museum, is well-served by swift transport links from Frankfurt. More details to follow.
We welcome new members who recently joined the Society:
Revd Dru Brooke-Taylor (Bristol, Avon)
Mr John & Mrs Naomi King (Laverstock, Salisbury, Wiltshire)
Miss Catherine Riddell (Belfast, N. Ireland)
Mr Gary Simons (Cantley, Norwich, Norfolk)
Mr Paul Smith (Liverpool, Merseyside)
Ms Sidonie Stevens (Henfield, West Sussex)
We regret having to report the deaths of members:
Revd Basil E. Bridge (Sprowston, Norwich, Norfolk)
Mr Alan B. Hall (Abergavenny, Monmouthshire)
Mr Adrian West (London)
Adrian joined the Society in 2007, he was one of those members, actually integral and invaluable to our Society, who, whilst not an active participant, appreciated the wisdom and information contained in the Bulletin and enjoyed that sense of being in fellowship with other hymn-lovers.
Basil Bridge died on 11th September, just six months after his beloved wife Muriel (Secretary’s Newsletter No.88: Spring 2021). Alan Hall died on 27th October, all were keen, long-standing members devoted to The Hymn Society, rarely missing from Conferences. Basil was the author of over 40 hymns, many published along with several tunes. Both Alan and Basil were gifted, dedicated and erudite, but also diffident and reticent; we are going to miss them greatly. It is hoped that a later issue of the Bulletin will contain further reflections on their lives and contribution to hymnody.
This is the song of praise
echoing down the years,
true for the present days,
through all our doubts and fears;
for ‘Christ has died’ and ‘Christ is risen,
in Christ shall all be made alive’.
Basil E. Bridge (1927-2021) from his hymn:
This is the truth we hold, source of the joy we share
We are also delighted to welcome a new Library Subscriber:
Taiwan Graduate School of Theology Library
This is our second Library member in Taiwan. We have over thirty Library Subscribers around the world, mostly in the USA. Library memberships are particularly important as they give us access to a much wider clientele interested in, and researching, hymnody.
Subscription Renewals
Most subscriptions, though not all, become due for renewal in January. Many are now paid by Banker’s Order for which we are grateful. The rate for Individual Members in the UK remains £25.00 for 2022 with varying rates for Couples, Europe, and the Rest of the World. There are additional supplements to include either IAH, HSUSC, or both. If your 2021 subscription remains outstanding, we would be most grateful to receive it. If you are uncertain of what you owe, please get in touch with our Treasurer, Michael Garland:
Revd Canon Michael Garland
6 Whimbrel Road, Quedgeley, GLOUCESTER GL2 4LJ
Email: michaelgarland368@btinternet.com
Newsletter Online only mailings
Following my enquiry (Secretary’s Newsletter No.87: Winter 2021) whether any members would prefer to receive quarterly mailings via the Members’ Area of the website only, seven members have requested this preference. It seems to be working well. If you would like to join them, please contact the Secretary.
The Hymn Society’s first Online Mini-Conference
The Society’s first Online Mini-Conference took place each morning from Tuesday 16th to Thursday 18th November, sessions included contributions by Gillian Warson, Alison Robertson, Andrew Pratt, Janet Wootton, Jan Robitscher and Martin Leckebusch on a variety of hymn-related topics. The sessions were shared by between 22 and 32 people, several of whom have expressed appreciation. They are now accessible on The Hymn Society Website Homepage for viewing. Simply click on ‘Short Metre 2021’ and take it from there.
Brand new hymn collection from Jubilate:
Until Your Earth is Whole (hymns for our contemporary world)
The full collection of twelve new hymns selected for Jubilate’s Hymns for our contemporary world project is now available online at:
https://jubilate.co.uk/projects/until_your_earth_is_whole
Entitled ‘Until Your Earth is Whole’, the subjects range from social justice and racial equality to mental health, the refugee crisis and the environment. The words have been matched with tunes (some new, some well-known) and a recording has been made, directed by Pete Gunstone (Fountains Church, Bradford) in Leeds Minster. Authors include Hymn Society members Martin Leckebusch and Christopher Idle and, and a significant number of the hymns were written by women.
Amazing Grace and its legacies – Call for Papers
John Newton wrote Amazing Grace late in 1772 (250 years ago next year) to be sung at a New Year’s Day service in Olney. In the year of its writing, this will be marked by a Conference co-hosted by The Open University, The Cowper and Newton Museum, and Olney Parish Church.
At present there is a Call for Papers with proposals requested on a range of topics related in some way to Amazing Grace and its legacy. For further details and how to submit a proposal, go to The Hymn Society Website and scroll down on the Home Page to Amazing Grace and its legacies and click on ‘Read more here’. However, please note that the deadline for submissions is 1st January 2022. The Conference itself will take place 15th/16th July 2022.
Successful Regional Events recently held
On Saturday 2nd October the Day of Psalms, intriguingly named Psalms, Psinging and Psandwiches!, was held in London at St John’s East Dulwich. Addressed by Society members Adam Carlill, Michael Garland, Janet Wootton, John Webber and Sue O’Neil, it considered a variety of aspects of the Psalms and Psalm Singing (of which there was plenty). Despite indifferent weather, the content and singing were excellent and much valued by those able to attend.
Then, on Saturday 27th November, Sing Vintage Hymns, organized by our members Phil Price and Nicholas Markwell, made a welcome return, this time at Heath Street Baptist Church, Hampstead. Another superb occasion. Despite the poor weather and covid, just over twenty people were present along with four band members (flute, clarinet, recorder, cello) and Terence Atkins at the piano. The singing was really good, with between twelve and fifteen items being sung from the specially prepared booklet, including, (rather appropriately) ‘Master the Tempest is raging’!
As, hopefully, things begin to open-up, we look forward to further events in 2022, one being….
Vintage Hymns Singing Day – Saturday 5th March 2022
St Andrew’s Church, Newton Tony, near Salisbury is the venue for the next Vintage Hymns Singing Day. From 10.00 am to 4.00 pm, concluding with Evensong and with the option of lunch in the Village Pub, it will provide the opportunity to sing some more classic and wonderful hymns. Tickets are £15.00 if booked in advance, otherwise £20.00. Teas/Coffees are included, and either bring your own lunch or book your lunch for 12.45 pm in the Malet Arms, Newton Tony.