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Valerie wrote:

Josh wrote:

Wade wrote:
I agree very much.
But it was more disappointing one time over at a families and they wanted to sing before the meal. They asked about half a dozen songs and finally gave up as we didn't know any... So they didn't sing at all...

Yes!! After a while, I took it on myself to practice a meal blessing song or two. I still often don't know the songs that are spontaneously sung.

Do Mennonites sing before they eat in addition to asking the Lord's blessing in prayer? Or is it a combination of both? Any examples?

Not in addition - if we ask the blessing in song, there is no additional spoken prayer. The meal blessing songs are prayer songs and are usually sung with eyes closed as a prayer, instead of having someone lead in prayer. (Or instead of silent prayer). So when you're done singing, you open your eyes and pass the food!

God is Great is the most common prayer song. We Thank Thee Lord for This Our Food is another.

buckeyematt2 wrote:

Valerie wrote:

Josh wrote:
Yes!! After a while, I took it on myself to practice a meal blessing song or two. I still often don't know the songs that are spontaneously sung.

Do Mennonites sing before they eat in addition to asking the Lord's blessing in prayer? Or is it a combination of both? Any examples?

Not in addition - if we ask the blessing in song, there is no additional spoken prayer. The meal blessing songs are prayer songs and are usually sung with eyes closed as a prayer, instead of having someone lead in prayer. (Or instead of silent prayer). So when you're done singing, you open your eyes and pass the food!

God is Great is the most common prayer song. We Thank Thee Lord for This Our Food is another.

Wow- I never witnessed this before, that's nice. I imagine this would be limited to meals at home, not in public-
I wonder when this practice was initiated? Just wondering- who came up with that idea.
I was reading through the Psalms this morning and in the ancient church, those are sung, or chanted not read but I appreciate how your spirit is lifted just by reading them out loud.

Valerie wrote:

Josh wrote:

Wade wrote:
I agree very much.
But it was more disappointing one time over at a families and they wanted to sing before the meal. They asked about half a dozen songs and finally gave up as we didn't know any... So they didn't sing at all...

Yes!! After a while, I took it on myself to practice a meal blessing song or two. I still often don't know the songs that are spontaneously sung.

Do Mennonites sing before they eat in addition to asking the Lord's blessing in prayer? Or is it a combination of both? Any examples?

My experience is that they always prayed. And the singing was sometimes in addition before prayer in homes, but always both at the once monthly fellowship meal after Sunday service.

Valerie wrote:

Josh wrote:

Wade wrote:
I agree very much.
But it was more disappointing one time over at a families and they wanted to sing before the meal. They asked about half a dozen songs and finally gave up as we didn't know any... So they didn't sing at all...

Yes!! After a while, I took it on myself to practice a meal blessing song or two. I still often don't know the songs that are spontaneously sung.

Do Mennonites sing before they eat in addition to asking the Lord's blessing in prayer? Or is it a combination of both? Any examples?

In the circles I'm familiar with it is a common practice, if there are guests, to sing a verse of song before the blessing on the meal. For instance, if a family invites a couple other families from church over for the noon meal, the head of the household will often ask one of the guests (male >17yo) to lead in a verse of song by memory. The guest will choose and lead out in the song of his choice. Another guest would then be asked to lead in prayer.
There are some very safe choices for songs in this situation, but a person can find themselves in a slightly awkward spot when they begin a song that is very familiar in their home congregation but is not familiar to those they are visiting with (sometimes because of the hymnals used in each). I've had the experience of feeling like I was almost singing solo

ohio jones wrote:

RZehr wrote:In our home church pew racks we have these:
The Church Hymnal, SF Coffman
Life Songs #2, SF Coffman
The Church & Sunday School Hymnal, JD Brunk

Between these three books there are 1162 unique songs (counting the duplicates only once). Hymns of the Church contains 483 of those.

If the goal is to preserve as many of the songs from those three books as possible while only buying two books, Hymns of the Church plus The Church & Sunday School Hymnal would give you 803 of the 1162, while increasing the total selection to 1337. Or the Church Hymnal plus The Church & Sunday School Hymnal would give you 939 of the 1162, but only 939 total.

Of course it might make a difference whether the songs you'd be giving up are old favorites, or ones that you don't know and have never sung. Some of them could be included in the folder if you do one of those.

Wow just Wow. I am not even going to ask.....

Based on the type of books you use presently RZehr I think you would be really happy with Hymns of the Church. We switched to it from the Church Hymnal a couple of years ago and use it along with Zion's Praises. For Sunday morning worship services I think we use Hymns of the Church almost 90% of the time.

I sometimes idly think about a plan for global domination of Hymns of the Church, perhaps sneaking into church houses under cover of night and replacing the old, well-worn hymnals they have with fresh, new "Purple Martins".

Josh wrote:I sometimes idly think about a plan for global domination of Hymns of the Church, perhaps sneaking into church houses under cover of night and replacing the old, well-worn hymnals they have with fresh, new "Purple Martins".

Me thinks that might not be well received in your present place of worship. But I dare you.

appleman2006 wrote:

Josh wrote:I sometimes idly think about a plan for global domination of Hymns of the Church, perhaps sneaking into church houses under cover of night and replacing the old, well-worn hymnals they have with fresh, new "Purple Martins".

Me thinks that might not be well received in your present place of worship. But I dare you.

Oh no, I would never do that in my own place of worship.

I was more along the lines of thinking about fixing the hymnody in everyone else's church.

Josh wrote:

appleman2006 wrote:

Josh wrote:I sometimes idly think about a plan for global domination of Hymns of the Church, perhaps sneaking into church houses under cover of night and replacing the old, well-worn hymnals they have with fresh, new "Purple Martins".

Me thinks that might not be well received in your present place of worship. But I dare you.

Oh no, I would never do that in my own place of worship.

I was more along the lines of thinking about fixing the hymnody in everyone else's church.

Yes I was simply kidding you.