Authors: Tammy-Jo Mortensen

It is interesting to trace the life and work of The United Church of Canada and its worship resources since the union of the Presbyterian, Methodist, Congregational, and Union churches in 1925. Below is a timeline of hymn and song books used by the United Church (published by The United...

Why is it that we sing hymns? Why is it that Christians as well as people from many other faiths sing hymns, spiritual songs, and contemporary music in their churches today? There are so many references in the Bible regarding singing. David, the writer of the psalms, intended the poetry...

I have a secret…. Shh!!!… I like playing funerals. Well, let me qualify that statement. It’s not that I find them enjoyable, but I have always felt a special place of privilege there, and I experience an element of satisfaction in helping a family prepare for a funeral of a...

Summer is always a great time for getting away from the usual tasks of the week and taking some study leave or professional development time. Now that most programs are up and running again after a pause during the pandemic, here are a few events that you might want to...

As the world around us changes, so does our use of language. Although we have some common images and words that we use often in “church-speak,” we are all becoming more aware of how our language can aid inclusion, honour diversity, and assist with striving for equity and justice. If...

This issue is all about numbers. Musicians use numbers all the time, such as for time signatures, bar numbers, page numbers, intervals, top-40 charts, to name a few. And I’m sure if you’ve worked in any denomination long enough, you memorized many of the hymn numbers. There are even songs...