The Lectionary As A Guide To Planning Music For Worship

One type of tool that pastors often use to select Scripture readings for a service is known as a lectionary. Although not well known to church musicians in some traditions, this tool can be very helpful in assisting the church musician to select music that is appropriate for a given service. The following article suggests why this is so and then lists resources that can assist church musicians in working with the lectionary.

Imagine yourself as the minister of music. The previous pastor has relocated to another church and the new preacher has just arrived. Often these are periods of transition and confusion. You worked well with the previous person, and both understood each other. However, the new leader has announced that his or her sermons will be based on the lectionary. The pastor urges you to likewise observe the lectionary in selecting the music for worship. While you have heard the term once or twice before, you are not at all clear what a lectionary is or how it can assist you in your weekly responsibility. A little background can clear the confusion and reveal the numerous benefits that come from utilizing this resource. Very simply, a lectionary is a collection of "lections" or readings, specifically the readings of Scripture. How does the pastor choose which passage to use on any given Sunday? By what method are those readings selected week after week, year after year? Since the beginning of the church, two systematic approaches have gained popularity. Lectio continua is the practice of beginning at the first verse of a designated book, for example Philippians, and reading it continuously from week to week, verse by verse, chapter by chapter, until you reach the end of the fourth chapter. Conversely, lectio selecta is the random selection of a text that resembles the movement of a grasshopper. The Scripture will vary from book to book each week, depending upon the topic selected by the preacher. It was based on these two versions of Scripture selection that the lectionary arose. Worship scholars insist that the roots of the lectionary reach back to the early Jews before the time of Christ. When Jesus read from the prophet Isaiah during his visit to the synagogue in Nazareth, he turned to the designated passage for the day (cf. Luke 4:17–19). By the ninth century after Christ, the church had established a standardized collection or lectionary of readings for each Sunday. Today there are four lectionaries in use: the Roman Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, and Common (finalized in December 1991) which is employed by many Protestant denominations. While diversity obviously exists between these four variations, there is much that is held in common. All lectionaries are built around a three year cycle known as Year A, B, and C. The three-year focus enables a different synoptic gospel (Matthew, Mark, or Luke) to be read each year. In addition to the weekly gospel lesson, all lectionaries contain an Old Testament, Psalm, and New Testament/Epistle reading. Further, it should be noted that these passages are organized according to the church year. That is to say, Scripture for December will reflect the Advent themes of prophecy and expectation of Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah who has come and will return again. Readings during Epiphany, the season which follows Christmas, will manifest the nature and ministry of Jesus Christ as God's Chosen One. The longest period of the church year, known as ordinary time, follows Pentecost. It is during this segment one will find the greatest divergence among the various lectionaries. Your pastor asserted there were numerous benefits to using the lectionary. Indeed there are. For the preacher as well as congregation, it ensures they will hear a broad cross section of Scripture. Some critics of this approach maintain employing the lectionary restricts one's freedom in selecting the Sunday text. However, the opposite is more likely to be true. Lectionary preaching challenges and guides the preacher in more fully exploring the entire range of God's revelation to us. As minister of music, you can perceive some valuable benefits from following the lectionary. Perhaps you recall times when you have worked with a pastor who was never sure until the preceding week what he/she would preach upon the following Sunday. Repeatedly you asked the preacher for the sermon themes for the next three or four months so you could order, practice, and adequately prepare music with your choirs. Using the lectionary greatly increases the opportunities for planning worship that is unified and cohesive. Remember, the specified passages for each week of the lectionary have a common theme which is woven throughout the other Scriptures. This unity also exerts an influence on crafting worship that is unified. Rather than allowing three or four disjointed themes to arise, which may not reinforce each other, you can create a common thrust which will greatly assist the worshipers in focusing on God and being more clearly challenged to a proper response. Always, our goal should be to coordinate music which complements the Scripture as read and preached. A related aspect of planning pertains to hymn selection. Approaches differ from place to place. Some preachers choose hymns because they feel they have a more accurate sense of the worship theme. Other pastors expect or invite the minister of music or organist to select hymns. If the latter is your experience, once again the lectionary will greatly enhance and simplify your task. Most hymnals provide indices which suggest suitable hymns for a given text of Scripture. Further, many helpful resources are now being produced that aid in the selection of hymns according to the lectionary. Some of these are listed in the resources below. In such situations, the minister of music or organist is not at the mercy of another person, but can choose and practice in advance music which will be appropriate to the Scripture of the day. Employing the lectionary for music planning offers the further benefit of increased dialogue. Using a common, agreed upon selection process for Scripture and song enlarges the opportunity for cooperation between pastor and musician. Additionally, it provides you, as the church musician, with a unique resource. It is likely that numerous other churches in your community are following the lectionary. Many pastors participate in small groups which gather to study and discuss the given texts for the next Sunday. This holds the potential to stretch their minds and gain insights from others to improve their preaching. Likewise, musicians can form similar groups to assist them in reviewing and selecting music from the varied options available to them. The strengths of the lectionary actually exert a dynamic, silent force. The more Christians gather around the Scripture, the stronger they grow in Christ. As more pastors and musicians gravitate toward the lectionary approach, there is an increased strength within the church, not just isolated and scattered congregations, but in the church as the body of Christ. While initially this trend may not be easily detected, with time it will disseminate a formative influence much like yeast does to a piece of dough. Anything that can foster broader dialogue with Scripture and about our triune God should be strongly encouraged. The challenge of planning for music in worship is a huge responsibility. Selecting and coordinating hymns, songs, anthems, preludes, and postludes can be a challenging task. However, the lectionary can provide helpful and practical support to guiding you in your weekly ministry. The following sources are useful tools for lectionary planning of music. Resources Books Bower, Peter, ed. Handbook for the Common Lectionary, developed by the Office of Worship of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Philadelphia: Geneva Press, 1987. Doran, Carol, and Thomas H. Troeger. New Hymns for the Lectionary: To Glorify the Maker's Name. New York: Oxford University Press, 1986. Laster, James, comp. Catalogue of Choral Music Listed in Biblical Order. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1983. Periodicals In issues of The American Organist (magazine of the American Guild of Organists, 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 1260, New York, NY 10115; [212] 870-2310), Marilyn Kay Stulken has assembled a most helpful collection of prelude, offertory, postlude music, and hymn selections generated from all four lectionaries. Listings for Year A are printed in issue 23:11 (November 1989): 58–75; for Year B in 24:11 (November 1990): 107–123; and Year C in 25:11 (November 1991): 72–89. Church Music Calendar (available from Augsburg Fortress, 4700 Wissahickon Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144–4280; 1–800-367-8737) provides prelude, postlude, and anthem suggestions for Year A, B, and C. GIA Quarterly (7404 South Mason Avenue, Chicago, IL 60638; [708] 496-3800) provides hymn and choral suggestions for Year A, B, and C of the Roman Catholic lectionary. Reformed Liturgy and Music (published by the Presbyterian Church [USA], Theology and Worship Ministry Unit, 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202–1396; [502] 569-5289) provides prelude, postlude, hymn and anthem suggestions for Year A, B, and C of the Common lectionary. Worship Arts (published by the United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 24787, Nashville, TN 37202; [615] 340-7453) provides hymn suggestions for Year A, B, and C.