The 2004 General Conference authorized two churchwide agencies to study United Methodist worship and hymnody needs.
Delegates to the top legislative assembly authorized the United Methodist Publishing House and the United Methodist Board of Discipleship to study jointly the worship needs of the United Methodist Church, including the need for resources to support congregational singing.
The delegates mandated the two agencies study five areas of singing:
- trends and measurements of congregational singing
- Psalter, services, ritual and service music
- texts and tunes (including global and ethnic music)
- implications of digital and other emerging technologies for worship and congregational singing; and
- Wesley hymns.
The study will occur in a variety of forms and will culminate with a report to the 2008 General Conference, including recommendations for action.
The management and cost of the study will be shared by the two agencies.
*Green is a United Methodist News Service news writer.
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