Cherwien discusses writing hymns
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Susan, a hymn writer, and David Cherwien, a cantor and music composer, live a life of Lutheran music. Together the couple lead hymn festivals where they encourage people to sing and reflect on the meaning of hymns.
“all of us certainly want to be wel- comed, but even more so, we yearn to be treasured and taken seriously as an essential part of the body. As I was going through my own trials with the church as a partnered gay pastor, it was the kind of hymn that held up a vision for what the church can be, and certainly is, in many places.”
In the three years since members held a vote to leave the ELCA, Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Portage, Mich., has sung David Haas’ “O God of Second Chances.” The congregation voted to stay, but dur- ing this “terrible and difficult time … many of us said and did things that we regretted later,” wrote Joan Herbon, pastor. “We still bear the wounds, but we are healing, and we can wish God’s blessings for those who left.” Elizabeth Gaskins, St. Thomas Lutheran Church, Bloomington, Ind., sings “How Happy Are They,” a Muscokee (Creek) hymn, when she feels lonely or sad being away from family in Oklahoma, and even when she is happy or grateful. “I especially like to think that while I am singing, my sisters in Oklahoma
are singing the same song praising our Creator,” she said. Beth Lockard, pastor of Christ the King Lutheran Church of the Deaf, West Chester, Pa., said, “Music and songs are not as impor- tant to the deaf community for obvi- ous reasons,” yet “Silent Night” would probably be the top favorite. “Many of us have seen this song since childhood and connect it with the sacred story of our Savior’s birth. … We actually live in a ‘silent night,’ but it is rich with meaning,” she said.
April Ulring Larson and Judd Larson, pastors of First Lutheran, Duluth, Minn., said the congregation gives its first-graders small ELWs. Engraved with each child’s name, the books are kept in the pew for use in worship and Sunday school and confirmation classes. When the chil- dren are confirmed, they take their hymnals home. Begun in memory of the Larsons’ son Ben, who spent his last breath singing in the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the project has changed the congregation. “Now young people are opening their hymnals and sing- ing,” Ulring Larson said. “Every-
n warmer months, Susan Palo Cherwien works in a greenhouse helping people plan gardens and
care for their plants. During the winter, she writes hymn texts at her desk or kitchen table with a pen and notebook paper.
When she writes a hymn text, such as “O Blessed Spring” (Evan- gelical Lutheran Worship, 447), she spends weeks preparing: read- ing Scripture, studying and pray- ing. Then she jots words, images, Scripture references, synonyms and rhymes along the outer edges of a page. The actual text takes form in the center of the page. “Sometimes I weave acrostics into hymns. I love playing with words,” she said. “When I look at someone as pro-
lific as Isaac Watts or Fanny Crosby, I have no idea how they did it,” Cherwien added. “I can only write three or four hymn texts a year.” But taking her time is important. “My task as a poet is not to duplicate the texts of the past. My task is to put old truths in new words so that we recognize them again, or to fill in the gaps where nothing has been written.
“I always keep in mind seven questions: Is it true? Is it beautiful? Is it excellent? Does it give God glory? Can it bear the weight of mystery? Is it appropriate? Does it replace something of greater worth? And if I have done my task well, then perhaps someone will find a place for themselves in the singing of that hymn, and perhaps a door will open to show us how to be Christ in the world.”
Elizabeth Hunter
May 2013 23
BECCA DILLEY
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