Dr. Emily R. Brink was the founding editor of the print journal Reformed Worship until 2006. She served as program director and senior research fellow for the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship beginning in 2002, then in 2014 she transitioned to semi-retirement and became resource development specialist for congregational song until she completely retired in 2021. She was editor of the Psalter Hymnal (1987) and Sing! A New Creation (2001), the first CRC/RCA joint songbook. She is active in the American Guild of Organists, having served in both local and national offices, as well as in the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada, serving as president from 1990-1992; in 2004 she was named a fellow of the Hymn Society in recognition of distinguished service to hymnody and hymnology. Dr. Brink has a graduate degree in organ and church music from the University of Michigan and a PhD in music theory from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.
Last Updated: September 10, 2025
Six ten-minute segments introduce the origins, themes, and personal significance of the Christian Year. These segments (Overview, Advent, Christmas/Epiphany, Lent and Holy Week, Easter, Ordinary Time) could be viewed together, but probably would be more effective one at a time. While the format is simpleóessentially a film-strip on video—each segment portrays much liturgical art and symbolism. The approach is interdenominational.
Prelude
Songs of Praised:1
How many members of your congregation are taking organ lessons? How many have pianos in their homes? Probably far fewer than a generation ago. Some congregations are getting desperate to find competent organists.
If the trend continues, we could consider going back to unaccompanied singing, typical of the early days of the Protestant Reformation. It's likely, though, that few congregations would have much success with acapel-la singing. Our culture is simply not a singing culture.
Recently we asked several of our Reformed Worship readers about their understanding of the Praise and . Worship style and its effect on congregational worship. We wanted to know what questions and concerns they had about the movement. Then we turned to Henry Wildeboer, a pastor involved with this style of worship. We invited him to answer these questions from his experiences in churches in Calgary and Oshawa.
It happened in a Christian Reformed Church one Sunday night during the intermission of a Calvin Seminary Choir program. As director of the choir, I had asked two of the seminarians to say a few words about their background and plans for ministry. First came Bruce Gritter—a young Canadian student, full of enthusiam. Then Gabriella Farkas spoke.
© Consider the following scenario: Your worship planning team is planning a service. Everything goes smoothly until it comes to selecting the hymns. Your pew hymnal just doesn't have a song that will go along with the service's theme. Finally someone in your group picks up another hymnal and comes across just the right hymn. Everyone agrees. "Let's print it in the bulletin," one member of your group suggests. "How about using an overhead?" another says. "Do we have to get permission?" wonders still another.
The worship life of the church traditionally begins with Advent, the season in which we anticipate and then celebrate the birth of our Lord, the long-awaited Messiah. This year Advent begins on December 2, and this issue is filled with ideas and resources that will help you plan your worship services for this significant time in the church year.
Again, we are indebted to people who send us their bulletins, their ideas, and sometimes entire articles.
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