Seven Communion Songs for Every Sunday A Musician's View of Celebrating the Supper

Hymn Lord's Supper Music Worship Planning
By Carol Vriend Petter

"Seven communion songs every Sunday? There are only twenty communion songs in our entire hymnal! Within three weeks you'll be recycling through the same songs!" Such was the response of a thoughtful friend when I told her that at Church of the Servant (COS) we celebrate communion every week and sing six or seven songs during the celebration. At COS, the singing continues as different groups come forward in turn to form circles of about fifty people at a time.

My friend assumed that songs sung during communion should refer specifically to the bread and wine, or perhaps to the last supper. After all, shouldn't our songs fit whatever we are doing? Of course, but the celebration of communion is more than bread and wine. In fact, when I begin planning the music for a communion service, I do not ask, "How can I make the Lord's Supper more vivid?" Nor do I ask, "How can I, through song, explain the sacrament?" Rather, I ask, "How can I assist in making the immediate presence of Christ more vivid? How can I, through the songs I choose, assist in comforting a brother, offering hope to a sister, instilling faith in a child so that the body of Christ is renewed?" Consequently my fund of songs is larger than only those that refer to the bread and wine or the body and blood of Christ.

Neither am I restricted (during this part of the service) to songs that connect directly to the sermon. Sermons typically have a single theme. For communion, I select songs that simply elevate Christ and, depending on the season, I may include songs that celebrate not only his atonement, but his incarnation, his resurrection, the coming of the Holy Spirit, and/or the second coming.

So how do I go about selecting those six or seven songs? Three things are important to me: variety, flow, and time.

Variety

Some people come to the table light-hearted, others brokenhearted. Some are energetic, others bone tired. Some find solace in traditional hymns; others are refreshed by contemporary choruses. I attempt to respect this diversity by selecting a variety of songs. I choose songs with various moods from several musical genres and lead them in different ways. I may introduce a particular song with a flute solo or separate the verses with a piano interlude. I may ask several sopranos to sing a descant on a final verse.

Variety also extends to musical leadership. Our music leaders—about ten of us—typically know weeks in advance who will be leading music at any given service. The piano is our primary instrument; we do not have an organ or a choir, but call together a variety of people each week to provide vocal leadership or play instruments. One caution: communion is not the time to learn a new song or to give complex introductions on how a song will be sung. If a song is new to the

congregation, or if a familiar song is being used in an unfamiliar way, consider having it led by a few singers and/or instrumentalists.

Flow

At its best, the sequence of songs during communion progresses logically. The progression could be based on redemption history. For example, during Advent, the sequence could begin with a cry for the coming of the Messiah, then move to several songs about Christ's life and atonement, and end with a cry for Jesus to return. Alternatively, the progression could be based on a contrast. For example, if the congregation is recently bereaved, the sequence could move from sadness to hope or, during Lent, it could move from darkness to light.

But "flow" refers to more than a logical textual progression. Some well-intentioned person could choose a perfectly logical sequence of songs that, when sung, has no soul and hence no flow. Flow also depends on the emotional and spiritual involvement and preparedness of the leader(s). In fact, I believe that the music leader(s)—I prefer to call them "lead worshipers"—are peculiarly helpful to the congregation when they themselves are worshiping while they lead, and when they themselves are allowing their own hearts to be re-formed by the music. When the congregation senses this, a beautiful momentum is created. ("Music leader" in this context should be understood broadly. The music leader— or lead worshiper—may in fact be the pianist or a few singers and/or instrumentalists.)

Time

I need time to plan and time to execute my plan. I begin by reflect-ing on the season (Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, etc.) as well as the needs and abilities of the congregation. Then I compile a list of about ten possibilities, consulting as many sources as possible. I narrow my choices to about seven after I determine the flow (or progression) and which musicians will be available. Songs not available in our two hymnals are provided in a bulletin insert. Finally, I need time to rehearse with others and time to prepare myself— musically and spiritually. Rushing through preparation contributes to a frenetic spirit, which undermines the celebration of communion for everyone.

"Seven communion songs every Sunday." That's a shorthand way of describing our weekly task at COS. Stated more precisely, at COS we attempt to choose six or seven songs every Sunday that, in their totality, put Christ on display so that those who participate in communion are made newly aware of the immediate power of Christ in our midst and are changed by it. For me this is more than a task. It is a sacred and rewarding responsibility.

Sequence of Communion Hymns for Advent 

Sequence of Communion Hymns for Christmas

Sequence of Communion Hymns for Epiphany 

Sequence of Communion Hymns for Lent 

Sequence of Communion Hymns for Easter

Sequence of Communion Hymns for Pentecost

Sequence of Communion Hymns for Ordinary Time 

In addition to the sequence of songs included for the six services, here is one additional set for Ordinary Time. At COS we use two hymnals: Psalter Hymnal and Joyful Noises, our congregational looseleaf hymnal made possible by maintaining copyright licenses with CCLI and G.I.A. Several songs in that hymnal have been composed by our own members.

In addition, we often provide a bulletin insert with songs gathered from the wide range of recent hymnals that offer many new and old songs for worship. I spend much time poring over worship music from OCP and different choral publishers, and often will find, for example, octavo arrangements that offer welcome variety for leading hymns from the piano.