Alan Luff, et al: Sing God’s Glory: Hymns for Sundays and Holy Days Years A, B & C
Canterbury Press
£12.99

This invaluable aid to choosing appropriate hymns for a given Sunday (or other Holy Day) presents a large and exciting range. It is, as the preface (with a major contribution from the late Alan Dunstan) is careful to point out, to assist in the process of selecting hymns for a given service. It is not a replacement for careful thought and consideration, whatever the temptation! It is a ‘companion to the Revised Common Lectionary in the form in which it has been accepted by the Church of England and some other churches’. It follows a three-year cycle, providing three readings and a psalm for each Sunday and Holy Day. Hymns are chosen from ‘the standard hymn books of the main Christian denominations…published in the last twenty years’. Collections of freer hymns and worship songs have not been included since these may quickly go out of date. Roman Catholic hymnals are also excluded. Since the lists in the present volume are based on readings, there is every reason for it to be used not only by Anglicans but also by other churches. The preface gives much sensible advice, some of it common-sense, and also important reminders. In particular, the liturgy must be considered when choosing hymns and not just the readings; hence the book should not be used as a crutch to select all hymns at all services. The layout is clear, with the columns in each table indicating the hymn books, and, in the first row before the first line of a hymn, an indication of whether each is based on the Old Testament, New Testament, or a psalm, etc. This book ought to stimulate thought and interest, taking seriously the help given in the preface.

RR