crhoades
Puritan Board Graduate
From the subcommittee position paper
Full Text Here
(not necessarily a post to debate EP but hopefully encourage brothers and sisters on the board who are in PCA churches who do not sing at least 1 Psalm every week)
RECOMMENDATIONS
Therefore we urge the adoption of the following recommendations:
1. That the General Assembly reaffirm that Psalm-singing in the worship of God is a Gospel ordinance, is commended by the Westminster Confession, and is an historic practice of Reformed churches.
2. That congregations be encouraged to sing at least one Psalm at each of their services.
3. That congregations be encouraged to identify Psalm-settings as Psalms, when they are sung.
4. That hymnal-using congregations be encouraged to use the Psalm-rich Trinity Hymnal (since it averages 10 times the number of Psalms as the comparable Evangelical hymnals).
5. That a program of re-education be undertaken by the CE&P Committee including:
a. Articles in the Messenger that explore such things as the history and value of Psalm singing.
b. Providing instruction in its educational material on the Scriptural mandate and historic precedent for Psalm-singing in the worship of God, and many ways in which the person, sufferings, resurrection, and ongoing Messianic work of Christ are set forth in the Psalms.
c. Produce worship bulletin inserts which feature two Psalm settings as found in the Trinity Hymnal, thereby promoting both the hymnal and Psalm-singing.
6. Form an ad hoc committee of the CE&P to complete the discussion with the RPCNA to the end that a simplified edition of The Book of Psalms for Singing might be produced with this format:
- a complete Psalter
- words only (normally one tune and version per Psalm)
- a slender, inexpensive hymnal supplement
7. The funding be private, details to be worked out by the CE&P Committee in discussions with the RPCNA's Crown and Covenant Publications.
8. That Christian Education and Publication contact other Reformed denominations informing them of the above recommendations and of the availability in the future of the adapted edition of The Book of Psalms for Singing with a view to encouraging the use of this metrical version of the Psalms in those Presbyterian and Reformed Churches in America which do not currently use a denominational Psalter.
Full Text Here
(not necessarily a post to debate EP but hopefully encourage brothers and sisters on the board who are in PCA churches who do not sing at least 1 Psalm every week)
RECOMMENDATIONS
Therefore we urge the adoption of the following recommendations:
1. That the General Assembly reaffirm that Psalm-singing in the worship of God is a Gospel ordinance, is commended by the Westminster Confession, and is an historic practice of Reformed churches.
2. That congregations be encouraged to sing at least one Psalm at each of their services.
3. That congregations be encouraged to identify Psalm-settings as Psalms, when they are sung.
4. That hymnal-using congregations be encouraged to use the Psalm-rich Trinity Hymnal (since it averages 10 times the number of Psalms as the comparable Evangelical hymnals).
5. That a program of re-education be undertaken by the CE&P Committee including:
a. Articles in the Messenger that explore such things as the history and value of Psalm singing.
b. Providing instruction in its educational material on the Scriptural mandate and historic precedent for Psalm-singing in the worship of God, and many ways in which the person, sufferings, resurrection, and ongoing Messianic work of Christ are set forth in the Psalms.
c. Produce worship bulletin inserts which feature two Psalm settings as found in the Trinity Hymnal, thereby promoting both the hymnal and Psalm-singing.
6. Form an ad hoc committee of the CE&P to complete the discussion with the RPCNA to the end that a simplified edition of The Book of Psalms for Singing might be produced with this format:
- a complete Psalter
- words only (normally one tune and version per Psalm)
- a slender, inexpensive hymnal supplement
7. The funding be private, details to be worked out by the CE&P Committee in discussions with the RPCNA's Crown and Covenant Publications.
8. That Christian Education and Publication contact other Reformed denominations informing them of the above recommendations and of the availability in the future of the adapted edition of The Book of Psalms for Singing with a view to encouraging the use of this metrical version of the Psalms in those Presbyterian and Reformed Churches in America which do not currently use a denominational Psalter.