When the Evangelical Lutheran Worship liturgy and song supplement All Creation sings was published in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic was at its height. With much of the church worshiping remotely, the developers of All Creation Sings (ACS) were unable to see the resource being fully utilized as intended.
Five years later,as ACS’ publication anniversary approaches,its impact on ELCA worship has become evident across a variety of settings and services. living Lutheran connected with David Sims, Augsburg Fortress’ senior music editor, via email to discuss ACS’ role in the life of the church.
Living Lutheran: What impact has All Creation Sings had on the church sence its publication in 2020?
Sims: All Creation Sings is a sign that the church is always growing, learning, wondering, and praising. The hymns in ACS span more than 500 years, including some from the first Lutheran hymnal in 1524, but also many from just the last decade. These words and melodies remind us that we are always learning from each othre and finding new or renewed ways to praise God and sing about how we care for our neighbors and our planet.
Another meaningful impact is that more people see themselves represented in a worship book-Spanish-speaking Lutherans, those who identify as LGBTQIA+, and everyone who has longed for more expansive imagery for God and God’s people.
How have you experienced the importance to people of being able to hold a physical worship book?
Holding a worship book in your hand means its entire contents are available to everyone,just as we put the Bible in children’s hands because the word belongs to them too. Hymns, liturgy, and prayers were created by the church, and we believe everyone should have access to them.
You can reread a hymn text at your own speed; you can read the prayers and liturgy on your own or in small groups; you can see other languages represented; you can learn to read music or sing in harmony; you have access to pronunciation and background notes on the hymns; and the list of “Scriptural Images for God” on page 268 deserves to be seen by every person in the pews. Holy Communion Setting 11 is presented in both English and Spanish, and I’ve seen surprise and delight when worshipers see their native language represented in the pew for the first time.
ACS is a living, enduring snapshot of the work of the whole church.
The medium itself is also a powerful message. Words and songs are meant to be held, examined, studied, and embodied. Which books are in the pews tells people what this church believes, who is included, who we have been, who we think God is, and who we hope to be. Walking into a church and seeing AC
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