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Hymns of Charles Wesley Featured at Moscow Seminary Worship Seminar |
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Moscow, Russia, Dec. 3, 2007—The 300th anniversary of the birth of Charles Wesley concluded with a seminar on "Worship, Evangelism, and Wesleyan Hymnody" at the United Methodist Theological Seminary in Moscow. The Nov. 29-30 seminar, attended by Bishop Hans Vaxby and representatives of annual conferences in Eurasia, was led by the Rev. Dr. S T Kimbrough, Jr., a retired executive of the General Board of Global Ministries, the sponsor of the event. The seminar addressed the history of worship in the Methodist tradition and the evangelizing and missional emphases of the Wesleys in and through worship. Central to the discussions were the roles of music and hymn-singing in the birth and development of the Wesleyan revival. In preparation for the gathering, Dr. Kimbrough authored a small book that treats the historical and theological background of the thirteen hymns by Charles Wesley published in Mir Vam ("peace be with you"), the Russian United Methodist hymnal, as well as their contemporary significance in worship and evangelism. The booklet was translated into Russian with the title Peace Be with You: Hymns of Charles Wesley. It included the first Russian translation of Charles Wesley's Covenant Hymn, "Come, let us use the grace divine." Each day concluded with a worship service characteristic of the early Methodist revival. The "Love Feast" rounded out the first day; the "Covenant Service" the second. The latter is included in the Russian United Methodist book of worship. The congregation energetically sang a new translation of Wesley's Covenant Hymn to the tune "Kingsford," bringing a powerful theological emphasis to the service. The Charles Wesley Hymn Festival, prepared by Dr. Kimbrough, highlighted fourteen hymns of Charles Wesley in Russian translation. The Rev. Lena Kim and the Rev. Ludmila Garbuzova provided leadership for the event, which was held at Kwang Lim United Methodist Church in Moscow. Three choirs from local United Methodist congregations participated along with a number of soloists, and the entire congregation. For the occasion, Dr. Carlton R. Young, editor of The United Methodist Hymnal (1989), prepared an anthem setting of his hymn tune, written for "Give us this day," a Charles Wesley Eucharistic hymn that he composed for inclusion in the Mir Vam. Charles Wesley's actual birth date was Dec. 18, 1707. He and his brother John are considered the founders of Methodism.
Date posted: Dec 04, 2007 |
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