1855 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402 USA
On the campus of Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary
© 2024 Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
The psalms were written to be sung. But if your church favors guitar and band-led modern worship, how do you sing the psalms? Songwriter Wendell Kimbrough answers this question through the use of short antiphonal psalm refrains that are singable and memorable for his congregation and provide a musical entry point into a psalm. They have become a beloved staple in his home congregation’s worship. In this workshop, Wendell will share some favorite psalm refrains, discuss the mechanics of their use, and respond to questions from attendees. The goal is for all attendees to go home with a plan for regularly incorporating musical psalms into their worship services.
What makes a song singable? Meet with Paul Ryan and Wendell Kimbrough as they discuss the morning worship service held in the chapel [10:30–10:50 a.m.] and the qualities of congregational song that help the church join its voices as one.
Songwriters Wendell Kimbrough and Carlos Colón lead a multicultural vespers service of scripture-inspired lament, gratitude, and hope with prayers from across time and traditions.
In this edited interview, songwriter Wendell Kimbrough talks about what he’s learned during the COVID-19 pandemic about worship in the digital world. He was interviewed by Rebecca Snippe, a program manager for the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship.
2020 Symposium on Worship | Service
A worship service from the 2020 Symposium of Worship
Wendell Kimbrough led a festival of psalms at the Calvin Symposium on Worship in January 2020.
2020 Calvin Symposium on Worship |
2020 Calvin Symposium on Worship | Seminar
2020 Symposium on Worship | Festival
Remarkably, even since the publication of Psalms for All Seasons just a few years ago, over 30 new Psalm-based songwriting and recording projects have emerged from a variety of contemporary worship leaders across North America and beyond. While some of these settings are designed for solo voices, many are well-suited to congregational use, and are worthy heirs to the legacy of congregation-based Psalms re-established by Luther and Calvin.
We’ve heard many of the great old hymns played beautifully with organs, pianos, and choirs, but their journey into the world of guitar-led worship can be awkward. Old tunes are often abandoned or significantly altered in the name of modernization, but such revision is not always necessary.
