Dr. Abbington is Associate Professor of Church Music and Worship at Candler School of Theology at Emory University, Atlanta, and Executive Editor of the African American Church Music Series.
Nathaniel Gumbs is native of the Bronx, NY. He is a graduate of Shenandoah Conservatory of Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia where he received the Bachelor of Music Degree in Organ Performance, Excellence in Organ Award and was a student of Dr. Steven Cooksey. Currently, Nat is a candidate for the Master of Music degree in Organ Performance at Yale University, Institute of Sacred Music in New Haven, Connecticut and is a student of Martin Jean.
The festival began with everyone singing the processional "We Are Walking in the Light". As the evening unfolded Dr. Abbington featured works such as "Lift Every Voice and Sing", "Nobody Knows de Trouble I've Seen", "Prayer is de Key of Heaven", "A Little Talk with Jesus (Makes it Right)" (fantastic!), "Slav'ry Chain", "Give Me Your Hand", "I Ain't Goingt' Study War No More", "A Better Day is Coming", "Where Shall I Be?", "Let Me Stay Close to Thy Side", "Peace Flowing Like a River", "We Shall Walk Through the Valley in Peace", "Free at Last", and, as our closing hymn, "We Shall Overcome". The sound and the power of the words--indescribably moving.
Oh, there was one more selection and I must say I laughed aloud when I sang for the first time the line in "You Goin' to Reap Jus' What You Sow" that goes like this: "Let the sinner sin right on; Upon the mountain, down in the valley, You goin' to reap jus' what you sow..."
All I could think was, "Amen to that!"
Before we had entered the sanctuary, we were wowed by the beautiful leaded glass windows in the narthex, which is a double-height space with a trellis like open ceiling.
Some thoughtful members of the congregation had taken quotations from well-known hymns and made simple banners displaying those quotations. I am not sure if these are on display at all times, or not; I suspect they were made with the Hymn Society's visit in mind.
This congregation was founded in 1881 and has strong ties to the civil rights movement. On September 18, 1962, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., preached the funeral sermon for Denise McMair, Addie Mae Collins, and Cynthia Wesley,three of the "Four Little Girls" who had been killed in the bombing of the Sixteenth Avenue Baptist Church, at Sixth Avenue Baptist Church. One of the most famous sermons of the Twentieth Century, "A Knock at Midnight," was delivered at Sixth Avenue Baptist Church on December 9, 1962 by the Rev. Dr. King. This next photo is of the exterior of the church, which makes a very strong architectural statement with its geometric forms and dark brick:The next photo gives you a good look at the series of windows at the back of the sanctuary which are also the narthex windows.
Tuesday afternoon had been a "free" afternoon. No plenaries or sectionals--and there were three outstanding choices for getting to know Birmingham. However, Judy and I had opted to go it on our own on Tuesday afternoon, making our way to the Birmingham Museum of Art, with its rare and comprehensive collections. Birmingham is an easy city to navigate--excellent roads that are very well marked. We got to the museum around lunchtime and thought we might look in the area for a place to have lunch. But then we hit on the idea that perhaps the museum has a cafe... Sure enough, it does.
On Wednesday afternoon I presented a sectional on my new collection of hymns.
There were many other fine new hymnals, collections and hymn resources provided at the plenary sessions and the sectionals.
Tuesday afternoon had been a "free" afternoon. No plenaries or sectionals--and there were three outstanding choices for getting to know Birmingham. However, Judy and I had opted to go it on our own on Tuesday afternoon, making our way to the Birmingham Museum of Art, with its rare and comprehensive collections. Birmingham is an easy city to navigate--excellent roads that are very well marked. We got to the museum around lunchtime and thought we might look in the area for a place to have lunch. But then we hit on the idea that perhaps the museum has a cafe... Sure enough, it does.
On Wednesday afternoon I presented a sectional on my new collection of hymns.
There were many other fine new hymnals, collections and hymn resources provided at the plenary sessions and the sectionals.
"Celebrating Grace" is a big, brand new hymnal which was introduced in a hymnal showcase on Monday, by David W. Music, Professor of Church Music and Graduate Program Director in the School of Music at Baylor University. Dr. Music served as one of the editors of this hymnal.
...
"God Gives Us a Song" is a collection of hymns by Mary Kay Beale, most of them with music by her husband, composer John Carter. Judy and I attended Mary Kay's sectional and enjoyed each on of the dozen or so songs we sang. I have to confess I have been singing the title hymn again and again in my mind in the intervening weeks. All of her music is uplifting and so singable and it was a joy to be directed by MK as she presented this brand new book.
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The third book pictured here is "Within the Maddening Maze" by John Core, who is a Library Associate at West Virginia University. In addition to our first names, John and I have several other things in common. Among the honors John's hymns have received are first place in the Macalester Plymouth United Church hymn search, and John's work is also published by Wayne Leupold Editions.
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