his or her Creator and with the rest of the worshipers. Therefore, many complex feelings and ideas are developed in a true worship experience. Personally, a well-known line of Charles Wesley says " O for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer's praise" illustrates this point for me. The Christian singing these lines can show a joy in the faith that they have in Christ. Emotions may be better understood and accepted if they are first vocalized in a hymn(Syndor 18). Another way in which hymns are important in the Congregational Church is that through their singing, Christians can tell others what they believe. Many people are attracted to music because of the love and beauty is at the heart of us all. When texts that portray the message of the Gospel are sung with a real emotion, the effect on the listeners is amazing. John Calvin once said in his 1542 psalter: " In truth we know by experience that song has great force and vigor to move and inflame the hearts of men to invoke and praise God with a more vehement and ardent zeal." This statement is very true, and proves that hymns can be a strong witness tool. My cousin Emily from Ottawa once visited my church on a Sunday morning and she was very impressed with the manner and praise in which the hymns were sung. This opened up the doors for me to talk to her about the Gospel. Hymns are not merely old songs that are collecting dust in a pew, but they are alive and active in the Church. Fellowship is a very important aspect of the Congregational church that I have grown up in and hymns can also serve as a means to bind the members in closer association. When a group of Christians sings with energy, thinks and feels the same ideas and emotions during the act of common praise, it becomes evident that each is drawn closer in spirit and brotherhood. Hymns do not isolate indiv...
