What began as a simple idea, born in the frustration of not finding an existing hymnal that met enough of our needs, soon grew to a project of considerable proportions.

We started by choosing a pool of 800 hymns and 150 responses based on suggestions from the entire congregation. Many of the newer selections in this pool had demonstrated their appeal and ‘staying power’ during the past ten years. Next, a Hymn Selection Committee representing diverse congregational backgrounds sang and rated each of the hymns, selecting more than 500 for inclusion here. Because half of our membership comes from a denomination other than Congregational or UCC, the hymnal choices reflect many religious traditions.

Initially our effort was to be a one-time only printing, just for our congregation. But word of our project spread and, by press-time, we were joined by four other churches, all UCC-affiliated:

North Congregational Church of St. Johnsbury, VT
First Congregational Church of Hendersonville, NC
First Parish Church Congregational of Dover, NH
First Congregational UCC of Appleton, WI
 

We have been encouraged in the reprinting of our hymnal by several additional churches interested in purchasing it. A reprinting has been further bolstered by the overwhelmingly positive responses from the churches now using Hymns of Truth and Light in their worship services. You may want to contact them. These churches are:

Island United, Foster City, CA
United Church, Hayward, CA
Foothills Congregational, Los Altos, CA
Asylum Hill Congregational Church, Hartford, CT
First Congregational Church of Bloomfield, CT
First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, CT
Plymouth, Des Moines, IA
Wayzata Community Church of Wayzata, MN
St Mary's Episcopal Church of Eugene, OR
Foothills Congregational, Los Altos, CA
Congregational Church, Kensington, CT
United Church on the Green, New Haven, CT
First Congregational, Westbrook, CT
First Congregational, Houlton, ME
Woodfords Congregational, Portland, ME
Park Avenue Congregational, Arlington, MA
First Church, Congregational,Cambridge, MA
First Church (Old North), Marblehead, MA
First Congregational, Natwick, MA
First Baptist, Newton Center, MA
Church of the Pilgrimage, Plymouth, MA
Congregational Church, South Dartmouth, MA
West Parish Church, West Barnstable, MA
First Parish Church, UUA, Weston, MA
Original Congregational, Wrentham, MA
Congregational Church, Bristol, ME
First Parish Congregational, Gorham, ME
Union Congregational, Hancock, ME
Community of Friendship and Fellowship, Newfield, ME
First Parish Congregational, Saco, ME
First Congregational, Scarbourgh, ME
First Congregational, Grand Blanc, MI
Crossroads Correctional Center, Cameron, MO
St Paul, Gerald, MO
First Parish Church, Dover, NH
Community CC, Short Hills, NJ
Community Church, Garden City, NY
Pilgrim UCC, Durham, NC
First Congregational, Hendersonville, NC
Congregational Church, Tryon, NC
Community Church, Jackson, NH
Community CC, Short Hills, NJ
First Congregational, Hudson, OH
Edinburgh UCC, Ravenna, OH
St. Mary's Episcopal, Eugene, OR
Heidelberg, Schwenksville, PA
First Congregtional, DeSmet, SD
First Congregational, Houston, TX
Congregational Church, Charlotte, VT
United Church of Christ, Greensboro, VT
Community Church, Guilford, VT
Federated Church, Orleans, VT
North Congregational, St. Johnsbury, VT
First UCC, Hampton, VA
First Congregational, Appleton, WI
First Congregational, Eau Claire, WI
United Church of Christ, Elcho, WI
United Church of Christ, Kempster, WI
Ely Memorial Church. Land O Lakes, WI
Ist Congregational, Rhinelander, WI
 

THE SEVENTH PRINTING WILL BE NEXT. We'd like to add YOUR church's name to this list!