What they sang

I might have known I couldn't leave it alone! I just had to check the hymn numbers to see what they sang at those 2 services on October 24, 1954. The first thing to do was go to the bookshelf to pull my copy of The Book of Praise, 1918 which is what I'm assuming they were using in 1954. (New hymnals were issued in 1972 and again in 1997.) Only the numbers were printed in the bulletin - no titles. Where there was a possibility of more than one tune, I have listed all the tune names.

Here's what I found for the morning service:
#21 - (Psalm 24:7-10) Ye gates, lift up your heads on high - ST. GEORGE'S EDINBURGH
#436 - Come let us to the Lord our God - BELMONT
#295 - The church's one foundation - AURELIA
#531 - How firm a foundation - ADESTE FIDELES

At the evening service, these were the hymns:
#77 - (Psalm 91:1-6, 9, 10) The man who once has found abode - TALLIS'S CANON or PHILADELPHIA
#86 - (Psalm 100) All people that on earth do dwell - OLD 100TH
#399 - Come, let us sing of a wonderful love - WONDERFUL LOVE
#254 - All hail the power of Jesus' name - MILES LANE or UNIVERSITY or CORONATION

Here are some observations. There are 2 tunes here I don't know - ST. GEORGE'S EDINBURGH and PHILADELPHIA. It surprised me to see "How firm a foundation" paired with the tune we commonly use for "O come, all ye faithful". In my nearly 14 years with the Presbyterian church, only the settings of Psalm 24 and 91 are unfamiliar. All the other texts and most of the tunes are used on a somewhat regular basis.

While it is true that newer music is also used in worship today, I fear we rely too heavily on the 'tried and true' hymns which people in 1954 sang. Do these speak to people today? Are we trying to keep alive an expression of faith which has no meaning in 2012? Comments are always welcome, my readers.

October 24, 1954

First of all, let me say, I wasn't around in 1954! But the bulletin I found in the cantata book pictured below was dated October 24, 1954. The cover has a photo of Norwood Presbyterian Church on it. It's the only photo I've ever seen of that building (although I've since learned that the building is still standing at the corner of Kitson Street and Traverse Avenue here in Winnipeg). Norwood is the 'mother' church of St. Vital Presbyterian and in the mid 1970's the 2 congregations merged to become St. Andrew's. They worshiped in the building St. Vital had built at 709 St. Mary's Road. I suppose you could say that finding this photo was a little like discovering a portrait of a grandmother I never knew.

Other bits of trivial information gleaned include:

• Norwood was still its own municipality at the time; it wouldn't become part of Winnipeg until almost 20 years later.
• Rev. M.E.R. Boudreau was the minister.
• Mr. Carl Heddesheimer was the organist and choirmaster.
• Phone numbers were still only 5 or 6 digits long.
• The bulletin has 2 orders of service, a.m. and p.m. Sunday School followed morning worship.
• Apparently, it was anniversary weekend as the anniversary supper was announced for the following evening in the church hall.
• The young lady listed in the directory as the leader of the young people's society recently retired as an active elder after many years of service.
• The church was a busy place! In addition to the regular Sunday services and Sunday school, there was a French Mission that met at 3:00 p.m. Sundays, Women's Missionary Society Tues. afternoons, Jr. Young People's Tues. evenings, Sr. Young People's Weds. evenings, choir practice Thurs. evenings, and Wolf Cubs, Boy Scouts, Brownies and Guides also meeting weekly.

Now that I've blogged about said bulletin, I'll be giving it to the 'young lady' mentioned above!