[warning]The January 2016 seminar with Dr. Abbington has been canceled. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience. If you have any questions, please contact the IWS office.[/warning]
Dr. James Abbington is our speaker for the January Worship Seminar, January 11-12, 2016, during the winter on-campus intensive of IWS. This event is open to the public, but requires registration.
James “Jimmie” Abbington (D.M.A., University of Michigan) is Associate Professor of Church Music and Worship at Candler School of Theology, Emory University in Atlanta. He is also the Executive Editor of the African American Church Music Series published by GIA Publications, Inc. of Chicago. He served as co-director of music for the Hampton University Ministers’ and Musicians’ Conference for ten years. In 2010, Hampton’s Choir Directors’-Organists’ Guild named their Church Music Academy in his honor. He has also served as the National Director of Music for both the Progressive National Baptist Convention and the NAACP. In 2015, he became the second African American to be named a Fellow of the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada, the highest honor the Society confers. His research interests include music and worship in the Christian church, African American sacred folk music, organ, choral music, and ethnomusicology.
Dr. Abbington is the author or editor of numerous books and resources including Readings in African American Church Music and Worship, Volume 2 (2015), Singing Our Savior’s Story: A Congregational Song Supplement for the Christian Year—Hymn Texts since 1990 (2014), New Wine in Old Wineskins: A Contemporary Congregational Song Supplement (Volume 1, 2007 and Volume 2, 2010), Let the Church Sing On! Reflections on Black Sacred Music (2009), Let Mt. Zion Rejoice! Music in the African American Church (2001), and Readings in African American Church Music and Worship (Volume 1, 2001).
| Bookstore Spotlight |
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| Preview Dr. Abbington’s books in the IWS Bookstore. |
Seminar Description
The Use of African American Congregational Song in Worship
This seminar will begin by exploring the biblical, theological and liturgical foundations of African American congregational song, and the historical development and use of the repertoire in most African American churches. The seminar will focus on creative possibilities for the use of this literature to strengthen and enrich worship in any tradition. How may this music function liturgically, seasonally, and practically outside of the African American tradition? What are some of the performance practices and unique idiomatic musical characteristics for consideration? Where can this music be found?
Seminar Objectives
- To understand the biblical and theological foundations for music and worship in African American churches.
- To learn 20-30 important songs for use in worship with suggestions for performance practice.
- To liberate and make accessible this music for non-African American congregations.
- To sing and experience congregational songs for the Christian year, lament, concern for peace, justice and Christian responsibility, baptism, Lord’s Supper, service music, and psalmody.
- To become acquainted with outstanding resources: African American hymnals, song supplements, books, and choral music.
Seminar Schedule
| Monday, Jan 11 | Tuesday, Jan 12 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 7:30 am | Breakfast | 7:30 am | Breakfast |
| 8:30 am | Chapel | 8:30 am | Chapel |
| 9:15 am | Seminar Session 1 African American Worship: Historical and Theological Interpretation and Validation |
9:15 am | Seminar Session 5 Celebrating the Sacraments: Songs for Baptism and Lord’s Supper |
| 10:30 am | Break | 10:30 am | Break |
| 10:45 am | Seminar Session 2 The Development of African American Sacred Song: Spirituals, Hymns, Gospels, and Praise & Worship |
10:45 am | Seminar Session 6 Songs for Praise and Lament |
| 12:00 pm | Lunch (provided) | 12:00 pm | Lunch (provided) |
| 1:00 pm | Seminar Session 3 Songs for the Season of Light: Advent, Christmas and Epiphany |
1:00 pm | Seminar Session 7 Songs for Justice, Peace and Christian Responsibility |
| 2:15 pm | Break | 2:15 pm | Break |
| 2:30 pm | Seminar Session 4 Songs for the Season of Life: Lent, Easter and Pentecost |
2:30 pm | Seminar Session 8 Service or Ritual Music and Psalmody |
| 3:45 pm | Free | 3:45 pm | Free |
| 5:30 pm | Dinner | 5:30 pm | Dinner |
| 6:30 pm | Practicum Presentations | 6:30 pm | Healing/Communion Service |
Session Descriptions
DAY ONE
Session 1—
African American Worship: A Historical and Theological Interpretation and Validation
This session will focus on the writings of three leading African American preachers and theologians: Charles Albert Tindley, James H. Cone, and Samuel D. Proctor.
Session 2—
The Development of African American Sacred Song: Spirituals, Hymns, Gospels, and Praise & Worship
This session will trace the development of African American sacred song from spirituals created by enslaved Africans in America to the current Praise & Worship genre.
Session 3—
Songs for the Season of Light: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany
This session will introduce and examine repertoire for particular use during the Season of Light. Primary resources: Total Praise: Songs and Other Worship Resources for Every Generation and Singing Our Savior’s Story: A Congregational Song Supplement for the Christian Year—Hymn Texts since 1990.
Session 4—
Songs for the Season of Life: Lent, Easter and Pentecost
This session will introduce and examine repertoire for particular use during the Season of Life. Primary resources: Total Praise and Singing Our Savior’s Story.
DAY TWO
Session 5—
Celebrating the Sacraments: Songs for Baptism and Lord’s Supper
This session will introduce and examine repertoire for particular use in celebrating the sacraments. Primary resource: Total Praise.
Session 6—
Songs for Praise and Lament
Appropriate songs that allow us to worship in the reality of life’s extremes—from praise to lament—are often difficult to find. This session will introduce and examine worthy repertoire for the honest expression of the soul to God along with the consideration of appropriate performance practice. Primary resource: Total Praise.
Session 7—
Songs for Justice, Peace and Christian Responsibility
Given the countless examples of injustice every day in every country, the world needs the demonstration of Christ’s contagious love in action. The Church needs songs that form our theology and the way we live. This session will introduce and examine such repertoire. Primary resources: Total Praise and Sing of the World Made New: Hymns of Justice, Peace and Christian Responsibility.
Session 8—
Service or Ritual Music and Psalmody
The African American tradition has birthed significant repertoire that enables the dialogue of worship between Creator and worshiper. This session will introduce and examine songs found primarily in the Total Praise hymnal, Lectionary Psalms, and Lead Me, Guide Me—Second Edition: The African American Catholic Hymnal.
Make it a Spiritual Retreat
You are welcome to craft your own schedule to incorporate additional time on campus to take in chapel sessions, visit classes, read and research in the library, or spend time alone with God. You may plan to come early and stay through Wednesday if you’d like. Let us know how we can help.
Registration
Cost: $175 ($25 early registration discount applied before Dec 1)
Includes lunch on Monday and Tuesday