A week tomorrow I will preach at D+6, whose 'senior pastor' is on sabbatical.  It is apparently a church where 'hymn wars' are quite common and a truce operates most of the time so long as the choosing of hymns/songs is shared between the parties.  However, during this period it has been agreed that visiting preachers will select all the hymns/songs.  I dutifully sent off my order of service, with a mix of hymns and songs, old and new, naff and meaningful, and even some alternatives - then they rang me up and said 'we don't know any of these' - i.e. please choose another set.

This raises some questions for me - and I'll post on them later - but I am surprised that they don't know any of the following: -

•  The King is Among Us
•  I’m special, because God has loved me
•  Show me, dear Lord, how you see me
•  Jesus take me as I am
• He gave me eyes so I could see
• Whether you’re one or whether you’re two
• Take this moment, sign and space
• I’ll go in the strength of the Lord

So, nice kind readers, please don't comment on their naffness (I know which are really bad) because they do all, in some way, connect to the theme of the service.  I know I probably have a wider repertoire of hymns/songs than many people because of my diverse church experience, but I kind of hope that most people regularly in churches would know at least some of them.

Now I need a set of songs that relate to my theme, 'God made me to be me,' and are known to these good people.  Maybe I should dig out 'If I were a butterfly...' Hmmm.