to enjoy certain hymns, even though I am not a Christian ?

[vienna1981]

Lyrically, hymns are largely meaningless because of their subject matter. However, there are some very fine tunes to be found within. I like the commonly known stuff such as All Things Bright And Beautiful, Immortal Invincible and The Lord Is My Shepherd (we had the latter at my mum's funeral).
My favourite, however, is Abide With Me. The melody is gorgeous. But am I a hypocrite to have a fondness for something I don't believe in ?

Also, do Amazing Grace and How Great Thou Art count as hymns. The latter strikes me as an African American spiritual. I don't know if it is . Thankyou.

Apologies not apples!

The world would be a poorer place without the Christian (and especially Anglican) hymnal! Whether or not you believe, the music is glorious.

Well, I'm glad it's not just me. My mum always used to watch Songs of Praise, even though she wasn't a churchgoer. She was also quite partial to watching gospel choirs on television.

Anyone else been on Songs of Praise?

Apparently some Welshman called Aled Jones is on it quite a lot . Otherwise it's ladies with new hats and shiny dentures.

I think when I participated Aled would have been a very small child!

Yes Errol! In about 1982. In my smartest school uniform with lovely lank hair and enormous braces on my teeth....I was about 12 or so. I sang heartily with the rest of my form as instructed by our scary form mistress.

And yes I'm older than Aled too...

Are hymns still sung at primary, or even secondary school ? Or is this a thing of the past. It's nearly thirty five years since I left primary school and I don't have children so I'm rather out of touch.

Many primaries have some hymns in the collective worship though they may be trite newfangled ditties.

At primary school I loved loads mentioned here but does anyone remember "autumn days"?

vienna

I think in some areas, but more multicultural/multi-ethnic areas such as mine would not include prayers or hymns in the "collective" worship

maddening
Yes!! (vaguely). I sing it to my DH to annoy him:

"Autumn Days when the leaves are turning and the something, something something else

Something about jets refuelling

All these things I love so well

So I mustn't forget
No, I mustn't forget
To say a great big Thankyou
No I mustn't forget "

Oh, and something about Chestnut trees

I'm an atheist and love them. Also listened to the Easter story on Friday when it was on the local radio. My DH thought it was odd but if you don't believe it's just a nice story

I'll admit to going to church mainly for the singing (also for the sense of community too) I am agnostic but love the opportunity to sing with a group. Unless I join a choir, which I don't have time for, it is the only opportunity I will get. DH wants to go - his father was a minister so he was brought up with it - but I think, if he is honest, it is for the singing and to be part of the local community too, more than faith. Our music group is ace as well - several guitars and keyboards for the modern stuff (In Christ Alone almost has me believing ) and the organ for the traditional stuff.

Songs of Praise, like churches, has changed a lot since we were kids. Lots more younger people now. They recently changed the format to make it even more diverse. Allegedly.

Give us this day
All that you showed me
The power and the glory
Till thy Kingdom come.

That's the one yarp - whenever this conversation comes up - usually during reminiscing about childhood primary schools and no one has ever heard of it :)

Songs of praise was described as Sunday karaoke in our house

The irony is that many UK churches don't sing many or even any of the things mentioned on this thread. In my experience you would have to go somewhere quite elderly traditional to hear a lot of those hymns sung on a Sunday. Its funny how the secular perception of what-most-Christians-sing is a good few decades behind what-most-Christians-actually-sing.

Yanbu. I'm not Jewish but I still like Hava Nagila.

I'm a curate in the local parish of Coity, Nolton & Brackla and on Good Friday at our Messy Church we had 150 plus of all ages singing a more contemporary worship song and it was amazing! lifted the roof of Nolton church and most certainly lifted the hearts and spirits to all of the young and more mature who joined us for the morning and stayed for lunch afterwards. Singing is good for the soul - what ever your belief - Bridgenders come and join us for the next one - All welcome! Rev Jayne.

Really TooMany ?
We sing most of the hymns mentioned on here at our Church, along with lots of lovely newer ones too - but we've certainly not thrown out the classsics. Oh, and we have plenty of families - we're not all elderly by any means.

I guess that if we're not churchgoers then we're more likely to come across old hymns at weddings, funerals and carol services.