Cameroonian Hymnal Initiative Progresses
A Report to Northaven from John
Thornburg
I have a new picture of the kingdom of heaven. In
it, four Cameroonians and two Americans sit around a simple table at a
Benedictine monastery on a hilltop in Yaounde, Cameroon, and teach each other
songs of the faith. Then they go from town to town teaching those songs to
people who are eager to learn
them.
I’m thrilled to tell you that I’ve seen this picture, and the people of Northaven played a part in painting it.
With the support of the Human Development Fund and over 75 other donors, the Cameroon Hymnal Initiative is under way. The ultimate goal is the production of the first hymnal/worship book for Cameroon Mission of the United Methodist Church. There have been Christians in Cameroon for 175 years, but Methodism has only recently arrived. Started with just a handful of congregations in 2000, there are now 19 congregations and 10 ‘cell groups’ (small groups who are meeting for worship and prayer and preparing to be congregations).
The singing is rich and diverse, including songs in French, English, Pidgin, and several of the 250 local languages of Cameroon. Some are indigenous, others come from the Anglo-European tradition, brought by waves of missionaries over the last seven generations. Still others come from other parts of west Africa and beyond.
There are a few printed resources already available, but they are all mono-lingual (either French or English) and none of them include songs written by Africans. The hopes for this first hymnal/worship book include:
A fully bi-lingual book with French and English on facing pages many songs that are purpose-written for the book by the people of our churches and cell groups songs that speak about both heaven and earth; the assurance of salvation through faith in Christ, and the necessity of being Christ’s ministers of love and justice on earth Communion and baptismal services and rites that honor local marriage and funeral customs Methodism’s distinctive challenge in Cameroon is to combine vital worship with well focused outreach to the surrounding neighborhoods and villages. The aggressive Pentecostalism which is spreading through west Africa has very vibrant worship but is typically unconcerned with the poverty of the people, and some of the mainstream denominations have become as corrupt as the government.
The young pastors who are coming to Methodism have a vision of a church that can transform 21st century Cameroon in the same way in which the Methodist Movement transformed 18th century England and Wales. We hope this hymnal can be deeply helpful in meeting the challenge.
During my recent trip to Cameroon (the second of five trips currently planned), I was privileged to work alongside four energetic, gifted young Cameroonians and one very talented American, a children’s choir director from Houston. We all taught songs to each other and crafted a festival of 20 songs which we then took to five cities or towns throughout southern Cameroon. Though the preparation for the festivals was an incredibly rich opportunity in and of itself, it also provided us with a glimpse of the kind of leadership we seek for the editorial board of the hymnal. We also got a jump on finding that mix of songs which, by singing them, will help the Cameroonian Methodists become the church God is calling them to be.
I thank God for this opportunity to be part of such an incredible new venture, and I thank God for your generosity through the Human Development Fund.
I’m thrilled to tell you that I’ve seen this picture, and the people of Northaven played a part in painting it.
With the support of the Human Development Fund and over 75 other donors, the Cameroon Hymnal Initiative is under way. The ultimate goal is the production of the first hymnal/worship book for Cameroon Mission of the United Methodist Church. There have been Christians in Cameroon for 175 years, but Methodism has only recently arrived. Started with just a handful of congregations in 2000, there are now 19 congregations and 10 ‘cell groups’ (small groups who are meeting for worship and prayer and preparing to be congregations).
The singing is rich and diverse, including songs in French, English, Pidgin, and several of the 250 local languages of Cameroon. Some are indigenous, others come from the Anglo-European tradition, brought by waves of missionaries over the last seven generations. Still others come from other parts of west Africa and beyond.
There are a few printed resources already available, but they are all mono-lingual (either French or English) and none of them include songs written by Africans. The hopes for this first hymnal/worship book include:
A fully bi-lingual book with French and English on facing pages many songs that are purpose-written for the book by the people of our churches and cell groups songs that speak about both heaven and earth; the assurance of salvation through faith in Christ, and the necessity of being Christ’s ministers of love and justice on earth Communion and baptismal services and rites that honor local marriage and funeral customs Methodism’s distinctive challenge in Cameroon is to combine vital worship with well focused outreach to the surrounding neighborhoods and villages. The aggressive Pentecostalism which is spreading through west Africa has very vibrant worship but is typically unconcerned with the poverty of the people, and some of the mainstream denominations have become as corrupt as the government.
The young pastors who are coming to Methodism have a vision of a church that can transform 21st century Cameroon in the same way in which the Methodist Movement transformed 18th century England and Wales. We hope this hymnal can be deeply helpful in meeting the challenge.
During my recent trip to Cameroon (the second of five trips currently planned), I was privileged to work alongside four energetic, gifted young Cameroonians and one very talented American, a children’s choir director from Houston. We all taught songs to each other and crafted a festival of 20 songs which we then took to five cities or towns throughout southern Cameroon. Though the preparation for the festivals was an incredibly rich opportunity in and of itself, it also provided us with a glimpse of the kind of leadership we seek for the editorial board of the hymnal. We also got a jump on finding that mix of songs which, by singing them, will help the Cameroonian Methodists become the church God is calling them to be.
I thank God for this opportunity to be part of such an incredible new venture, and I thank God for your generosity through the Human Development Fund.
Posted: Wednesday - July 12, 2006 at 03:25 PM |
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