Musings from the Music Mouse
The Fellowship’s music director and choir primarily use two hymnals as their resource for worship services, whether singing with the congregation or on their own. Both hymnals include readings and hymns that reflect Unitarian Universalist beliefs and practices.
In April, we mark the anniversary of the first worship service in a British Unitarian church recognized as a dissenting congregation. The service in question was held on April 17, 1774. The acceptance of a “Unitarian” God is reflected in a reading by Francis David (#566 in “Singing the Living Tradition”), which ends with the phrase “Egy Az Isten.” This phrase is in Hungarian, reflecting the Transylvanian roots of Unitarianism, and it means “God is One.” This belief is also reflected in “Szekely Aldas” (#1043 in “Singing the Journey”). In this hymn, half the choir sings in English, while the other half sings in Hungarian. The words of this hymn are from a traditional Transylvanian source, and the music was composed by UU musician Elizabeth Norton:
Where there is faith there is love,
Where there is love there is peace.
Where there is peace there is blessing,
Where there is blessing there is God.
Where there is God, there, there is no need.