Including "Kumbaya" in hymnals provided two kinds of freedom to congregations. It allowed them to sing a song that did not contain the Biblical allusions found in nineteenth century hymns, a pleasure not allowed older parishioners when they were young.
People raised in denominations where the word was supreme also were granted the liberty of editing the word. [1] In my experience, no one ever sang every verse of a hymn. Once "Kumbaya" was in the hymnal, liturgists could pick and choose stanzas, in effect, creating new songs for specific occasions.
When I mentioned this freedom from the word to a friend, the retired Presbyterian minister told me I was wrong. Presbyterians, who had resisted hymns longer than other denominations, accepted them when they were convinced they were prayers. He said, once a man or woman wrote a prayer, it could not be abridged.
He may be right. When I looked at current church bulletins discussed in the post for 21 February 2019, less than a third of ones from Presbyterian congregations listed verses, while more than three-quarters of ones from Methodists did. [2] One assumes if stanza numbers weren’t listed, the entire song was sung.
One important difference between the denomination’s hymnals was the Methodist version was six verses, while the Presbyterian one was the four that originally were published. Of those that specified verses, Presbyterians had a sense two or three verses was the appropriate length, while Methodists preferred one, three or four verses. [3]
Both denominations sang the "kumbaya" stanza most often, followed by "praying." Methodists then were likely to choose the verses that connoted joy: "singing" and Carlton Young’s "let us praise." Presbyterians, on the other hand, were next most likely to sing "crying." [4]
Individual congregations’ interpretations of "Kumbaya" ultimately were tied to when they used it. Among Methodists, Presbyterians, and the other denominations mentioned in the post for 21 February 2019, there was no clear connection between the song and the liturgical year. It was not sung in August, November, December, or January, but was sung any other time. Only Presbyterians used it during Advent. [5]
Instead of relating "Kumbaya" to the season, it sometimes was used for specific occasions. The First Presbyterian Church of Stillwater, Oklahoma, used the song "in commemoration of tomorrow’s Martin Luther King Day," [6] while Genesee Baptist Church of Rochester, New York, scheduled it during Black History month. [7] Similarly, the Disciples of Christ congregation in Mantua, Ohio, sang the Presbyterian version as a welcoming hymn on the Sunday it worshiped with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [8]
"Kumbaya" often was used as part of the children’s time that occurred early in the service, before they were dismissed for other activities. Canadians hadn’t adopted that particular innovation, but shared the view it was a children’s song. Richwood United of Drumbo, Ontario, [9] and Knox Presbyterian of Waterdown, Ontario, [10] sang verses on camping Sunday, as did Hope United Methodist of Duluth, Minnesota, [11] and First United Methodist of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. [12]
Within the service proper, it was used more often in the time before the scripture readings and sermon. Many used it as the opening hymn. Saint Mark UMC of Atlanta used the traditional term "Introit," [13] while several Presbyterian and United Church of Christ churches called it a "gathering" song. [14]
After the opening, Methodist congregations most likely sang "Kumbaya" during the period of prayers. A number combined the "praying" and "needs you" verses with "let us praise" or "crying."
Methodists used it after the "Doxology," while Presbyterians used it during the Confession and Assurance. A Pittsburgh church only used "kumbaya" and "crying," [15] while one in Columbia, South Carolina, use "kumbaya" and "praying." [16] Lutheran [17] and Methodist [18] congregations used it after the "Apostles Creed."
Many denominations used "Kumbaya" for communion [19] or the collection. [20] Saint James United Church of Saint John’s, Newfoundland, used the verses "kumbaya" and "giving" for the offertory. [21] Rock Spring Congregational Church of Arlington, Virginia, [22] used it for confirmation and a New Orleans Presbyterian church for the installing an elder. [23]
Methodists and Presbyterians were the most likely to use "Kumbaya" as a closing hymn, recessional, or sending song. [24] This was one of the times some congregations used the "come by here" verse that did not appear in hymnals. [25]
End Notes
1. John Wesley told users of his 1761 hymnal to "sing them exactly as they are printed here, without altering or mending them at all; and if you have learned to sing them otherwise, unlearn it as soon as you can." At first glance this sounded like a demand for obedience to the word. However, if he was paraphrasing popular texts or tunes, it may have been a warning to stay with the sacred. Young included the "Directions for Singing" in the 1989 Methodist hymnal. (Page vii. See post for 14 February 2019 for complete publication details. Wesley’s notes appeared in Select Hymns: with Tunes Annext. London: 1761. )
2. 32.5% of 40 Presbyterian bulletins listed verses, while 77.7% of 36 Methodist bulletins did.
3. Number of verses by denomination. More details on the sample were given in the post for 21 February 2019.
4. Verses of "Kumbaya" sung by denomination.
5. Date when "Kumbaya" sung by month.
6. First Presbyterian Church of Stillwater, Oklahoma, 17 January 2016, "kumbaya" verse only, before and after Prayers of the People.
7. Genesee Baptist Church of Rochester, New York, 11 February 2018, did not specify verses, Hymn of Meditation before the speaker. The pastor of this church, Vera E. Miller, was an African-American woman.
8. Mantua Center Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 10 January 2010. The phrase was also used in the spoken Call to Worship.
9. Richwood United Church, Drumbo, Ontario, 26 April 2015, printed verses "kumbaya," "crying," "praying," "singing," and "laughing" on back of the bulletin.
10. Knox Presbyterian Church, Waterdown, Ontario, 22 January 2017, verses "kumbaya," "praying," "needs you," and "singing" from the Methodist hymnal during children’s time.
11. Hope United Methodist Church, Duluth, Minnesota, 30 April 2017, did not specify verses sung before Old Testament reading. The message was "Around the Campfire."
12. First United Methodist Church, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, 11 March 2018, verses "kumbaya," "praying," "needs you," and "let us praise."
13. Saint Mark United Methodist Church, Atlanta, Georgia, 19 July 2015, verses "kumbaya," "singing," and "let us praise."
14. The 1990 Presbyterian hymnal included an order of worship. It used the terms "Gathering of the People" and "Going Forth." (Page 12. See post for 17 February 2019 for complete publication details.)
15. East Liberty Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 18 February 2018, hymn number only.
16. Eastminster Presbyterian Church, Columbia, South Carolina, 6 March 2016, verses "kumbaya" and "praying."
17. Hope Lutheran Church, Cherryville, Pennsylvania, 20 May 2012, lyrics printed on insert that was not uploaded.
18. Swansboro United Methodist Church, Swansboro, North Carolina, 21 May 2017, hymn number only.
18. The denominations were Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Presbyterian Church (USA), United Church of Christ, and United Methodist Church.
20. The denominations were Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Presbyterian Church (USA), United Church of Christ, and United Methodist Church.
21. Saint James United Church, Saint John’s Newfoundland, 15 April 2018. This was Camping Sunday.
22. Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ, Arlington, Virginia, 6 May 2018, hymn number only.
23. First Presbyterian Church, New Orleans, Louisiana, 22 May 2016, hymn number only.
24. It was used by one Fellowship Baptist church, one Metropolitan Community Church, five Presbyterian churches, and four United Methodist Churches.
25. Centennial Park Baptist Church, Grimsby, Ontario, 8 July 2018, and First Presbyterian of Rochester, Minnesota, 17 May 2008.
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