Lutherans have an honoured tradition of thoughtfully choosing the hymns for inclusion in the Divine Service. The Hymn of the Day Project will build on the framework of the existing Hymn Selection Guide by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). This webpage will serve to highlight some of the rich hymnody we have in the Lutheran Church, by providing an example of an organ and acoustic guitar rendition of select ‘hymns of the day’. We hope this project will provide opportunity for members to reflect on God’s gift of music, through the inclusion of confessional, Christ-focused hymns which can serve as a blessing to our devotional lives.

“The selection of hymns for any given service relates closely to the Holy Scriptures, the psalms, and the prayers appointed for the day. In all of this, Lutherans give careful attention to the Sundays and seasons of the Church Year, not only because of long-standing tradition, but because these patterns and practices are Christ-centered. The Church Year, especially from Advent through Eastertide and Pentecost, leads the faithful into and through the life of Christ. The Sundays after Pentecost are focused on the ongoing ministry of Christ within his church on earth, with eyes of faith fixed upon his coming in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection. These Sundays and seasons are truly one of the most precious treasures of our rich heritage as Christians.” (Wismar, Gregory. Lutheran Service Book Hymn Selection Guide. Concordia Publishing House, 2006).

Hymn of the Day

What goes into choosing hymns for worship?

“Selecting hymns for a specific congregation entails more than simply scanning the lists provided here and choosing three or four hymns for a particular day. This task requires having a sense of what hymns the congregation already know, while also seeking to facilitate a plan for how to expand that hymn repertoire over time. Furthermore, the process of selecting hymns requires careful considerations regarding a well-balanced hymn repertoire. For example, the use of only one facet of the church’s song, such as only Lutheran chorales or only nineteenth-century English hymnody, deprives the congregation of the wealth of hymnody that gives voice to sacrifices of thanksgiving and praise from other times and places. Worship planners will wisely make hymn selections with a variety of considerations in mind, including the immediate context of a single Sunday, the broader context of a particular season, and the long-range context of the congregation’s overall hymn repertoire.” (Wismar, Gregory. Lutheran Service Book Hymn Selection Guide. Concordia Publishing House, 2006).

Printable Resources

Worship Terminology

Printable PDF version of the content found on this webpage.

Divine Service Explanation Bulletin Insert

An explanation of the components of the Divine Service.

The Word in Song

Hymn of the Day Studies for Propers Series B 3-Year Lectionary

The Cross: God's Love For Us Lenten Devotional

Lenten Devotionals on the hymns of Lent prepared by Kevin Lee, Music Director of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Waterloo, Ontario.

About the project

The Hymn of the Day Project building on the framework of CPH’s Hymn Selection Guide, is coordinated by LCC musicians Peter Steinke and Andrew Hayes. This, and the Worship Terminology Webpage, have been introduced to assist in equipping Lutheran Church–Canada congregations and beyond to better understand why Lutherans worship the way we do by exploring the timeless treasure that is the historic liturgy and Divine Service.