Opening hymns: gathering for worship

The first hymn of a service has a particular job: it gathers people who have arrived from many different weeks and turns them toward God together. A good opening hymn is confident and well known, has a strong tune that sounds right with an organ, a piano or a band, and is addressed to God or calls the congregation to praise him.

The hymns below were chosen because their first words do exactly that — “Come, let us join our cheerful songs,” “All people that on earth do dwell,” “Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!” Many churches use one of them as a processional or after the call to worship. They are listed with the most widely sung first. All are in the public domain, so you can print or project them without a license.

If your church projects the words, put the opening hymn up before the service begins so people can find their place. If you use an order of service, the builder will set the first hymn out with your call to worship and opening prayer.