Do you search for hymns and worship music for worship services? Are you researching a particular hymn? Looking for an arrangement or media file? If so, Hymnary.org is for you. Hymmary.org is an online hymn and worship music database for Worship leaders, hymnologists, and amateur hymn lovers alike looking for hymns and worship music. It's a collaboration between the Christian Classics Ethereal Library and the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. At the Hymnary you can search or browse hymns by title, tune, meter, key, scripture reference, and more.

Hymnary.org is a project of the Christian Classics Ethereal Library and the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, both located at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI. Harry Plantinga and Greg Scheer laid the foundation for the Hymnary in 2007. Currently, there are two programmers, an editor, and an administrator spending time on the project in addition to Harry and Greg. An advisory committee works to set editorial policy. Finally, volunteers play a pivotal role. If you'd like to adopt a hymnal, proofread existing information, or provide feedback on user interface, we encourage you to contact us.

Getting Started

• Use the "Search the entire Hymnary" box for a Google-like search of everything (currently this takes a few seconds)
• Click the Texts, Tunes, Authors, or Hymnals tabs above to search for one of those things. Use the refine options on the left to narrow your search
• Be aware that there are different sorts of result pages. For example, there are pages for the hymn text Amazing Grace, the hymn tune New Britain, and the Amazing Grace entry in Southern Harmony. Being aware of what kind of page you are looking at can greatly reduce confusion!

State of the Project

Work on Hymnary.org began in earnest in the summer of 2007. We implemented a beta version of the database and Web pages and entered a couple of hymnals. We went "live" with the beta version in January 2008. At that time about a dozen hymnals were entered and most of the basic functionality was in place. The summer of 2008 saw many improvements in look and functionality. In the summer of 2009 we hope to add the Dictionary of North American Hymnology, which is intended to be a comprehensive index of hymnals published in North America to 1978. We're also working with publishers to get in-print hymnals added.

Future Goals

Once the Hymnary moves from beta to a fully functional online database of hymns and hymnals, we hope to add these features:

• A tune search facility that enables users to type a few notes on a virtual keyboard to search for a melody
• "Search my collection," a facility enabling users to say what hymnals they own and search only those
• Careful editing standards and a structure to enable volunteers to get older hymnals online
• Work with publishers to get in-print hymnals and other resources loaded

Adding Hymns

If you would like to add a hymnal or a few hymns, we have a method set up. It involves entering information into an Excel spreadsheet. Further information is available.

Credits

The Hymnary is a joint effort of the Christian Classics Ethereal Library and the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. The Dictionary of North American Hymnology data comes through a partnership with the The Hymn Society in North America and Canada.

Volunteer Supported

Volunteers from around the world have helped make the Hymnary possible. Thanks to the individuals and organizations listed below for their contributions. There are many other contributors not listed here.

Contributions

• The extensive and excellent work of Stephen Hutcheson on the earlier Christian Classics Ethereal Hymnary has been incorporated into this project. Thanks Stephen!
• Nancy Naber has typed many, many hymn texts
• Peter Irvine, ObJN recorded the MIDI files for the Southern Harmony
• Vic Johanson typed in the texts of the Southern Harmony hymns

Permissions

• Faith Alive Christian Resources for permission to include the Psalter Hymnal and other hymnals
• APAD Digital Recordings for permission to reproduce some big singing recordings
• Alan Lomax and George Pullen Jackson for permission to reproduce recordings from the 37th annual session of the Alabama Sacred Harp Singing Convention at Birmingham, Ala., August 1942