The Macalester Plymouth United Church Hymn Contest is a highly regarded annual search for new hymns instituted by a leading Minnesota congregation which is a union of the United Church of Christ (UCC) and the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Contents
History
Since 1996, Macalester Plymouth United Church of St. Paul, Minnesota, has sponsored a hymn-writing contest seeking new hymn texts that "can motivate the church to be more actively involved in social reform." The St. Paul contest is funded with an endowment by A.A. "Al" Heckman, a church member who was widely known as Minnesota’s “Dean of Philanthropy” who died in 1994.
The longest-running English language hymn contest attracts entries from the United States and the rest of the English-speaking world, including Great Britain, Canada, and Australia. In church hymn circles, the hymn contest has acquired a level of importance capable of elevating a previously unknown artist to international prominence and providing deserved recognition of established hymn writers.
Annual Themes and Winning Hymns
Chronological list includes co-winning hymns and honorable mention hymns.
1996 Theme: Hymns that call the church to work for social justice
1997 Theme: Hymns that call the church to nurture and care for children everywhere
1998 Theme: Hymns that speak to the role and ministry of the church in addressing social concerns faced by our communities, our nation and our world as we enter a new century
1999 Theme: Hymns which address environmental stewardship at a time of conflicting national / tribal interests
2000 Theme: Hymns based on the Hebrew prophets’ calls for justice
2001 Theme: Hymns which call the church to greater inclusivity
2002 Theme: Hymns which call the church to affirm gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons and to celebrate their gifts and ministries
2003 Theme: Hymns which call the church and its people to work for peace
2004 Theme: Hymns which celebrate religious diversity and encourage interfaith cooperation, with the understanding that many of the world’s social problems are rooted in religious intolerance
2005 Theme: Hymns which call the church and its people to greater awareness of the plight of the homeless, and to the need for affordable housing for all people
2006 Theme: Hymns that call the church and its people to practice the forgiveness of enemies and to commend to the nations as practical politics the search for cooperation and peace.
2007: Theme: New hymns to use on Mother's Day, sensitive to the changing nature of family life, and affirming feminist calls for equality.
2008: Theme: Hymns which will enable the church and its people to lament, to cry out in anger and frustration to God.
2009: Theme: Hymns to be sung on Labor Day, with words that especially address the plight of the unemployed.