The introduction is played and the 12 people seated around the room sing with great energy. Afterwards, there are favorable comments and someone points out how useful this setting will be for bilingual diocesan services - and there are brass parts! Later, after the exuberant singing of a popular South African song, there is a great burst of applause, laughter, and shouts of "Yes! Yes!"

So went the work of the Standing Commission on Church Music (SCCM) as the supplement committee reported on its first set of materials for a supplement to The Hymnal 1982.

In response to legislation at the 70th General Convention, in 1991, the SCCM began to develop a supplemental book of simplified accompaniments to The Hymnal 1982, which was determined to be the most immediate need. That book was published just after the 71st General Convention, and a newly formed SCCM began work on another supplement which would encompass the listed expectations in Resolution a089. That resolution specified that there be additional service music, inclusive language hymnody, additional texts in languages other than English, including texts printed in more than one language, additional hymnody related to the lectionary and the rites of the Book of Common Prayer, and texts and tunes written since the compiling of the present hymnal.

Early in 1995, after planning the sequence of work that would create the new supplement, the commission put forth a call in appropriate magazines and periodicals for music to fit each of the categories. A response of several thousand pieces of music was distributed to members of the supplement committee of the SCCM, which then met to play and sing through each one, and classify choices in order of preference and need.

In addition, committee members reviewed every major denominational hymnal that had been published since The Hymnal 1982, as well as a huge assortment of hymn and song collections that have been published independently. Selections were submitted from hymnals in England, New Zealand, Australia, Scotland, Canada and China. Selections from Lift Every Voice and Sing II; the soon-to-be-published El Himnario, a Hispanic hymnal compiled jointly by the United Church of Christ, the Presbyterian Church, and the Episcopal Church; and selections of music emerging from Native American communities have all been considered.

In mid-1996, the first cut of materials was reviewed and gaps in the requirements were noted. Committee members then approached a long list of composers seeking further submissions and requesting specific items such as tunes for selected texts. The materials collected from those requests were reviewed and selections were made.

Late in 1996, the comprehensive collection of preferred materials was reviewed again and a second cut was made. Committee members volunteered to complete final inquiries regarding arrangements, and to write the introduction, performance notes and helpful information on each selection. The final review took place in early 1997, and the book is being published by the Church Hymnal Corporation in time for General Convention in July.

The title selected for the supplement is Wonder, Love, and Praise, aphrase taken from the Charles Wesley text, "Love divine, all loves excelling."The selection of a title was long considered and there were numerous suggestions that sought to express the breadth inherent in the General Convention resolution.

In this time of significant change in church music, the title of a supplement seems to need to convey the scope of a broad range of styles, a diversity of cultural offerings, and a commitment to the unity of God's people. The Roman Catholic supplement to one of its major hymnals is called Gather. The Lutheran supplement is called With One Voice; a new hymnal for the Anglican Church of Canada is titled Common Praise; and the United Church of Canada had published Voices United.

We believe that our title, Wonder, Love, and Praise, takes the next step beyond acknowledging the eclectic content of the supplement, in support of the belief that the church recognizes the common mission of a variety of musical offerings of quality. Taken independent of its Wesleyan source, the title speaks of our commitment to provide a musical context for people to express wonder, love and praise as a response to God's grace. We sought accessible music that begs participation and that is capable of engaging people on a variety of levels and in a multitude of situations.

It will provide music that can be used at home, at conferences, and in small gatherings, as well as in formal liturgy. By so doing, we stress that this collection is a supplement. It is not an alternative hymnal because it does not have the breadth necessary for the entire lectionary and rites of the church. Its best use will be in conjunction with The Hymnal 1982. To that end, the numbering of selections will begin with 721, the next consecutive number at the end of the hymnal. It will contain approximately 175 selections, about half of which are service music.

Members of the supplement committee of the Standing Commission on Church Music are Owen Burdick, Marilyn Haskel, Carl Haywood, John Hooker, Mark MacDonald and Bernardo Murray. William Wunsch is the general editor.

Wonder, Love, and Praise will be a paper-bound pew copy that will contain accompaniments as needed. In addition, there will be a spiral-bound, larger format "Leader's Guide," to be published in the fall of 1997, which will include more instrumental parts, arrangements, information about each selection and suggestions for uses. The hope of the committee is that legislation for another triennium will encourage the development of supportive materials for Wonder, Love, and Praise to make it as accessible and as widely usable as possible.