Elgin church celebrates music heritage in hymn festival Jan. 19

The first of three 2025 Hymn Festivals offered by area congregations to celebrate the “Music of the Church” will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 19, at Christ the Lord Lutheran, 12N462 Tina Trail Road, just off Highland Avenue in Elgin.

Hymn Festivals often share background information on the hymn — who wrote the text and music and perhaps why or in what setting — as well as brief reflections.

The Jan. 19 Hymn Festival will begin with the Reformation hymn, “A Mighty Fortress,” then move into hymns of Advent — Epiphany including “Unexpected and Mysterious,” “From Heaven Above to Earth I Come,” “Star-Child,” and “O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright.”

Lent and Easter hymns will include “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded,” “Alleluia! Christ is Arisen,” and “Day of Arising.”

Ascension and Pentecost hymns featured will be “As the Wind Song” and “Spirit of Gentleness.” The hymn festival will conclude with “Wake, Awake” and “God, We Gather at Your Table.”

Subsequent 2025 Hymn Festivals will be July 13 at First Congregational and Sept. 14 at First Presbyterian, again at 4 p.m.

Christ the Lord Lutheran is an Elgin congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, on Tina Trail, the homelands of the Potawatomi, Sac, and Fox Native Americans. The church is handicapped-accessible and welcomes those of every color and culture, sexual orientation and gender identity, socioeconomic status, marital status, ability, and challenge. All are invited to enjoy the rich heritage of church music from the Reformation to modern day.