A new Spanish hymnal, years in the making, will be dedicated and distributed this spring. This hymnal will serve Spanish-speaking Lutheran churches in nearly 15 countries, and plans for introducing and supporting the hymnal include offering a website of audio recordings of all the music in the book. The task of providing these recordings was formidable. Enter David’s Harp with its network of musicians, recording studio and professional audio technician. This group of faithful volunteers has been steadily recording and uploading music, ready for singers in Latin America to add vocals. This is a prime example of the way David’s Harp supports mission work through music.

Thousands of miles away in Indonesia, there is another hymnal project in the works — this one for the Indonesian Christian Lutheran Church (GKLI). While serving on the hymnal committee, I was given a beautiful opportunity to spread the Gospel through music while in Medan, Indonesia, for a committee meeting.

The wife of a committee member, who teaches at the Indonesian equivalent of a public middle school, had a request: Would I be willing to introduce and teach some music from this new book to the student body? An invitation to speak the Gospel would be unimaginable, but an invitation to teach music was welcome. In this overwhelmingly Muslim country, music opened a door.

David’s Harp also will assist the Indonesian hymnal project in the upcoming year with simplified accompaniments for church musicians. The GKLI has a strong singing tradition, but musicians typically play by ear. Simplified arrangements will help in learning and teaching new hymns in their congregations.