Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs has been an odyssey for its editors, not least in the amount of time it has taken. They embarked upon the project in 2006, and originally committed to completing the hymnal by 2009—a conservative estimate, they thought. “We didn’t want to disappoint anyone and keep them waiting,” rued editor Steve Wolfgang.

However, a cabal of difficulties conspired to push the deadline back from the very beginning. “We published a prototype,” recalled editor C. E. Couchman. “That was the first thing that took a little more time. It wasn’t in the original plan.”

The prototype took nearly 18 months to complete, in a learning process that was lengthy but necessary. “The prototype was helpful in many ways because it took us through many aspects of publishing the hymnal,” said editor Mark Coulson.

More challenges arose once the editors began work on the hymnal proper. one of their most important tasks was the creation of a style sheet, a set of standards for the editing of both words and music. “This is an edited hymnal,
not a compilation,” said editor Craig Roberts. “It wouldn’t have taken much trouble to compile 800 hymns and keep the layout. We didn’t have a style sheet. We had to make it up, create it from nothing.”

The refinement of this style sheet continued throughout the production process.

Likewise, the novel layout of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs added its share of complications. “That was a new trail,” said editor David Maravilla. “We had the idea to phrase the hymnal, and it kept introducing new problems that no hymnal editor had run into before. We’d have to keep making adjustments for a hundred things that came up with the layout that we did not anticipate.”

The editors lost more time to researching new hymns to include, proofing the hymns, researching and correcting author and composer data, and compiling a topical index. However, as frustrating as they were, these delays are common to the production of any hymnal. “The new mennonite hymnal was announced in 2008 and is due in 2016,” noted Wolfgang. “This is a group with the whole denominational apparatus behind it, and they’re still not sure they’re going to hit their deadline. We finished our hymnal in six years. Who is to say the age of miracles has ceased?”

This success would have been impossible without the help of dozens of committed Christians. These workers helped develop the style sheet, reviewed hymns submitted by brethren, developed proprietary hymn-tracking software, entered text into the editor, copy-edited the text, edited the music, proofed the music, proofed the galleys, and researched everything from author data to prior alterations to copyright information. “Without them, we’d be another five or six years out,” said Couchman. “They were indispensable.”

What is more, like the editors themselves, 95 percent of the brethren who worked on the hymnal donated their expertise and their time, untold thousands of hours’ worth of it. “From the top down, this has been a labor of love,” reflected Wolfgang.

The editors also owe a debt of gratitude to the board of the Guardian of Truth Foundation, which is publishing the hymnal. “They enabled us,” recalled Roberts. “They knew that they weren’t authors or composers. They knew that wasn’t their area, and they didn’t try to function as editors. They behaved like a big-time publishing house. They were also very forgiving and understanding when we would miss deadlines. We explained why, and they stuck with us.”

However, the foundation’s contribution extended beyond mere non-interference. “They did more than just tolerate,” noted Roberts. “When we explained what we were doing, they bought into it. It was more than just them letting us do stuff..”

Likewise, the editors appreciate the patience of those closest to them. “We need to say thank you to our families,” said Coulson. “When we look at the amount of time we sacrificed, it’s huge.”

After so much work, the editors hope that their labors will be received in the way they were intended. “We hope that this hymnal will appeal to all Christians,” said Roberts. “I really hope it appeals not just to singers, but also to people who only like to sing hymns, people for whom singing isn’t a preference or a hobby. I think that’s the kind of hymnal that the lord would want. He wants a hymnal that will help people worship.”

The editors also hope that Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs will carry out this God-glorifying work for years to come. “We’ve had several grandchildren born during this process,” reflected Wolfgang. “My first grandchild was born two months before it began. I hope this hymnal will contribute to the worship of the church so that my grandchildren will be singing out of it after I’m not around anymore.”

However, the editors aren’t looking to rest on their labors quite yet. In the near future, they anticipate production of a PowerPoint version of the hymnal, a digital Scripture-reference guide for the hymns it contains, and a series of recordings that brethren can use to learn unfamiliar hymns. “Stay tuned,” said Roberts.

Editors
David Maravilla
Mark Coulson
C.E. Couchman
Craig Roberts
Steve Wolfgang

Editorial Board
Don Alexander
Matt and Lauren Bassford
Mark Bingham
Jeremy Boyd
Jennifer Campbell
Tom Couchman
Katy Compton
Jim Deason
Vicki Dooman
Jonathan Ellis
Sarah Fuhrman
Dan Guyer
Bill Hall
Matt Harber
Jason Hardin
Frank Himmel
Ed Holder
Bruce Key
Carl Main
Jennifer Payne
Keith Roland
Steve Smith
John Trimble
Wayne Walker
Dan Watt
Howard Whittlesey
Charles Willis
Stanley and Aleisha Zavala

Special Thanks To:
Larry Adrian
Pete and Doris Bailey
Jennifer Campbell
Lonnie and Susan Corley
Andrew Couchman
David Finney
Jenn Greiving
Megan Greiving
Anna, Margaret and Peter Jetton
Melanie Jonas
Ethan and Sarah Longhenry
Todd Nielsen
Mary Roberts
Judy Smiley
John Wiegand
Matthew and Brooke Williams