Testimonials
As I have been coordinating services at a new Unitarian congregation without any live music, services like HymnServe.com are naturally very useful - especially to download individual tunes rather than having to pay for complete CD sets.
Yours sincerely,
Dr. T.E. Powell, Bath, UK
The music is wonderful, key is perfect for older voices, and me to lead it, I haven't been able to use it still setting up the program (just had some minor surgery on my hand so when healing is done, I will start). I will stay in touch and thanks for asking. I am very pleased and will order more this week.
Blessings, Sherry, A staff person at a retirement home in Grants Pass, OR
When the former pastor and our organist married and moved away, we had two options: sing with no accompaniment, or become a Karaoke church. We chose the later. However, finding hymns and/or Worship and Praise songs that were easy for our congregation to follow was nearly impossible. The artists were taking too many liberties with the tempo.
Our church is very small and could not pay to have an outside accompanist to assist us in the worship service.
In a web search I ran across “HymnServe” and Elaine Johnson.
I now have a song library of approximately fifty hymns from which I can put together a service that include mostly traditional hymns and interjecting a few of the contemporary worship and praise songs.
The music from “HymnServe” comes either with a CD or download format. I have used both with very satisfactory results.
The accompaniment is played in strict tempo making it easy for the congregation
to follow.
I can recommend “HymnServe” to any small church that faces the problem of having no accompanist among the congregation and not having a budget to go outside the congregation to hire a musician.
Wayne, Lucerne (CA) Community Church
Last Sunday I tried some of the songs that I downloaded from your HymnServe and played on our church sound system. They sounded great! The quality came across much better than I expected. It would be hard to distinguish your recorded music from someone playing the piano live. I really appreciate the service you offer and will probably be ordering some more in the near future.
Thanks,
Larry, Hartford City, Indiana
Elaine,
Regarding your inquiry, the songs were a big hit and helped me very
much. The night I downloaded them I was in a bind. I am the lay
leader for a small Methodist church in rural Georgia. I found out
on Saturday evening that neither of our musicians could be at church
the next day. Your site was a life saver. Thanks again. I look forward
to using Hymn Serve again in the future.
Herb, Bowdon, GA
My Aunt Eva was in hospice and I was going to be with her a lot.
When my next door neighbor asked if she would want to listen to
some of her favorite hymns, I took a HymnServe list to her and she
said she would like some. She checked the ones she liked. Then we
got the CD to her. But by that time, she had gotten worse and died
just a few days later.
But the family took the hymns she so recently selected and played
them at the funeral. Thank you, Mrs. Johnson, for all the favorite
hymns that you made for my Aunt’s funeral. They were very
nice and made the atmosphere very solemn and pleasant. God Bless
You.
Anna, Bowling Green, OH
Hi Elaine,
HymnServe was very helpful to me. I used the accompaniment for
a small family wedding that was held outdoors. I was able to use
a CD player and we could all sing a hymn. Thank you.
Pastor Kleppe, Pine City, MN
I've enjoyed listening to them while doing the dishes. I pointed
out to my ChurchMusic Director husband that the "You are my
Hiding Place" version on the CD sounded a bit Latin (Latino)
and that we could probably add guitar or other instrumentals to
it to make it even more so, which would be a lovely addition to
our worship music at church. I like the light, traditional feel
to these praise songs and will use them as gathering music at our
traditional service. They are a bit too light for our praise service,
but I ordered it specifically for our traditional worship service
(during the preservice gathering time).
Roberta, Mercedes, TX
Hi Elaine!
I'm a music minister at a small church in South Texas. I was recently
called here, and found that I have no instrumentalists to work with,
so I've been doing everything by CD. Since, I have experience with
digital audio editing, I've been able to create custom CD's for
every service that virtually play by themselves and lead us through
Praise and Worship, hymns, choruses etc.... Your hymns are exactly
what I've been looking for.Your hymns have already added to our
worship. Thank you for making things much easier for me and for
being a blessing to many.
Israel, Dilley, TX
We have really enjoyed the hymns I downloaded and we use them all
the time at First Evangelistic Church. They work well. They are
easy to follow and I'm not a singer.
Linda, Dalton, GA
Dear Elaine,
A note about "Amazing Grace"
Thank you so much. It is absolutely beautiful. I need it to sing
a solo at my father in law's memorial service this Sat. and all
of the other versions I have found were all gussied up. The song
is beautiful just as it was written and your rendition is appreciated.
Stacy, Harbert, MI
Dear Elaine,
Your Accompaniments were fantastic! They suited what I needed beautifully.
I am thankful I stumbled onto your site. I am also very thankful
your ministry was there in my time of need.
Michelle, Beaufort, SC
Dear Elaine
I am a new song director at our small country church of 25 members
and I have no formal training as a song director so I need all the
help I can get .
We have been singing hymn's acappella. I have search the Internet
for traditional gospel hymns and found your site. I listened to
some of the hymns and like your style of playing.
There is a real need for this type of music to make our worship
service and uplifting song service to our heavenly father.
Thank you so very much.
Myran Fincastle, VA
P.S. If I find any one in need of your services I will definitely
pass it on.
Dear Elaine,
Pastor
Kris from Mineral Baptist Church in Keyser WV... Just a note to
let you know that we have utilized your CDs in a few of our services
since receiving them last month. The music has been wonderful. Thank
you so much for your ministry and may God continue to bless as you
serve Him.
His servant and yours,
Kris
1 Thess. 5:9-10
The entire CD is wonderful. God has since sent us a piano player
in fact it looks like we may have two. Isn't he awesome! We just
love the music so much we wanted to purchase more songs anyway.
They are so good to have on hand for everything. I know God is going
to bless your ministry.
Thank you,
Kiwana, Soddy Daisy, TN
I have received the disks and are so happy with
them!! I officiate at several nursing homes/retirement facilities
as well as small worship services, these will be a wonderful addition
when "real" music is not available.
I would highly recommend your service to anyone
without hesitation!
Rev. David Miller, Natick, MA
Hi Elaine,
Our Music director at church played some of your
music at church and we sure do enjoy singing by them. It is much
better than the ones we usually use.
Thank you for providing this service. We really
appreciate it.
God Bless,
Charles & Eva, Cameron, WV
Elaine,
We have used your accompaniment for the past three
Sundays and they are working out quite well. I think it will be
a good alternative to not having live accompaniment.
Wayne, Kelseyville, CA
Hello Ms Elaine!
I was thrilled to find your music site! I attend a very small rural church and I sing specials at every Sunday service. I bought 2 high priced cd's and the arrangement of the music was not what I had grown up with, thus making it hard to just pick up and sing along with it. I found your site and ordered Springs of Living Water. I sang it a couple of Sundays ago and it was great. I was able to sing comfortably with the cd from the first time I sang to it and got many nice compliments that Sunday. I also downloaded He Hideth My Soul and look forward to singing with it maybe this Sunday.
I think you are offering a wonderful service!! So far I have not found any other sites that just play music to sing along with. I definitely will be ordering more selections and I thank you very much for inquiring about how the music helped me and giving me the opportunity to express my thanks. May God richly bless your ministry!!
Hello!
The hymns worked great for our nursing home service. The arrangements
were just right for the people in the audience. I could tell the
person who recorded the songs knew the natural tempo for people to
sing along.
Thanks for your help!
Douglas L. Totten, OD
Norton Shores, MI
Mrs. Johnson I am the pastor at a small church in Indiana. We have a dear sister who is on her death bed and ready to be with the Lord. She is so blessed by the hymns that I left her hospice room in search of a CD with the hymns that she loved so much. What a blessing it was when I found your WEB sight full of all of the beautiful music so wonderfully played. As I thanked Jesus for His guidance and direction I copied the hymns to a CD and it was taken to her room. What a blessing to see a person at the place in life where she is and to see her remember the words to these spiritual songs. Thank you for the work you do. I will make sure that everyone I know has your web address.
God Bless, Doug Bolton
This has turned out to be exactly what we wanted. It's the
favorite hymns and familiar choruses suited for the church service,
and in this case fundamental Baptist. We are a church of 4.5
years existance... Singing in a small congregation without a
piano works with some songs but not all of them. We have a good
quality sound system so the CD's sound great. This is also
attributed to your quality recording.
The ability to hear the music before purchasing worked excellent.
Will probably be looking for the Christmas music this fall.
In His Service,
Pastor C.R. Copeland
Lighthouse Baptist Church, Minerva
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