AmblesideOnline's Patio Chats:
28. Folksongs and Hymns
Let's talk about music this week. Have you been enjoying the AO hymns and folksongs? They're part of the extra riches that add a little something special to your child's day.
But they're more than just novel and fun. Back in the day, before people had cell phones, streaming platforms, and CD's, the only music they had was what they played and sang themselves. Folksongs are a lively way to bring geography to life, and they can build bridges between people -- imagine how welcoming it would sound for a visitor to your area hear your children singing and enjoying a familiar song from their own country. There's a connecting bond with people from faraway places and even from people long ago that happens when you sing the same songs they sang. It's cultural and it's just plain fun.
Hymns are even more than that. The lyrics have sustained generations of Christians who lived out their faith before us. They can sustain your child, too. They can sustain you. Really focus on what's being said as you sing these hymns. Allow the words to touch you and build up your own faith.
AO chose hymns specifically to be cross-denominational. We are all part of the family of Christ. Learning hymns outside of our own familiar church favorites helps us to connect with our brother and sister Christians who worship in other churches.
