Asbury Seminary Professor Organizes African Hymnal

Asbury Seminary professor organizes creation of African hymnal

A Samburu wife, Pamela, dictates the words of a song to Mark,

a high school student.

Dr. Bill Goold (left) stands with his host family and five of their six children. His hosts Andrew (second from left) and Priscilla (far right) Lanyasunya, are the administrators of a private school with an enrollment of 850.

WILMORE, Ky. (Feb. 2, 2009) – Dr. Bill Goold, a professor at Asbury Theological Seminary, recently returned from Maralal, Kenya, where he spent his sabbatical helping the Samburu people create their first printed hymnal, or collection of their own indigenous, Christian songs. Since 1934, Samburu Christians have sung from various printed collections translated from English, Swahili or Masaai. But until Goold’s visit, their own work has never been collected or printed in their own language. “I think at this chapter of my life, this might be the most important thing I’ve ever been connected with,” said Goold, the Dwight M. and Lucille S. Beeson Professor of Church Music and William Earle Edwards Professor of Church Music at Asbury Seminary. “I know God wanted to bring it about. I’m absolutely convinced God wants this group of people to be singing in their own language, reading in their own text.”Goold began with a list of about 200 Samburu songs, which had been passed down through oral tradition. He and a group of Samburu volunteers narrowed the list down to 100 songs, including several childrens’s songs. “For the first time ever, vibrant memories emerged as written text,” Goold said.While he was in Africa, Goold also created a CD recording of the Samburu people singing their songs. He recorded 12 Samburu songs sung by a Mama’s Choir at All Saints Anglican Church in Kenya. He intends to distribute the CD to Samburu churches to be used as a worship and evangelism tool. Now that the hymnal and CD recording are complete, Goold returned to the United States, raising money to print and ship 3,000 first editions of the hymnal, as well as pay for reproduction costs of the CD. He hopes to raise the funds through grants, churches and other programs. If you would like more information about how to assist with printing/publishing costs, contact New Hope International Ministries at 859.858.3511, ext. 2385 or email office@nhim.org. 

OTHER JESSAMINE COUNTY NEWS:   

FREE TAX PREPARATION

KDVA ( Kentucky Domestic Violence Association) will be offering free tax preparation services at the Jessamine County Public Library. This service is for individuals and families whose annual income does not exceed $42,000. RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED! Please call Lee Zuhars at 502-209-5382 to schedule an appointment.  

BECOME AN EMT!

Emergency Medical Technician Basic Course

Jessamine County EMS is now accepting applications for an EMT -B course. Begins February 26 at the Jessamine Career Technology Center . The cost of the course and book is $425.00. Course applications are available at the Jessamine County EMS , Public Safety Center at 101 South 2nd Street , Suite B, Nicholasville.

More information.

Asbury College students help with PBS production.

Last fall several Asbury College students and their professor, Doug Smart, got a unique opportunity to tape and produce the PBS broadcast of the live play, "Walden: The Ballad of Thoreau" in high-definition. This was done in conjunction with Michael Johnathon, the founding force behind “WoodSongs Old Time Radio Hour.” Read more: http://www.asbury.edu/press/walden09  

This story was originally published February 18, 2009 at 1:30 AM with the headline "Asbury Seminary Professor Organizes African Hymnal."