Music is an important part of our heritage and our worship service. Portions of the liturgy are sung by the Pastor or an Assisting Minister, and the liturgy itself contains places where hymns are sung by the congregation. Hymn texts were written by men and women who lived before the birth of Christ or at other times up to the present. There are hymns of various origins, including Oriental, Scandinavian, African, German, Polish, French, Indian, American, and English. Differing musical styles remind us that God's praise can be sung in many and varied ways.