Both John Warner & John Dengate use hymn tunes in their parodies & serious songs! John D. & I were at a funeral recently where the soprano sang "Abide with me" & I was mentally singing John's words.

I was taken to my first Hymn session at my first National in 2000 by a nominally Jewish friend - he knew more than I did, but then he had been going to Festivals & singing sessions for decades & I hadn't been to Sunday School since I was 12.

One year a group of Evangelicals came from the Church service & complained that the hymn session was on at the same time. Some of them also preached when asked to lead a hymn! Not the usuall pattern as Roger reminded them. I was sharing my book with one of these latecomers who said "I'm a Baptist, we stand up to sing" so I said "I'm a folk-singer, we sit down to sing" causing my atheist friend sitting behind to get the giggles. The woman sharing my book also waved her right hand gracefully in the air as she sang. I'm accustomed to right fists in the air on occasion ...

sandra