WOOD LAKE — Music and singing have long been a big part of worship at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wood Lake. But once a year, church members get together to “dress up” the hymns they sing a little, pastor Johann Caauwe said.

On Sunday, St. John’s will hold its eighth annual Hymn Festival. The event brings together the congregation’s voices, along with choir, organ and other instruments.

“It’s kind of a highlight, especially for our choir,” Caauwe said.

Choir members have been working to prepare for the event, he said.

Caauwe said St. John’s has held a hymn festival every year since 2019.

“The Lutheran Church has long been known as ‘the singing church’ and in Wood Lake they live up to that name,” Caauwe said. “Each year, we select eight to 10 hymns — many of the strongest hymns from our tradition, which goes way back, even to the early church — and sing them, accompanied by organ and instruments.”

Caauwe said he also gives a short commentary on each hymn, talking about its meaning and history.

“It’s exciting to share the stories behind how the hymns came to be,” he said.

This year, the focus of the festival will be 10 hymns taken from the Psalms. The book of Psalms is part of the Bible that is already like a songbook, he said.

The hymn festival has built up a little more each year, Caauwe said. Holding the festival in late winter has worked out best for the congregation, which includes many farmers who would be busy during other times of year.

Caauwe said most of the choir and musicians who take part in the festival are from the St. John’s congregation, but they also invite organists and other instrumentalists. Some of the musicians have included students from Martin Luther College in New Ulm and Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, he said.

“In the past, we have had musicians travel from as far away as Milwaukee and Bemidji to participate,” Caauwe said.

The Wood Lake Hymn Festival will be at 4 p.m. Sunday, at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church. A meal will be served following the festival.