Hymnal

Bookshelf with hymnals, in a church in Erfurt.

Hymnals in a church in Norway.

A Mennonite church, with hymnals.

A hymnal is a collection of hymns. All the people ("the congregation") usually sing some of these hymns, during a Christian religious service. A hymnal is different form a song book; each group has its own hymnal. Groups who aren't religious also have hymnals: there's one for scouts, there are hymals for different student associations, or for soldiers.

Hymnals usually contain the text of the hymn, and sometimes there are scores (which render the melody). For hymns that are well-known, the score may be missing.