Storybook: Songs of Gospel Hope
Two volumes. Twelve original songs. Stories of justice, faith, and hope.
What happens when we take the time to listen to one another’s stories? What might we learn about faith, justice, belonging, and the hope that carries us forward?
Storybook is a collection of original music created through Christians for Social Action’s Storytellers Collective in collaboration with Common Hymnal. Each song grows out of relationships with organizations and communities working for justice, restoration, and change. Artists spend time listening to their experiences before the songwriting begins, allowing those stories to shape the music.
The first volume, released in March 2026, explored gospel hope in the midst of uncertainty and unfinished stories. Storybook, Vol. 2 continues that conversation with five new songs about memory, identity, belonging, and the voices we have too often failed to hear.
Together, these twelve songs invite us to listen more closely, remember more honestly, and consider what it means to love our neighbors through the stories they carry. Storybook, Vol. 2 is now available on all audio streaming platforms and will be released on YouTube on Monday, October 26.
Listen to Vol. 1 on Apple Music | Listen to Vol. 1 on Spotify | Watch the full playlist of Vol. 1 on YouTube
Listen to Vol. 2 on Apple Music | Listen to Vol. 2 on Spotify | Watch the full playlist of Vol. 2 on YouTube
Storybook, Vol. 2: Whose Stories Get Heard?
We are surrounded by competing stories about who we are, what has happened, who belongs, and whose experiences matter. But how often do we stop to ask whose stories are shaping us, and whose have been overlooked? Storybook, Vol. 2 enters those questions through five original songs inspired by the work of Truth's Table Foundation, Virago Rising, Eloheh, the Center for Restorative Justice, and Liberated Together. The songs explore the histories we inherit, the courage it takes to tell the truth, the longing to be seen, and the hope we find in one another. Together, they remind us that listening is more than hearing someone's words. It is a way of recognizing their humanity and making room for stories that might change how we understand the world. Releasing October 23, 2026, with five accompanying music videos premiering October 26.
Storybook, Vol. 1: Hope in the Midst of Unfinished Stories
Released in March 2026, the first volume of Storybook grew out of a year of listening, shared experience, and creative collaboration between Common Hymnal and organizations participating in CSA's Storytellers Collective. At its heart, the album challenges a familiar but fragile understanding of gospel hope, one that depends on circumstances improving or answers becoming clear. Instead, these songs explore the kind of hope we carry in the midst of ambiguity, weariness, and stories that have yet to find resolution. Created in partnership with A Rocha USA, Chasing Justice, HopeWords, Leadership LINKS, and CAAPIC, Storybook, Vol. 1 offers music for those still waiting, still wrestling, and still hoping.
Full Albums Available on YouTube
Storybook, Vol. 1 Playlist
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Storybook, Vol. 2 Playlist
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Want to learn more about the look behind Storybook, Vol. 2 videos? Watch this short video by Storytellers Collective Director Avril Z. Speaks.
The Common Hymnal Story
Common Hymnal isn’t just making music — it’s building something deeper.
What began decades ago as a response to injustice has grown into a creative community shaped by questions, honesty, and a commitment to faith that engages the real world. Their songs hold together lament and hope, justice and worship, much like the Psalms. This short documentary below offers a behind-the-scenes look at Common Hymnal — its origins, its people, and its vision for creating music that reflects the complexity of life, faith, and the world we inhabit.