Tonight, song will fill the air as Grace Lutheran Church hosts an old-fashioned hymn sing — and everyone’s invited.

“We just know that we’ve found a strong connection between music and worship and we just wanted to invite the community to some sing with us and lift God’s name in praise,” said Grace Lutheran Pastor Ben Kifer.

Kifer said the public is invited to join in the hour-long songfest featuring old favorites of many different denominations. “Beautiful Savior,” “He Lives,” “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” — none of which are traditionally sung in Lutheran services — are among some of the selections slated for tonight’s event.

“We tried to venture outside of the Lutheran hymns — hymns we wouldn’t normally sing,” Kifer said. “We tried to picks hymns that were energetic and would keep the energy level up throughout the program.”

Energy will be required for what comes after the hymn sing: a backyard cookout at the church, complete with hot dogs, ice cream and games. While the hymn sing lasts from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., the cookout on what Kifer calls “the back 40” is set for 6 to 7 p.m., or as long as people would like to stick around.

Kifer said this is the first hymn sing Grace Lutheran has hosted but the idea came from a desire to do something a little different and get more people involved.

“We had a meeting with our worship music committee and figured out a way to do something above and beyond our normal Sunday,” Kifer said.

Kifer said choir director Annette Sipe has also gone “above and beyond” in organizing the event. Sipe will accompany the gathered singers on piano.

Grace Lutheran Church is located at 1776 N. Market St., Washington. The hymn sing will be held in the church’s fellowship hall at 5 p.m.