Hymns for October 23, 2005

The readings for the twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost:

Deuteronomy 34:1-12
Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17
1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
Matthew 22:34-46

The readings included the story of the death of Moses in Deuteronomy 34 and the Gospel story of the Great Commandment. The sermon was based on the reading from Matthew.

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" He said to him, "`You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: `You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

Our first hymn was Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven
The words were written in 1834 by Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847). The tune also dates from 1834 and is called Lauda Anima. It is by John Goss (1800-1880)

Praise, my soul, the King of heaven;
To his feet thy tribute bring;
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Evermore his praises sing:
Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise the everlasting King.

Praise him for his grace and favor
To our fathers in distress;
Praise him still the same for ever,
Slow to chide and swift to bless:
Alleluia, alleluia!
Glorious in his faithfulness.

Father-like, he tends and spares us;
Well our feeble frame he knows;
In his hand he gently bears us,
Rescues us from all our foes.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Widely yet his mercy flows.

Angels in the heights adore him;
Ye behold him face to face;
Sun and moon, bow down before him,
Dwellers all in time and space.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise with us the God of grace.

The second hymn was O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee

The text was written by Washington Gladden (1836-1918). The hymn tune is called Maryton by H. Percy Smith (1825-1898)

1. O Master, let me walk with thee
in lowly paths of service free;
tell me thy secret; help me bear
the strain of toil, the fret of care.

2. Help me the slow of heart to move
by some clear, winning word of love;
teach me the wayward feet to stay,
and guide them in the homeward way.

3. Teach me thy patience; still with thee
in closer, dearer company,
in work that keeps faith sweet and strong,
in trust that triumphs over wrong;

4. In hope that sends a shining ray
far down the future's broadening way,
in peace that only thou canst give,
with thee, O Master, let me live.

Our anthem was Make Spaces for Spirit by Carlton Young. It's a nice anthem with a flute and drum accompaniment. Unfortunately we didn't get a proper cue from the choir director, and the women came in a measure too late. So the congregation didn't hear the first phrase.

Makes spaces for Spirit! For energy rising,
For Pentecost presence, the wind and the fire,
A new kind of languauge, a voice and a vision
To shift and uplift us, to rouse and inspire.

Make spaces for action by spirited people;
The leader, the teacher, the healer of ill,
The builder, the artist, the bringer of laughter,
The melding and welding of spirit and will.

Make spaces for graces! The gifts of the Spirit,
The fruit of the garden where love is the spring,
The water of blessing, the incense of worship,
The wine poured for sharing, the hope that will sing.

Make spaces for Spirit! By changing of systems
By opening prisons, by debtors' release,
The flaming of courage, the firing of justice,
The Spirit of Jesus, the coming of peace.

Make spaces for Spirit! Make spaces for action!
Make spaces for graces! Make spaces for Spirit!

The closing hymn was Where Charity and Love Prevail
The text is based on the ninth century Latin Ubi Caritas; translated by Omer Westendorf. The hymn tune is St. Peter by Alexander R. Reinagle. This is the tune we also use for In Christ There Is No East Nor West.

Where charity and love prevail
There God is ever found
Brought here together by Christ’s love
By love are we thus bound.

With grateful joy and holy fear
God's charity we learn
Let us with heart and mind and soul
Now love God in return.

Let us recall that in our midst
Dwell's Christ, God's Holty Son.
As members of each body joined
In Him we are made one.

We now forgive each other's faults
As we our own confess,
That we may love each other well
In Christian gentleness.