Sunday, November 20, 2005

Thanksgiving Sunday






The readings for November 20, last Sunday after Pentecost, Christ the King Sunday. We didn't really have the readings from Ezekiel and Ephesians, because our pastor wanted to concentrate on Thanksgiving rather than Christ the King Sunday. He substituted the Deuteronomy and II Corinthians readings. I'm not too happy when the pastor deviates from the Lectionary. Oh well!
Our choral introit was based on Psalm 100. "jubliate Deo" by Dale Wood

O sing to the Lord with a jubilant voice; Glory to God in the highest!
O serve him with gladness, before him rejoice; Praise to the Lord in the highest!
The Lord is our God, our Creator not we; Glory to God in the highest!
The sheep of his pasture we ever shall be; Praise to the Lord in the highest!
O enter his gates with thanksgiving and praise; Glory to God in the highest!
To honor his name thankful voices we raise; Praise to the Lord in the highest!
For good is the Lord and his mercy is sure; Glory to God in the highest!
To all generations, his truth shall endure;
Glory to God! Glory to God! Praise to the Lord in the highest!
—text adapted from U. K. Koren (1826-1910)
The first hymn was Come, Ye Thankful People Come The text is by Henry Alford. The hymn tune is called “St. George’s Wind­sor” by George J. El­vey.

Come, ye thankful people, come, raise the song of harvest home;
All is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin.
God our Maker doth provide for our wants to be supplied;
Come to God’s own temple, come, raise the song of harvest home.

All the world is God’s own field, fruit unto His praise to yield;
Wheat and tares together sown unto joy or sorrow grown.
First the blade and then the ear, then the full corn shall appear;
Lord of harvest, grant that we wholesome grain and pure may be.

For the Lord our God shall come, and shall take His harvest home;
From His field shall in that day all offenses purge away,
Giving angels charge at last in the fire the tares to cast;
But the fruitful ears to store in His garner evermore.

Even so, Lord, quickly come, bring Thy final harvest home;
Gather Thou Thy people in, free from sorrow, free from sin,
There, forever purified, in Thy garner to abide;
Come, with all Thine angels come, raise the glorious harvest home.
I noticed for the first time today that the Methodist Hymnal editorial committee messed around with this hymn also. Wherever there is a "Him" the words have been changed. I, of course, sang the real words. I am so bad!
The second hymn was We Gather Together
The hymn text is from the Nederlandtsch Gedencklanck; translated by Theodore Baker. The hymn tune is Kremser, a 16th century Dutch melody arranged by Edward Kremser.

1. We gather together
to ask the Lord's blessing;
he chastens and hastens
his will to make known.
The wicked oppressing
now cease from distressing.
Sing praises to his name,
he forgets not his own.

2. Beside us to guide us,
our God with us joining,
ordaining, maintaining
his kingdom divine;
so from the beginning
the fight we were winning;
thou, Lord, wast at our side,
all glory be thine!

3. We all do extol thee,
thou leader triumphant,
and pray that thou still
our defender wilt be.
Let thy congregation
escape tribulation;
thy name be ever praised!
O Lord, make us free!

Our anthem at the 11 am service was The Lord of the Harvest by Austin Lovelace. It is the text of Come, Ye Thankful People Come set to the Welsh tune Arfon.

The handbell choir played The Battle Hymn of the Republic arranged by Cynthia Dobrinski. It was a fairly difficuly piece, but we did a fabulous job.

The final hymn was Now Thank We All Our God The words were written by Martin Rinkart in 1636, translated by Catherine Winkworth in 1858. The hymn tune is Nun danket alle Gott by Johann Crüger.

Now thank we all our God
With hearts and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done,
In whom his world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms
Has blest us on our way
With countless gifts of love
And still is ours today.

Oh, may this bounteous God
Through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts
And blessed peace to cheer us
And keep us in his grace
And guide us when perplexed
And free us from all harm
In this world and the next!

All praise and thanks to God
The Father now be given,
The Son, and him who reigns
With them is highest heaven,
The one eternal God,
Whom earth and heaven adore;
For thus it was, is now,
And shall be evermore.



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