Christ the King Sunday

Look! He is coming with the clouds;
every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him;
and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail.

The Lessons Appointed for Use on the Last Sunday after Pentecost:

2 Samuel 23:1-7
Psalm 132:1-13, (14-19)
Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
Revelation 1:4b-8

John 18:33-37

Our opening hymn was Crown Him with Many Crowns The hymn verses 1, 4-9 are by Matthew Bridges (1800-1894), written in 1852. Verses 2-3were written by Godfrey Thring (1823-1903) in 1874. The hymn tune is called Diademata and was composed by George Job Elvey, (1816-1893).

Crown him with many crowns, the Lamb upon his throne.
Hark! How the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing of him who died for thee,
and hail him as thy matchless King through all eternity.

Crown him the virgin's Son, the God incarnate born,
whose arm those crimson trophies won which now His brow adorn;
fruit of the mystic rose, as of that rose the stem;
the root whence mercy ever flows, the Babe of Bethlehem.

Crown him the Son of God, before the worlds began,
and ye who tread where he hath trod, crown him the Son of Man;
who every grief hath known that wrings the human breast,
and takes and bears them for His own, that all in him may rest.

Crown him the Lord of life, who triumphed over the grave,
and rose victorious in the strife for those he came to save.
His glories now we sing, who died, and rose on high,
who died eternal life to bring, and lives that death may die.

Crown him the Lord of peace, whose power a scepter sways
from pole to pole, that wars may cease, and all be prayer and praise.
his reign shall know no end, and round his piercèd feet
fair flowers of paradise extend their fragrance ever sweet.

Crown him the Lord of love, behold his hands and side,
those wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified.
No angel in the sky can fully bear that sight,
but downward bends his burning eye at mysteries so bright.

Crown him the Lord of Heaven, enthroned in worlds above,
crown him the King to whom is given the wondrous name of Love.
Crown him with many crowns, as thrones before him fall;
Crown him, ye kings, with many crowns, for he is King of all.

Crown him the Lord of lords, who over all doth reign,
who once on earth, the incarnate Word, for ransomed sinners slain,
now lives in realms of light, where saints with angels sing
their songs before him day and night, their God, Redeemer, King.

Crown him the Lord of years, the Potentate of time,
Creator of the rolling spheres, ineffably sublime.
All hail, Redeemer, hail! For thou has died for me;
Thy praise and glory shall not fail throughout eternity.

Our second hymn was the Gospel song Soon and Very Soon, text and music by Andrae Crouch, adapted by Wm. F. Smith.

1. Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King (3 times)
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We're going to see the King.

2. No more crying there, we are going to see the King (3 times)
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We're going to see the King.

3. No more dying there, we are going to see the King (3 times)
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We're going to see the King.

Our anthem was based on the Charles Wesley hymn Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending

1. Lo, he comes with clouds descending, once for favored sinners slain;
thousand, thousand saints attending swell the triumph of his train.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! God appears on earth to reign.

2. Every eye shall now behold him, robed in dreadful majesty;
those who set at naught and sold him, pierced and nailed him to the tree,
deeply wailing, deeply wailing, deeply wailing, shall the true Messiah see.

3. The dear tokens of his passion still his dazzling body bears;
cause of endless exultation to his ransomed worshipers;
with what rapture, with what rapture, with what rapture, gaze we on those glorious scars!

4. Yea, Amen! Let all adore thee, high on thy eternal throne;
Savior, take the power and glory, claim the kingdom for thine own.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Everlasting God, come down!

The final hymn (We only had three hymns today) was All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name by Edward Perronet. The hymn tune is Coronation, composed by Oliver Holden


1. All hail the power of Jesus' name! Let angels prostrate fall;
bring forth the royal diadem, and crown him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown him Lord of all.

2. Ye chosen seed of Israel's race, ye ransomed from the fall,
hail him who saves you by his grace, and crown him Lord of all.
Hail him who saves you by his grace, and crown him Lord of all.

3. Sinners, whose love can ne'er forget the wormwood and the gall,
go spread your trophies at his feet, and crown him Lord of all.
Go spread your trophies at his feet, and crown him Lord of all.

4. Let every kindred, every tribe on this terrestrial ball,
to him all majesty ascribe, and crown him Lord of all.
To him all majesty ascribe, and crown him Lord of all.

5. Crown him, ye martyrs of your God, who from his altar call;
extol the Stem of Jesse's Rod, and crown him Lord of all.
Extol the Stem of Jesse's Rod, and crown him Lord of all.

6. O that with yonder sacred throng we at his feet may fall!
We'll join the everlasting song, and crown him Lord of all.
We'll join the everlasting song, and crown him Lord of all.

This is one of those hymns with two equally popular settings. The Methodist Hymnal has them both side by side, numbers 154 and 155. Congregations seem to prefer one or the other and don't really like it when the pastor or choir director pulls a switch on them. I like both settings and wouldn't mind if we sang both on the same Sunday. The other setting is to the hymntune Diadem by James Ellor.

Collect: Almighty and merciful God, you break the power of evil and make all things new in your Son Jesus Christ, the King of the universe. May all in heaven and earth acclaim your glory and never cease to praise you. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

And so the Cristian year comes to a close.

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost, World Communion Sunday

The readings for October 1 were:

Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22
Psalm 124

James 5:13-20
Mark 9:38-50

The story of Esther doesn’t get read too often. The pastor preached from the Gospel reading and connected the story to World Communion Day.

Our introit was Holy, Holy, Holy (Santo, Santo, Santo), an Argentine folk song. We sang it twice in English and once in Spanish.

Holy, holy, holy.

My heart, my heart adores you!

My heart knows how to say to you:

You are holy, Lord!

Santo, santo, santo.

Mi corazon te adora!

Mi corazon te sabe decir:

Santo eres, Dios!

Our opening hymn was Come, Sinners, to the Gospel Feast by Charles Wesley. The tune is called Hursley from the Katholisches Gesanguch.

1. Come, sinners, to the gospel feast;

let every soul be Jesus' guest.

Ye need not one be left behind,

for God hath bid all humankind.

2. Sent by my Lord, on you I call;

the invitation is to all.

Come, all the world! Come, sinner, thou!

All things in Christ are ready now.

3. Come, all ye souls by sin oppressed,

ye restless wanderers after rest;

ye poor, and maimed, and halt, and blind,

in Christ a hearty welcome find.

4. My message as from God receive;

ye all may come to Christ and live.

O let his love your hearts constrain,

nor suffer him to die in vain.

5. This is the time, no more delay!

This is the Lord's accepted day.

Come thou, this moment, at his call,

and live for him who died for all.

Our second hymn was Let us break bread together on our knees

Let us break bread together on our knees,

let us break bread together on our knees.

When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord, have mercy on me.

Let us drink wine together on our knees,

let us drink wine together on our knees.

When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord, have mercy on me.

Let us praise God together on our knees,

let us praise God together on our knees.

When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord, have mercy on me.

After the sermon we sang Change My Heart, O God. We have begun to sing this every Sunday after the sermon.

Change my heart, O God

Make it ever true

Change my heart, O God

May I be like You

You are the potter

I am the clay

Mold me and make me

This is what I pray

Change my heart, O God

Make it ever true

Change my heart, O God

May I be like You

Our anthem was As the Bread of Life Is Broken . It is by James Chepponis. The hymn tune is
Thaxted. It is the C theme from Jupiter of the Planets by Gustav Holst.

As the bread of life is broken,
the cup of love outpoured,
we are one in Christ, our Savior,
and sent to serve the Lord.
We, the many who are gathered,
are united here as one.
In this joyful celebration,
recall what God has done.

As the bread of life is broken,
the cup of love outpoured,
we are one in Christ, our Savior,
and sent to serve the Lord.
In the word of God proclaimed here,
the good news of truth is heard.
In the telling of the stories,
be open to God’s word.

As the bread of life is broken,
the cup of love outpoured,
we are one in Christ, our Savior,
and sent to serve the Lord.
In the bread of life here given,
we become what we receive.
In the cup of love here offered,
affirm what we believe.

As the bread of life is broken,
the cup of love outpoured,
we are one in Christ, our Savior,
and sent to serve the Lord.
Sent as blessing for God’s people,
to go forth in love and peace,
in our witness to God’s kingdom,
may charity increase.

As the bread of life is broken,
the cup of love outpoured,
we are one in Christ, our Savior,
and sent to serve the Lord.

The first Communion hymn was One Bread, One Body

One bread, one body, One Lord of all,

One cup of blessing which we bless.

And we, though many, throughout the earth,

We are one body in this one Lord.

Gentile or Jew, Servant or free,

Woman or man, No more.

One bread, one body, One Lord of all,

One cup of blessing which we bless.

And we, though many, throughout the earth,

We are one body in this one Lord.

Many the gifts, Many the works,

One in the Lord, Of all.

One bread, one body, One Lord of all,

One cup of blessing which we bless.

And we, though many, throughout the earth,

We are one body in this one Lord.

Grain for the fields, Scattered and grown,

Gathered to one, For all.

One bread, one body, One Lord of all,

One cup of blessing which we bless.

And we, though many, throughout the earth,

We are one body in this one Lord.

The second Communion hymn was Bind Us Together by B. Gillman

Bind us together, Lord,

bind us together with cords that cannot be broken.

Bind us together, Lord, bind us together, Lord,

bind us together in love.

There is only one God, there is only one King.

There is only one Body, that is why we sing:

The closing hymn was Love Divine, All Loves Excelling by Charles Wesley. The tune was composed by John Zundel and is called Beecher.

Charles Wesley wrote this hymn in 1747 under the title “Jesus, Show Thy Salvation”; it was first printed in that same year in Hymns for Those that Seek, and Those That Have Redemption. He originally set the hymn to a popular tune by Henry Purcell.

The tune Beecher was composed especially for these words by John Zundel in 1870 and first appeared in Christian Heart Songs. Born December 10, 1815, at Hockdorf, Germany, Zundel emigrated to the United States, where he spent more than 30 years. He was the organist for 28 years in the Plymouth Congregational Church in Brooklyn, New York, at a time when the famous preacher Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887) was the pastor; the tune bears Beecher's name to commemorate him. People in Brooklyn still refer to Plymouth Church as Beecher’s Pulpit.

1. Love divine, all loves excelling, joy of heaven, to earth come down;

fix in us thy humble dwelling; all thy faithful mercies crown!

Jesus thou art all compassion, pure, unbounded love thou art;

visit us with thy salvation; enter every trembling heart.

2. Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit into every troubled breast!

Let us all in thee inherit; let us find that second rest.

Take away our bent to sinning; Alpha and Omega be;

end of faith, as its beginning, set our hearts at liberty.

3. Come, Almighty to deliver, let us all thy life receive;

suddenly return and never, nevermore thy temples leave.

Thee we would be always blessing, serve thee as thy hosts above,

pray and praise thee without ceasing, glory in thy perfect love.

4. Finish, then, thy new creation; pure and spotless let us be.

Let us see thy great salvation perfectly restored in thee;

changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place,

till we cast our crowns before thee, lost in wonder, love, and praise.

Sticks and Stones

The readings for the Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost were:
Proverbs 1:20-33
Psalm 19
James 3:1-12

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue-- a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.

Mark 8:27-38
The pastor preached from the Epistle lesson. It was very appropriate as we enter the mud-slinging political ad season. Diane Sawyer had a program on the problem of mean teenage girls taunting and bullying other kids through text messaging.

The hymns and choral music were all reflective of the Psalter today instead of the Gospel lesson.

For the introit we sang Beethoven’s The Heavens Are Telling.

Our first hymn was
Morning Has Broken by Eleanor Farjeon. The hymn tune is the Scottish folktune Bunessan.

Morning has broken,
Like the first morning,
Blackbird has spoken
Like the first bird;
Praise for the singing,
Praise for the morning,
Praise for them springing
Fresh from the Word.

Sweet the rain's new fall,
Sunlit from heaven,
Like the first dewfall
On the first grass;
Praise for the sweetness,
Of the wet garden,
Sprung in completeness
Where his feet pass.

Mine is the sunlight,
Mine is the morning,
Born of the one light
Eden saw play;
Praise with elation,
Praise every morning,
God's re-creation
Of the new day.

The second hymn was Be Thou My Vision, an ancient Irish hymn; translated Mary Byrne, 1905, and versified by Eleanor Hull, 1912. The Irish folk tune is called Slane.

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart,
be all else but naught to me, save that thou art;
be thou my best thought in the day and the night,
both waking and sleeping, thy presence my light.

Be thou my wisdom, be thou my true word,
be thou ever with me, and I with thee Lord;
be thou my great Father, and I thy true son;
be thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.

Be thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight;
be thou my whole armor, be thou my true might;
be thou my soul's shelter, be thou my strong tower:
O raise thou me heavenward, great Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise:
be thou mine inheritance now and always;
be thou and thou only the first in my heart;
O Sovereign of heaven, my treasure thou art.

High King of heaven, thou heaven's bright sun,
O grant me its joys after victory is won;
great Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be thou my vision, O Ruler of all.

Our anthem was Handel’s Let Joyful Anthems Rise

Our final hymn was Gift of Love by Hal Hopson.

Though I may speak with bravest fire,
And have the gift to all inspire,
And have not love, my words are vain,
As sounding brass, and hopeless gain.

Though I may give all I possess,
And striving so my love profess,
But not be given by love within,
The profit soon turns strangely thin.

Come, Spirit, come, our hearts control,
Our spirits long to be made whole.
Let inward love guide every deed;
By this we worship, and are freed.

Just Do It!

The readings for September 10, 2006, the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost were:

Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23
Psalm 125
James 2:1-10, (11-13), 14-17
Mark 7:24-37

The pastor preached from Mark's Gospel and titled the sermon "Just Do It".

The first hymn was Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise by Walter Chalmers Smith. The tune is St. Denio.

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, thy great Name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;
thy justice like mountains high soaring above
thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.

To all life thou givest, to both great and small;
in all life thou livest, the true life of all;
we blossom and flourish, like leaves on the tree,
then wither and perish; but nought changeth thee.

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
all laud we would render: O help us to see
'tis only the splendor of light hideth thee.

The second hymn was Jesu, Jesu
by Tom Colvin, set to Chereponi, a folk song from Ghana.

Refrain:
Jesu, Jesu, fill us with your love,
show us how to serve
the neighbors we have from you.

Kneels at the feet of his friends,
silently washes their feet,
master who acts as a slave to them. Refrain

Neighbors are rich and poor,
varied in color and race,
neighbors are near and far away. Refrain

These are the ones we should serve,
these are the ones we should love;
all these are neighbors to us and you. Refrain

Loving puts us on our knees,
serving as though we are slaves;
this is the way we should live with you. Refrain

Kneel at the feet of our friends,
silently washing their feet;
this is the way we should live with you. Refrain

Words & Melody © 1969 by Hope Publishing Co., Carol Stream, IL 60188.
Arrangement by Jane Manton Marshall
Arrangement © 1982 by Hope Publishing Co., Carol Stream, IL 60188.

Our anthem was Thy Church, O God, Her Heart to Thee Upraiseth by Eric Thiman. The choir I've linked to is from All Souls Episcopal Church in San Diego. They put recordings of the almost the entire service in their online bulletin. I love it.

Thy Church, o God, her heart to Thee upraiseth;
with her the nation bows before thy face.
With high thanksgiving Thee thy glad Church praiseth;
our strength thy spirit, our trust and hope thy grace.
Unto great honour, glory undeserved,
hast Thou exalted us, and drawn Thee nigh.

Nor, from thy judgments when our feet had served,
didst Thou forsake, nor leave us, Lord most high.
Unto our minds give freedom and uprightness;
let strength and courage lead o’er land and wave.
To our souls’ armor grant celestial brightness,
joy to our hearts, and faith beyond the grave.

Our plenteous nation still in power extending,
increase our joy, uphold us by Thy word;
beauty and wisdom all our ways attending.
Goodwill to all and peace through Christ our Lord.

The final hymn was Lord, You Give the Great Commission by Jeffery Rowthorn. The hymn tune is Abbot’s Leigh.

Lord, You give the great commission: “Heal the sick and preach the Word.”
Lest the Church neglect its mission, and the Gospel go unheard,
Help us witness to Your purpose with renewed integrity,
With the Spirit’s gifts empower us for the work of ministry.

Lord, You call us to Your service: “In My Name baptize and teach.”
That the world may trust Your promise, life abundant meant for each,
Give us all new fervor, draw us closer in community.
With the Spirit’s gifts empower us for the work of ministry.

Lord, You make the common holy: “This My body, this My blood.”
Let us all, for earth’s true glory, daily lift life heavenward,
Asking that the world around us share your children’s liberty
With the Spirit’s gifts empower us for the work of ministry.

Lord, You show us love’s true measure: “Father, what they do, forgive.”
Yet we hoard as private treasure all that You so freely give.
May Your care and mercy lead us to a just society.
With the Spirit’s gifts empower us for the work of ministry.

Lord, you bless with words assuring: “I am with you to the end.”
Faith and hope and love restoring, may we serve as you intend
And, amid the cares that claim us, hold in mind eternity.
With the Spirit’s gifts empower us for the work of ministry.

The Condition of the Heart

The readings for the thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost were:

Psalm 45:1-2, 7-10
Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9
James 1:17-27
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Pastor Nancy preached from the Gospel lesson about the unimportance of detailed rituals such as handwashing compared to the importance of what is in our hearts. Here's an interesting commentary I found on this scripture called Pharisees Are Us.

Our first hymn was I Come with Joy by Brian Wren

I come with joy to meet my Lord,
forgiven, loved, and free,
in awe and wonder to recall
his life laid down for me.

I come with Christians far and near
to find, as all are fed,
the new community of love
in Christ's communion bread.

As Christ breaks bread and bids us share,
each proud division ends.
That love that made us makes us one,
and strangers now are friends.

And thus with joy we meet our Lord.
His presence, always near,
is in such friendship better known:
we see and praise him here.

Together met, together bound,
we'll go our different ways,
and as his people in the world,
we'll live and speak his praise.

Our second hymn was a real old-fashioned one that people once loved to sing at Wednesday night prayer meeting. There's within My Heart a Melody , text and music by Luther B. Bridgers. The hymntune is called Sweetest Name.

1. There's within my heart a melody
Jesus whispers sweet and low:
Fear not, I am with thee, peace, be still,
in all of life's ebb and flow.
Refrain:
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
sweetest name I know,
fills my every longing,
keeps me singing as I go.

2. All my life was wrecked by sin and strife,
discord filled my heart with pain;
Jesus swept across the broken strings,
stirred the slumbering chords again.
(Refrain)

3. Though sometimes he leads through waters deep,
trials fall across the way,
though sometimes the path seems rough and steep,
see his footprints all the way.
(Refrain)

4. Feasting on the riches of his grace,
resting neath his sheltering wing,
always looking on his smiling face,
that is why I shout and sing.
(Refrain)

5. Soon he's coming back to welcome me
far beyond the starry sky;
I shall wing my flight to worlds unknown;
I shall reign with him on high.
(Refrain)


My daughter and another woman from the choir sang a beautiful duet of How Beautiful on the Mountains by Felix Mendelssohn.

Our three Eucharistic hymns were:

You Satisfy the Hungry Heart by Robert E. Kreutz.

You satisfy the hungry heart with gift of finest wheat;
Come give to us, O saving Lord, the bread of life to eat.
Is not the cup we bless and share the blood of Christ outpoured?
Do not one cup, one loaf, declare our oneness in the Lord?

You satisfy the hungry heart with gift of finest wheat;
Come give to us, O saving Lord, the bread of life to eat.
You give yourself to us, O Lord; then selfless let us be,
To serve each other in your name in truth and charity.

Here Is Bread by Graham Kendrick.

1. Here is bread, here is wine, Christ is with us, He is with us.
Break the bread, taste the wine, Christ is with us here.

2. Here is grace, here is peace, Christ is with us, He is with us.
Know His grace, find His peace, feast on Jesus here.

Chorus: In this bread there is healing, in this cup is life forever.
In this moment by the Spirit, Christ is with us here.

3. Here we are, joined in one, Christ is with us, He is with us.
We’ll proclaim till He comes, Jesus crucified. (Chorus)

“Here is Bread” words and music by Graham Kendrick © 1991 Make
Way Music CCLI # 1781157

Now Let Us from This Table Rise by Fred Kaan

Now let us from this table rise
renewed in body, mind, and soul;
with Christ we die and live again,
his selfless love has made us whole.

With minds alert, upheld by grace,
to spread the word in speech and deed,
we follow in the steps of Christ,
at one with all in hope and need.

To fill each human house with love,
it is the sacrament of care;
the work that Christ began to do
we humbly pledge ourselves to share.

Then grant us courage, Father God,
to choose again the pilgrim way
and help us to accept with joy
the challenge of tomorrow's day.

Our final hymn was the old spiritual Lord I Want to Be a Christian.

Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart, in my heart.
In my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart, in my heart.

Lord, I want to be more loving in my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be more loving in my heart, in my heart.
In my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be more loving in my heart, in my heart.

Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart, in my heart.
In my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart, in my heart.

Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my heart, in my heart.
In my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my heart, in my heart.

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

Put on the Whole Armor of God
1 Kings 8:(1, 6, 10-11), 22-30, 41-43
Psalm 84
Ephesians 6:10-20
John 6:56-69

Our pastor preached from the Epistle reading today – “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness.”

The first hymn was Hope of the World by Georgia Harkness
Born in Harkness, New York, Georgia Harkness (1891-1974), was the first woman to teach theology in an American seminary. She taught at Mount Holyoke, Garrett Biblical Institute, and the Pacific School of Religion. In addition to her twenty books, she wrote the hymn, "Hope of the World," selected by the Hymn Society of America for the Evanston Assembly of the World Council of Churches.

Hope of the world, God’s gift from highest heaven,
Bringing to hungry souls the bread of life,
Still let thy spirit unto us be given,
To heal earth’s wounds and end all bitter strife.

Hope of the world, who by the cross did save us,
From death and dark despair, from sin and guilt,
We render back the love thy mercy gave us;
Take thou our lives, and use them as thou wilt.

Hope of the world, O Christ o’er death victorious,
Who by this sign didst conquer grief and pain,
We would be faithful to thy gospel glorious;
Thou art our Lord! Thou dost forever reign.

Our second hymn was
Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus by George Duffield, Jr. The hymn tune is called Webb by George J. Webb. This is an old chestnut that I don’t really like that much, but it fit the Epistle reading.


1. Stand up, stand up for Jesus,
ye soldiers of the cross;
lift high his royal banner,
it must not suffer loss.
From victory unto victory
his army shall he lead,
till every foe is vanquished,
and Christ is Lord indeed.

2. Stand up, stand up for Jesus,
the trumpet call obey;
forth to the mighty conflict,
in this his glorious day.
Ye that are brave now serve him
against unnumbered foes;
let courage rise with danger,
and strength to strength oppose.

3. Stand up, stand up for Jesus,
stand in his strength alone;
the arm of flesh will fail you,
ye dare not trust your own.
Put on the gospel armor,
each piece put on with prayer;
where duty calls or danger,
be never wanting there.

4. Stand up, stand up for Jesus,
the strife will not be long;
this day the noise of battle,
the next the victor's song.
To those who vanquish evil
a crown of life shall be;
they with the King of Glory
shall reign eternally.

Ditto on the final hymn – not one of my favorites, but it surely fits the Epistle reading.

Onward Christian Soldiers by the Rev. Sabine Baring-Gould set to the tune St. Gertrude by Sir Arthur Sullivan.
Baring-Gould was a great collector of English folk music and folk tales. His marriage to a 16-year-old mill girl was the inspiration for Shaw’s Pygmalion.
This very popular hymn was sung at Ike’s funeral in 1969.


Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into battle see His banners go!

Refrain

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.

At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee;
On then, Christian soldiers, on to victory!
Hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise;
Brothers lift your voices, loud your anthems raise.

Refrain

Like a mighty army moves the church of God;
Brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod.
We are not divided, all one body we,
One in hope and doctrine, one in charity.

Refrain

What the saints established that I hold for true.
What the saints believèd, that I believe too.
Long as earth endureth, men the faith will hold,
Kingdoms, nations, empires, in destruction rolled.

Refrain

Crowns and thrones may perish, kingdoms rise and wane,
But the church of Jesus constant will remain.
Gates of hell can never gainst that church prevail;
We have Christ’s own promise, and that cannot fail.

Refrain

Onward then, ye people, join our happy throng,
Blend with ours your voices in the triumph song.
Glory, laud and honor unto Christ the King,
This through countless ages men and angels sing.

Refrain

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

Hymns and Readings for August 6, 2006

This is a weird one. In the United Methodist Church we celebrate the Transfiguration on the last Sunday of Advent, but the church calendar clearly places the celebration of the Transfiguration of Christ on August 6. Why the strange out-of-sequence date? The Feast of the Transfiguration first arose in the Eastern Church and was generally celebrated in late summer, especially on August 6, possibly to replace a Pagan feast on that date. Another suggestion, that the date was chosen because that is the day of the dedication of the Church of the Transfiguration on Mt. Tabor, where the transfiguration is traditionally said to have occurred, is less likely. It is possible that the Pagan celebration was of the grape harvest, for in some churches ( e.g., Russian Orthodoxy and in Rome) grapes or raisins are blessed on August 6, even now. August 6 is uniformly assigned to the Transfiguration in modern Eastern Orthodoxy.

The Western Church did not celebrate the Transfiguration in its early years, and subsequent celebrations were spotty and on various days. After a victory over the Turks at Belgrade by Jan Hunady on August 6, 1456, Pope Callixtus III set the celebration of the Transfiguration on that date as a commemorative. Anglican churches follow the Roman Catholic calendar in this as in most other feast days. The Transfiguration was not assigned a place in the Lutheran calendar originally; and, when it was, it was set on the last Sunday before Lent, a fitting date, as the Transfiguration is the culmination of Jesus's Galilean ministry.

So, this was one of those Sundays when we don’t all read from the same page. Here’s some of the variety of scripture recommended by different churches for August 6.
2 Samuel 11:26 - 12:13a or Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15
Episcopal reading: Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15
Lutheran reading: Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15
United Methodist reading: 2 Samuel 11:26 - 12:13a
Psalm 51:1-12 or Psalm 78:23-29
Episcopal reading: Psalm 78:1-25 or Psalm 78:14-20, 23-25
Lutheran reading: Psalm 78:23-29
United Methodist reading: Psalm 51:1-12
Ephesians 4:1-16
Episcopal reading: Ephesians 4:17-25

United Methodist reading John 6:24-35
Episcopal Reading Luke 9:28-36

Our first hymn was For the Beauty of the Earth by Folliot S. Perpont. The tune is Dix by Conrad Kocher. John Rutter has set this hymn to another tune in a wonderful anthem.

For the beauty of the earth,
for the glory of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

For the beauty of each hour
of the day and of the night,
hill and vale, and tree and flower,
sun and moon, and stars of light;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of ear and eye,
for the heart and mind's delight,
for the mystic harmony,
linking sense to sound and sight;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

For thy church, that evermore
lifteth holy hands above,
offering up on every shore
her pure sacrifice of love;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

For thyself, best Gift Divine,
to the world so freely given,
for that great, great love of thine,
peace on earth, and joy in heaven:
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.


The second hymn was I Come with Joy by Brian Wren.

I come with joy, a child of God,
forgiven, loved, and free,
the life of Jesus to recall,
in love laid down for me.

I come with Christians far and near
to find, as all are fed,
the new community of love
in Christ's communion bread.

As Christ breaks bread and bids us share,
each proud division ends.
The love that made us makes us one,
and strangers now are friends.

The spirit of the risen Christ,
unseen, but ever near,
is in such friendship better known:
alive and among us here.

Together met, together bound,
by all that God has done,
we'll go with joy, to give the world,
the love that makes us one.

The handbell choir played Broken for You, a wonderful anthem by Kathleen Wissinger.

The first Communion hymn was One Bread, One Body

One bread, one body, one Lord of all,
one cup of blessing which we bless.
And we, though many, throughout the earth.
We are one body in this one Lord.

1. Gentile or Jew, servant or free, woman or man, no more.
2. Many the gifts, many the works, one in the Lord of all.
3. Grain for the fields, scattered and grown, gathered to one, for all.

The second Communion hymn was This Is the Feast of Victory by John W. Arthur.

This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia.
Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain,
Whose blood set us free to be people of God?
Power, riches and wisdom and strength,
And honor and blessing and glory are his.

This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia.
Sing with all the people of God
And join in the hymn of all creation;
Blessing and honor and glory and might
Be to God and the Lamb forever. "Amen.

This is the feast of victory for our God,
For the Lamb who was slain has begun his reign.
Alleluia. Alleluia.”

Our final hymn was This Is a Day of New Beginnings by Brian Wren.

This is the day of new beginnings,
time to remember and move on,
time to believe what love is beginning,
laying to rest the pain of the past.

For by the life and death of Jesus,
God's mighty Spirit, now as then.
can make for us a world of difference,
as faith and hope are born again.

Then let us, with the Spirit's daring,
step from the past and leave behind
our disappointments, guilt, and grieving,
seeking new paths, and sure to find.

Christ is alive, and goes before us,
to show and share what love can do.
This is the day of new beginnings;
our God is making all things new.

Loaves and Fishes

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

The readings for Sunday, July 30 were:
2 Samuel 11:1-15Psalm 14
or
2 Kings 4:42-44

Psalm 145: 10-19
Ephesians 3:14-21
John 6:1-21

We used the first set from the Old Testament. 2 Samuel 11 is the story of David and Bathsheba. I think the second set would have been more appropriate because the story of Elisha and the twenty loaves of barley parallels the Gospel story of the loaves and fishes.

The hymns today were old favorites that the congregation sang well.

Our opening hymn was Come, Christians, Join to Sing by Christian H. Bateman in 1843. The hymn tune is Madrid, a traditional Spanish melody, arranged by David Evans.

Come, Christians, join to sing Alleluia! Amen!
Loud praise to Christ our King; Alleluia! Amen!
Let all, with heart and voice,
Before His throne rejoice;
Praise is His gracious choice.
Alleluia! Amen!

Come, lift your hearts on high, Alleluia! Amen!
Let praises fill the sky; Alleluia! Amen!
He is our Guide and Friend;
To us He’ll condescend;
His love shall never end.
Alleluia! Amen!

Praise yet our Christ again, Alleluia! Amen!
Life shall not end the strain; Alleluia! Amen!
On heaven’s blissful shore,
His goodness we’ll adore,
Singing forevermore,
“Alleluia! Amen!”

The second hymn was Break Thou the Bread of Life by Mary A. Lathbury in 1877. The hymn tune is Bread of Life by William F. Sherwin. Lathbury was also the author of the vesper hymn Day Is Dying in the West.

1. Break thou the bread of life, dear Lord, to me,
as thou didst break the loaves beside the sea;
beyond the sacred page I seek thee, Lord;
my spirit pants for thee, O Living Word!

2. Bless thou the truth, dear Lord, to me, to me,
as thou didst bless the bread by Galilee;
then shall all bondage cease, all fetters fall;
and I shall find my peace, my all in all.

Our anthem was based on the hymn Jesus Loves Me. The hymn was originally written by Anna B. Warner and appeared as a poem in the best-selling novel Say and Seal by her sister Susan Warner in 1860. This sentimental novel had a scene with a dying child whose was comforted when the novel’s main character recites the poem to him. Anna Warner lived next door to West Point and taught Sunday Schools to the cadets at the Academy How sad to think of her students facing each on the Civil War battle fields within a year of so of graduating from the Academy.

The composer William Bradbury was from Maine. Composer of serious church music and hymn tune he was also a teacher of voice and organ. In 1854 Bradbury had formed a piano company and by 1861 had built a music company to publish and distribute his own works. He was enchanted by the poem and set it to music in 1862, adding the familiar refrain. It was immediately popular in both North and South. In addition to Jesus Loves Me Bradbury composed over forty hymn tunes that remain popular today, including "Sweet Hour of Prayer, He Leadeth Me," and "On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand”.

I’m not sure how the Bradbury family ended up in Virginia, but several generations of them have been members of my church in Fredericksburg. His great, great grandchildren (or many another great or two) were baptized her a few years ago. Anyway we especially enjoyed singing this anthem. It had a soprano sax accompaniment.

Jesus loves me! This I know, For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong; they are weak, but He is strong.

Refrain

Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! This I know, as He loved so long ago,
Taking children on His knee, saying, “Let them come to Me.”


Refrain

Jesus loves me still today, walking with me on my way,
Wanting as a friend to give light and love to all who live.

Refrain

Jesus loves me! He who died Heaven’s gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin, Let His little child come in.

Refrain

The final hymn was Marching to Zion by Isaac Watts. The music was composed by Robert Lowry who added the refrain.

1. Come, we that love the Lord,
and let our joys be known;
join in a song with sweet accord,
join in a song with sweet accord
and thus surround the throne,
and thus surround the throne.
Refrain:
We're marching to Zion,
beautiful, beautiful Zion;
we're marching upward to Zion,
the beautiful city of God.

2. Let those refuse to sing
who never knew our God;
but children of the heavenly King,
but children of the heavenly King
may speak their joys abroad,
may speak their joys abroad.
(Refrain)

3. The hill of Zion yields
a thousand sacred sweets
before we reach the heavenly fields,
before we reach the heavenly fields,
or walk the golden streets,
or walk the golden streets.
(Refrain)

4. Then let our songs abound,
and every tear be dry;
we're marching through Emmanuel's ground,
we're marching through Emmanuel's ground,
to fairer worlds on high,
to fairer worlds on high.
(Refrain)

Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

The readings for July 23 were:
2 Samuel 7:1-14a
Psalm 89:20-37
Ephesians 2:11-22
Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

The opening hymn I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord by Timothy Dwight. The tune is St Thomas by Aaron Williams.

1. I love thy kingdom, Lord, the house of thine abode,
the church our blest Redeemer saved with his own precious blood.

2. I love thy church, O God! Her walls before thee stand
dear as the apple of thine eye, and graven on thy hand.

3. For her my tears shall fall, for her my prayers ascend,
to her my cares and toils be given, till toils and cares shall end.

4. Beyond my highest joy I prize her heavenly ways,
her sweet communion, solemn vows, her hymns of love and praise.

5. Sure as thy truth shall last, to Zion shall be given
the brightest glories earth can yield, and brighter bliss of heaven.

The second hymn was Dear Lord and Father of Mankind by John Greenleaf Whittier. The hymn tune is Rest by Frederick C. Maker.

Dear Lord and Father of mankind, forgive our foolish ways!
Re-clothe us in our rightful mind, in purer lives thy service find,
in deeper reverence, praise;

In simple trust like theirs who heard, beside the Syrian sea,
the gracious calling of the Lord, let us, like them, without a word,
rise up and follow thee.

O Sabbath rest by Galilee! O calm of hills above,
where Jesus knelt to share with thee the silence of eternity
interpreted by love!

Drop thy still dews of quietness, till all our strivings cease;
take from our souls the strain and stress, and let our ordered lives confess
the beauty of thy peace.

Breathe through the heats of our desire thy coolness and thy balm;
let sense be dumb, let flesh retire; speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still, small voice of calm.

The final hymn was The Church's One Foundation by Samuel J. Stone, set to the tune Aurelia by Samuel Sebastian Wesley. There are two versions of this hymn in our hymnbook - The original and the “PC” version that eliminates any reference to the church as the bride of Christ. We had to sing the “PC” version this Sunday. I’m naughty. Whenever we sing one of these hymns that’s been butchered by some committee I just sing the original words just as loud as I can. Unfortunately, my voice isn’t as loud as it once was, and only a few people know that I’m misbehaving. I don’t know why some clergywomen (and it almost always is women) feel they have to butcher other people’s poetry. Some people just have no poetry in their souls.

Here’s the real hymn:

1. The church's one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is his new creation by water and the Word.
From heaven he came and sought her to be his holy bride;
with his own blood he bought her, and for her life he died.

2. Elect from every nation, yet one o'er all the earth;
her charter of salvation, one Lord, one faith, one birth;
one holy name she blesses, partakes one holy food,
and to one hope she presses, with every grace endued.

3. Though with a scornful wonder we see her sore oppressed,
by schisms rent asunder, by heresies distressed,
Yet saints their watch are keeping; their cry goes up, "How long?"
And soon the night of weeping shall be the morn of song.

4. Mid toil and tribulation, and tumult of her war,
she waits the consummation of peace forevermore;
till, with the vision glorious, her longing eyes are blest,
and the great church victorious shall be the church at rest.

5. Yet she on earth hath union with God the Three in One,
and mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is won.
O happy ones and holy! Lord, give us grace that we
like them, the meek and lowly, on high may dwell with thee.

We’ve been on vacation. On July 9 we attended St. Paul United Methodist in Louisville. It’s a beautiful church with a wonderful music program. We were on the road July 16 and missed church altogether. We made up for it this weekend.

On Saturday we attended the memorial service for Dr. Purnell Bailey, retired Methodist minister and syndicated columnist who wrote the “Daily Bread” column for over sixty years. Our daughter was the soloist and cantor. The hymns were: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, What a Friend We Have in Jesus, and Be Thou My Vision. The church was filled to overflowing, and the singing was wonderful.

Sunday afternoon we had the investiture for our new district superintendent, who is our former senior pastor. The processional was O, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing by by Charles Wesley. The tune is Azmon by Carl Glazer.

O for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer's praise,
the glories of my God and King, the triumphs of his grace!

My gracious Master and my God, assist me to proclaim
and spread through all the earth abroad the honors of thy Name.

Jesus! the Name that charms our fears and bids our sorrows cease;
'tis music in the sinner's ears, 'tis life and health and peace.

He speaks, and listening to his voice, new life the dead receive;
the mournful broken hearts rejoice, the humble poor believe.

Hear him, ye deaf; his praise, ye dumb, your loosened tongues employ;
ye blind, behold, your Savior come; and leap, ye lame, for joy!

Glory to God and praise and love be now and ever given
by saints below and saints above the Church in earth and heaven.

The choir sang an anthem based on the hymn Built on the Rock by the Danish writer Nikolai F. Grundtvig, translated by Carl Doving. The Norwegian hymn tune was composed by Ludvig M. Lindeman. We had trumpets. It was super.

Built on the Rock the church doth stand,
Even when steeples are falling;
Crumbled have spires in every land,
Bells still are chiming and calling;
Calling the young and old to rest,
But above all the soul distressed,
Longing for rest everlasting.

Surely in temples made with hands,
God, the Most High, is not dwelling;
High above earth His temple stands,
All earthly temples excelling;
Yet He whom heavens cannot contain
Chose to abide on earth with men,
Built in our bodies His temple.

We are God’s house of living stones,
Builded for His habitation;
He through baptismal grace us owns,
Heirs of His wondrous salvation;
Were we but two His Name to tell,
Yet He would deign with us to dwell,
With all His grace and His favor.

Now we may gather with our King;
Even in the lowliest dwelling:Praises to Him we there may bring,His wondrous mercy foretelling;Jesus His grace to us accords,Spirit and life are all His words,His truth doth hallow the temple.
Still we our earthly temples rear,
That we may herald His praises;
They are the homes where He draws near
And little children embraces,
Beautiful things in them are said,
God there with us His covenant made,
Making us heirs of His Kingdom.

Here stands the font before our eyes
Telling how God did receive us;
The altar recalls Christ’s sacrifice
And what His table doth give us;
Here sounds the Word that doth proclaim
Christ yesterday, today, the same,
Yea, and for aye our Redeemer.

Grant then, O God, wherever men roam,
That, when the church bells are ringing,
Many in saving faith may come
Where Christ His message is bringing:
“I know Mine own, Mine own know Me;
Ye, not the world, My face shall see.
My peace I leave with you. Amen”

We also sang Bach’s Sheep May Safely Graze. We had flutes and an oboe along with the organ.

The final hymn was God of Grace and God of Glory by Harry Emerson Fosdick set to the tune Cwm Rhondda by John Hughes.

God of grace and God of glory,
On Thy people pour Thy power.
Crown Thine ancient church’s story,
Bring her bud to glorious flower.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
For the facing of this hour,
For the facing of this hour.

Lo! the hosts of evil ’round us,
Scorn Thy Christ, assail His ways.
From the fears that long have bound us,
Free our hearts to faith and praise.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
For the living of these days,
For the living of these days.

Cure Thy children’s warring madness,
Bend our pride to Thy control.
Shame our wanton selfish gladness,
Rich in things and poor in soul.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
Lest we miss Thy kingdom’s goal,
Lest we miss Thy kingdom’s goal.

Set our feet on lofty places,
Gird our lives that they may be,
Armored with all Christ-like graces,
In the fight to set men free.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
That we fail not man nor Thee,
That we fail not man nor Thee.

Save us from weak resignation,
To the evils we deplore.
Let the search for Thy salvation,
Be our glory evermore.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
Serving Thee Whom we adore,
Serving Thee Whom we adore.


It was quite a full weekend.

The fourth Sunday after Pentecost

The fourth Sunday after Pentecost
The readings for Sunday, July2, 2006 were:
2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27
Psalm 130
2 Corinthians 8:7-15
Mark 5:21-43

I was half expecting the pastor to preach on the text of Second Samuel – “How the mighty have fallen”, but he preached from the Gospel – “He touched me.”

Since Tuesday is Independence Day we had some patriotic music. Our first hymn was God of Our Fathers which was written by Daniel C. Roberts for a celebration of the Centennial in 1876. The hymn tune is called National Hymn, written by George W. Warren in 1888 for the centennial celebration of the US Constitution. Warren was the organist at St. Thomas Church in New York, a wonderful church that’s worth a visit the next time you visit New York.
Our organ doesn’t have trumpets on it, but I’ve attended churches that had those and used them to good advantage with the introductory measures of this hymn.

God of our fathers, Whose almighty hand
Leads forth in beauty all the starry band
Of shining worlds in splendor through the skies
Our grateful songs before Thy throne arise.

Thy love divine hath led us in the past,
In this free land by Thee our lot is cast,
Be Thou our Ruler, Guardian, Guide and Stay,
Thy Word our law, Thy paths our chosen way.

From war’s alarms, from deadly pestilence,
Be Thy strong arm our ever sure defense;
Thy true religion in our hearts increase,
Thy bounteous goodness nourish us in peace.

Refresh Thy people on their toilsome way,
Lead us from night to never ending day;
Fill all our lives with love and grace divine,
And glory, laud, and praise be ever Thine.

Our second hymn was He Touched Me by William Gaither. I really don’t like anything Bill Gaither has ever written, and I wish we wouldn’t sing his hymns. The music is almost unsingable, but I guess it fit the Gospel reading today.


Shackled by a heavy burden,
'Neath a load of guilt and shame.
Then the Hand of Jesus touched me,
And now I am no longer the same.

Refrain
He touched me,
Oh, He touched me,
And oh the joy that floods my soul.
Something happened and now I know,
He touched me and made me whole.
Since I met the Blessed Saviour,
Since He cleansed and made me whole,
I will never cease to Praise Him!
I'll shout it while eternity rolls.


Refrain
He touched me,
Oh, He touched me,
And oh the joy that floods my soul.
Something happened and now I know,
He touched me and made me whole.
(repeat the refrain 2 times)
He touched me and made me whole.

Our anthem was a very nice setting of
America the Beautiful.

Our closing hymn was The Battle Hymn of the Republic by Julia Ward Howe.I always find it strange to sing this Civil War song written for the Union Army here in Virginia in a church that was almost completely destroyed by Union bombardment during the Battle of Fredericksburg. I guess we know more about “grapes of wrath” and “terrible swift sword” than a lot of folks.

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watch fires of a hundred circling camps
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps;
His day is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
His day is marching on.

I have read a fiery Gospel writ in burnished rows of steel;
“As ye deal with My contemners, so with you My grace shall deal”;
Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with His heel,
Since God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Since God is marching on.

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat;
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet;
Our God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Our God is marching on.

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me:
As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free;
While God is marching on.

Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
While God is marching on.

He is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave,
He is wisdom to the mighty, He is honor to the brave;
So the world shall be His footstool, and the soul of wrong His slave,
Our God is marching on.

Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Our God is marching on.

Peace Be Still!

The Third Sunday after Pentecost
The readings for June 25 were:
1 Samuel 17: (1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49
Psalm 9:9-20
2 Corinthians 6:1-13
Mark 4:35-41

Our first hymn was A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.
The text is by Martin Luther, translated by Frederick H. Hedge. The tune is Ein Feste Burg.

1. A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper he amid the flood
of mortal ills prevaling.
For still our ancient foe
doth seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.

2. Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
were not the right man on our side,
the man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabbaoth, his name,
from age to age the same,
and he must win the battle.

3. And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed
his truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo, his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.

4. That word above all earthly powers,
no thanks to them, abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours,
thru him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill;
God's truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever.

We had the liturgical dance ensemble at church this week. They had small groups dancing at all of the downtown churches. The choir sang Amazing Grace while they danced. The men sang verse three in a minor key.

1. Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
was blind, but now I see.

2. 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved;
how precious did that grace appear
the hour I first believed.

3. Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
'tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
and grace will lead me home.

4. The Lord has promised good to me,
his word my hope secures;
he will my shield and portion be,
as long as life endures.

5. Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
and mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
a life of joy and peace.

6. When we've been there ten thousand years,
bright shining as the sun,
we've no less days to sing God's praise
than when we first begun.

Our second hymn was
Stand by Me, written by Charles Albert Tindley. Charles Albert Tindley (1851-1933) was one of the most famous African American Methodist ministers of his era and has been called "one of the founding fathers of African American gospel music.” The hymn is great, but I always find that the congregation has trouble with the rhythm of this hymn.

When the storms of life are raging, stand by me, stand by me.
When the storms of life are raging, stand by me, stand by me.
When the world is tossing me, like a ship upon the sea,
Thou who rulest wind and water, stand by me, stand by me.

In the midst of faults and failures, stand by me, stand by me.
In the midst of faults and failures, stand by me, stand by me.
When I’ve done the best I can, and my friends misunderstand,
Thou who knowest all about me, stand by me, stand by me.

When I’m growing old and feeble, stand by me, stand by me.
When I’m growing old and feeble, stand by me, stand by me.
When my life becomes a burden, and I‘m nearing chilly Jordan,
O thou Lily of the Valley, stand by me, stand by me.

The choir anthem was a setting of
It Is Well with My Soul by Horatio Spafford set to the tune Ville de Havre by Philip Bliss. The name of the tune is the name of the lost ship on which Spafford’s children perished. This is a difficult hymn for me to sing because it brings to mind the funeral of a friend who died in a plane crash this spring.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

Refrain

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Refrain

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

Refrain

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!

Refrain

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Refrain

Our final hymn was Precious Lord, Take My Hand by Thomas A. Dorsey, set to an adaptation of the tune Maitland by George Alen. Dorsey wrote the hymn after the death of his wife Nettie in childbirth.

Precious Lord, take my hand,
Lead me on, let me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light:

Refrain

Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

When my way grows drear,
Precious Lord, linger near,
When my life is almost gone,
Hear my cry, hear my call,
Hold my hand lest I fall:

Refrain

When the darkness appears
And the night draws near,
And the day is past and gone,
At the river I stand,
Guide my feet, hold my hand:

Refrain