Ascension Sunday

Ascension Sunday
May 28, 2006

The readings for today were:
Acts 1:1-11
Psalm 47
Ephesians 1:15-23
Luke 24:44-53
Our associate pastor preached today and chose to concentrate on Memorial Day instead on the Ascension of Christ. Not to my liking. The hymns reflected this, but the choir stuck to the liturgy in our introit and anthem.

Our introit was the hymn Hail the Day That Sees Him Rise by Charles Wesley set to the tune Llanfair Robert Williams.

Hail the day that sees him rise, Alleluia!
to his throne above the skies; Alleluia!
Christ, the Lamb for sinners given, Alleluia!
enters now the highest heaven! Alleluia!

There for him high triumph waits; Alleluia!
lift your heads, eternal gates! Alleluia!
he hath conquered death and sin; Alleluia!
take the King of glory in! Alleluia!

Lo! the heaven its Lord receives, Alleluia!
yet he loves the earth he leaves; Alleluia!
though returning to his throne, Alleluia!
still he calls mankind his own. Alleluia!

See! he lifts his hands above; Alleluia!
See! he shows the prints of love: Alleluia!
Hark! his gracious lips bestow, Alleluia!
blessings on his Church below. Alleluia!

Still for us he intercedes, Alleluia!
his prevailing death he pleads, Alleluia!
near himself prepares our place, Alleluia!
he the first fruits of our race. Alleluia!

Lord, though parted from our sight, Alleluia!
far above the starry height, Alleluia!
grant our hearts may thither rise, Alleluia!
seeking thee above the skies. Alleluia!

There we shall with thee remain, Alleluia!
partners of thy eternal reign, Alleluia!
there thy face forever see, Alleluia!
find our heaven of heavens in thee, Alleluia!

The second hymn was the old fashioned favorite He Lives! written by Alfred H. Ackley in 1933.

I serve a risen Savior, He's in the world today;
I know that He is living, whatever men may say;
I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer
And just the time I need Him He's always near.

Refrain
He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way.
He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.

In all the world around me I see His loving care,
And tho' my heart grows weary I never will despair;
I know that He is leading thru all the stormy blast,
The day of His appearing will come at last.

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian, lift up your voice and sing,
Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King!
The hope of all who seek Him, the help of all who find,
None other is so loving, so good and kind

Our anthem was The Lamb Is Reigning on His Throne by Gerald Coleman, set by Mark Hayes. It’s not great music, but is quite moving when sung well by a large choir. Unfortunately today our choir was small, and we didn’t sing very well.

The Lamb, the Lamb. O Father, where’s the sacrifice?
Faith sees, believes God will provide the Lamb of price!
Worthy is the Lamb whose death makes me his own!
The Lamb is reigning on His Throne!

The Lamb, the Lamb, as wayward sheep their shepherd kill.
So still, his will on our behalf the Law to fill.
Worthy is the Lamb whose death makes me his own!
The Lamb is reigning on His Throne!

He sighs, He dies, He takes my sin and wretchedness.
He lives, forgives, He gives me his own righteousness.
Worthy is the Lamb whose death makes me his own!
The Lamb is reigning on His Throne!

He rose, He rose, my heart with thanks now overflows.
His song prolong ‘Til every heart to him belong.
Worthy is the Lamb whose death makes me his own!
The Lamb is reigning on His Throne!


The third hymn was America by Samuel F. Smith.
1. My country,' tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing;
land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrims' pride,
from every mountainside let freedom ring!

2. My native country, thee, land of the noble free, thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills, thy woods and templed hills;
my heart with rapture thrills, like that above.

3. Let music swell the breeze, and ring from all the trees sweet freedom's song;
let mortal tongues awake; let all that breathe partake;
let rocks their silence break, the sound prolong.

4. Our fathers' God, to thee, author of liberty, to thee we sing;
long may our land be bright with freedom's holy light;
protect us by thy might, great God, our King.

Our final hymn was also patriotic Katherine Lee Bates’ wonderful America the Beautiful. The hymn tune is Materna by Samuel A. Ward.

1. O beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain;
for purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain!
America! America! God shed his grace on thee,
and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea.

2. O beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife,
who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life!
America! America! May God thy gold refine,
till all success be nobleness, and every gain divine.

3. O beautiful for patriot dream that sees beyond the years
thine alabaster cities gleam, undimmed by human tears!
America! America! God mend thine every flaw,
confirm thy soul in self-control, thy liberty in law.

Sixth Sunday after Easter

Sixth Sunday after Easter
May 21, 2006

What were the hymns for May 14? I don’t know. It was Youth Sunday, and this is one service I try to avoid whenever I can. Had my grandson been in town he would have played drums, and I would have gone to church. But since he was in North Carolina for the weekend I just skipped church. Youth Sunday sounds like a good idea, but it’s usually pretty awful. Not the kind of worship experience I really need.

This Sunday was wonderful. The readings for today were:
Acts 10:44-48
Psalm 98
1 John 5:1-6
John 15:9-17

The first hymn was Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, written by Joachim Neander 1680, translated by Catherine Winkworth in 1863. The hymn tune is Lobe den Herren (also known as Praxis pietatis) from the Stralsung Gesangbuch from 1665.

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise him, for he is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to his temple draw near;
praise him in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord, who over all things so wondrously reigneth,
shelters thee under his wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires ever have been
granted in what he ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
surely his goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
if with his love he befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before him.
Let the amen
sound from his people again,
gladly for all we adore him.

For the Psalter the choir sang the anthem Sing to the Lord by Lloyd Larson.

The second hymn was Help Us Accept Each Other by Fred Kaan © 1975 Hope Pub. Co. It isn't a particularly wonderful hymn tune, but the text was perfect for the Gospel reading and the sermon today.

Help us accept each other as Christ accepted us;
Teach us as sister, brother, each person to embrace.
Be present, God, among us, and bring us to believe
We are ourselves accepted and meant to love and live.

Teach us, O God, your lessons, as in our daily life
We struggle to be human and search for hope and faith.
Teach us to care for people, for all, not just for some,
To love them as we find them, or as they may become.

Let your acceptance change us, so that we may be moved
In living situations to do the truth in love;
To practice your acceptance, until we know by heart
The table of forgiveness and laughter's healing art.

God, for today's encounters with all who are in need,
Who hunger for acceptance, for righteousness and bread,
Bring us new eyes for seeing, new hands for holding on;
Renew us with your Spirit; God! Free us, make us one!

Our anthem was Gloria in Excelsis from Messe 12, which once was attributed to Mozart. Most scholars now believe someone else composed this in Mozart’s style. It was lovely, and we sang it fairly well.

The final hymn was In Christ There Is No East or West written by John Oxenham. Our current hymnal sets this text to the tune McKee and African-America spiritual, adapted and harmonized by Harry T. Burleigh. It is more commonly sung to the tune St.Peter.

In Christ there is no east or west, in him no south or north;
but one great fellowship of love throughout the whole wide earth.

In Christ shall true hearts everywhere their high communion find;
his service is the golden cord close binding humankind.

In Christ now meet both east and west, in him meet south and north;
all Christly souls are one in him throughout the whole wide earth.

The Good Shepherd

Fourth Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday - I found this Chinese painter's interpretation of the Gospel reading for this Sunday.

The readings for May 6 were:
Acts 4:5-12
Psalm 23
1 John 3:16-24
John 10:11-18

Our introit hymn was The King of Love My Shepherd Is set to the tune St. Columba. The hymn was written by Henry Williams Baker.

The King of love my shepherd is,
whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am his,
and he is mine for ever.

Where streams of living water flow,
my ransomed soul he leadeth,
and where the verdant pastures grow,
with food celestial feedeth.

Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
but yet in love He sought me,
and on his shoulder gently laid,
and home, rejoicing, brought me.

In death's dark vale I fear no ill
with thee, dear Lord, beside me;
thy rod and staff my comfort still,
thy cross before to guide me.

Thou spread'st a table in my sight;
thy unction grace bestoweth;
and O what transport of delight
from thy pure chalice floweth!

And so through all the length of days
thy goodness faileth never:
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise
within thy house for ever.

The processional hymn was Lift High the Cross. The original 12 stanzas of this missionary hymn were written by George Kitchin as a processional for a festival to be held in June 1887 in Winchester Cathedral. It is based on John 12:32, “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” Several alterations have been made in the lyrics to change some of the male-oriented language. Some of words were written by Michael Robert Newbolt, also an English composer and church musician.

Sydney Hugo Nicholson, founder of the School of English Church Music, and organist for nine years at Westminster Abbey composed the aptly titled hymn tune Crucifer.

Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred Name.

Come, Christians, follow where our Captain trod,
Our King victorious, Christ, the Son of God.

Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred Name.

Led on their way by this triumphant sign,
The hosts of God in conquering ranks combine.

Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred Name.

All newborn soldiers of the Crucified
Bear on their brows the seal of Him Who died.

Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred Name.

O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree,
As Thou hast promised, draw us all to Thee.

Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred Name.

So shall our song of triumph ever be:
Praise to the Crucified for victory!

Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred Name.


Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us written by Dorothy A. Thrupp (1779-1847). The hymn tune was composed by William B. Bradbury (1816-1868) and is simply called Bradbury.

1. Savior, like a shepherd lead us,
much we need thy tender care;
in thy pleasant pastures feed us,
for our use thy folds prepare.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus!
Thou hast bought us, thine we are.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus!
Thou hast bought us, thine we are.

2. We are thine, thou dost befriend us,
be the guardian of our way;
keep thy flock, from sin defend us,
seek us when we go astray.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus!
Hear, O hear us when we pray.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus!
Hear, O hear us when we pray.

3. Thou hast promised to receive us,
poor and sinful though we be;
thou hast mercy to relieve us,
grace to cleanse and power to free.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus!
We will early turn to thee.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus!
We will early turn to thee.

4. Early let us seek thy favor,
early let us do thy will;
blessed Lord and only Savior,
with thy love our bosoms fill.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus!
Thou hast loved us, love us still.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus!
Thou hast loved us, love us still.

Our anthem was Haydn’s Lo, My Shepherd’s Hand Divine, a two-part women’s anthem. This would have been bad because the sopranos outnumber us altos four to one, but at the last minute I persuaded my daughter Katie to sit in with us, even tough she was tired from leading choirs at the first service and then teaching music to children’s classes for an hour. It sounded pretty good.

Lo, my shepherd’s hand divine,
Want shall nevermore, shall nevermore be mine.
When I faint with summer’s heat,
He shall lead; He shall lead my weary feet.
To the streams that still and slow,
Still and slow, through the verdant meadows flow,
When I faint with summer’s heat, He shall lead my weary feet
To the streams, to the streams, that still and slow,
Through the verdant meadows flow.
To the streams that through the meadows flow,
Through the verdant meadows flow.

Our Communion hymns were:
Come Share the Lord

We gather here, in Jesus' name,
His love is burning in our hearts like living flame,
for through the loving Son, the Father makes us one,
come take the bread come drink the wine come share the Lord.


No one is a stranger here, everyone belongs,
finding our forgiveness here, we in turn forgive all wrongs,


He joins us here, He breaks the bread,
the Lord who pours the cup is risen from the dead,
the One we love the most, is now our gracious host,
come take the bread come drink the wine come share the Lord.


We are now a family, of which the Lord is head,
though unseen He meets us here, in the breaking of the bread.


We'll gather soon, where angels sing,
we'll see the glory of our Lord and coming King,
now we anticipate, the feast for which we wait,
come take the bread come drink the wine come share the Lord.

Sing Alleluia to the Lord

Lift up your hearts unto the Lord. Lift up your hearts unto the Lord.
Sing alleluia, sing alleluia;
Lift up your hearts unto the Lord. Lift up your hearts unto the Lord.
Sing alleluia, Alleluia;
Lift up your hearts unto the Lord.

He is the bread of life. He is the bread of life.
Sing alleluia, sing alleluia;
He is the bread of life. He is the bread of life.
Sing alleluia, Alleluia;
He is the bread of life.

His resurrection sets us free. His resurrection sets us free.
Sing alleluia, sing alleluia;
His resurrection sets us free. His resurrection sets us free.
Sing alleluia, Alleluia;
His resurrection sets us free.

Therefore we celebrate the feast. Therefore we celebrate the feast.
Sing alleluia, sing alleluia;
Therefore we celebrate the feast. Therefore we celebrate the feast.
Sing alleluia, Alleluia;
Therefore we celebrate the feast.

Become to Us the Living Bread by Miriam Drury set to the tune Gelobt Sei Gott.

Become to Us the Living Bread Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Become to use the living bread by which the Christian life is fed, renewed, and greatly comforted.
Become the never-failing wine, the spring of joy that shall incline our hearts to bear the covenant sign,
May Christians all with one accord unite around the sacred board to praise your holy name, O Lord, Alleluia! Alleluia!

The final hymn was Jesus Calls Us by Cecil Frances Alexander, (1818-1895). Mrs. Alexander was the wife of William Alexander, Anglican Bishop of Derry. She wrote over 400 hymns, including All Things Bright and Beautiful and Once in Royal David’s City. The tune was composed by William H. Jude and is titled Galilee

1. Jesus calls us o'er the tumult
of our life's wild, restless sea;
day by day his sweet voice soundeth,
saying, "Christian, follow me!"

2. As of old the apostles heard it
by the Galilean lake,
turned from home and toil and kindred,
leaving all for Jesus' sake.

3. Jesus calls us from the worship
of the vain world's golden store,
from each idol that would keep us,
saying, "Christian, love me more!"

4. In our joys and in our sorrows,
days of toil and hours of ease,
still he calls, in cares and pleasures,
"Christian, love me more than these!"

5. Jesus calls us! By thy mercies,
Savior, may we hear thy call,
give our hearts to thine obedience,
serve and love thee best of all.

Third Sunday of Easter, April 30, 2006

The readings for the day were:
Acts 3:12-19
Psalm 4
1John 3:1-7
Luke 24:36b-48

We had a guest preacher from the Tower of Deliverance Church, and he preached from a different text - Mark 16:15-16 (King James Version)
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
So the hymns and anthems didn't match the sermon, but he was a powerful preacher and quite a change for our 90% white church.

Our first hymn was my favorite Ester hymn, one that is often neglected. We haven't sung it in our church for the past seven Easter seasons - Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain.

The hymn was written by John of Damascus in 750, making this one of our oldest hymns. It was translated by John Mason Neale in 1853. I think it is a wonderful commentary on the significance of Easter and the connection with Passover with Christ as the Paschal Lamb. The hymn tune is St. Kevin by Sir Arthur Sullivan. Sullivan always thought his church music and symphonic pieces were the only important things he did, and now few people remember that he composed anything but comic opera..

Come, ye faithful, raise the strain of triumphant gladness!
God hath brought his Israel into joy from sadness:
Loosed from Pharoah's bitter yoke Jacob's sons and daughters,
Led them with unmoistened foot through the Red Sea waters.

'Tis the spring of souls today: Christ hath burst his prison,
And from three days' sleep in death as a sun hath risen;
All the winter of our sins, long and dark, is flying
From his light, to whom we give laud and praise undying.

Now the queen of seasons, bright with the day of splendor,
With the royal feast of feasts, comes its joy to render;
Comes to glad Jerusalem, who with true affection
Welcomes in unwearied strains Jesus' resurrection.

Neither might the gates of death, nor the tomb's dark portal,
Nor the watchers, nor the seal hold thee as a mortal:
But today amidst the twelve thou didst stand, bestowing
That thy peace which evermore passeth human knowing.

Alleluia now we cry to our King Immortal,
Who triumphant burst the bars of the tomb's dark portal;
Alleluia, with the Son God the Father praising;
Alleluia yet again to the Spirit raising.

Our second hymn was Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee

The hymn was written by Bernard of Clairvaux in the twelfth century and translated by . Edward Caswall in 1849. The hymn tune is St. Agnes by John B. Dykes.

Jesus, the very thought of thee
with sweetness fills the breast;
but sweeter far thy face to see,
and in thy presence rest.

No voice can sing, no heart can frame,
nor can the memory find,
a sweeter sound than Jesus' Name,
the Savior of mankind.

O hope of every contrite heart,
O joy of all the meek,
to those who fall, how kind thou art:
how good to those who seek!

But what to those who find? Ah, this
nor tongue nor pen can show;
the love of Jesus, what it is,
none but who love him know.

Jesus, our only joy be thou,
as thou our prize wilt be;
in thee be all our glory now,
and through eternity.

The third hymn was Christ Is Alive. The hymn was written by Brian Wren in 1969. It is usually sung to the tune Truro.

Christ is alive! Let Christians sing.
The cross stands empty to the sky.
Let streets and homes with praises ring.
Love, drowned in death, shall never die.

Christ is alive! No longer bound
to distant years in Palestine,
but saving, healing, here and now,
and touching every place and time.

Not throned above, remotely high,
untouched, unmoved by human pains,
but daily, in the midst of life,
our Savior with the Father reigns.

In every insult, rift, and war
where color, scorn or wealth divide,
Christ suffers still, yet loves the more,
and lives, where even hope has died.

Women and men, in age and youth,
can feel the Spirit, hear the call,
and find the way, the life, the truth,
revealed in Jesus, freed for all.

Christ is alive, and comes to bring
good news to this and every age,
till earth and sky and ocean ring
with joy, with justice, love, and praise.