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)