Category: hymns

Hymns for All Souls

church resources, hymns, worship

First, a new one that is simple but functional, and can be sung to Tallis Canon or similar (just help yourself, it’s not on CCLI yet):

O God of love, at close of day,
we gather here to watch and pray;
be present through the hours of night,
to all our shadows, bring your light.

Through song and silence, word and prayer,
we place this world and all its care,
beneath the shadow of your wings,
O God from whom all blessing springs.

We place into your hands to hold
and, in your arms of love, enfold
each lost and grieving weary soul,
that by your grace we may be whole.

We pray for rest and peace at last
for those whose earthly life is past;
may we with them be met with love,
and find our home in heav’n above.

O God, Creator, Christ, the Son,
and Holy Spirit, three in one:
to you our gathered voices raise,
as earth and heav’n unite in praise. Amen.

And one a wrote a while ago, that’s now on Jubilate (so you can stick it on your CCLI):

https://www.jubilate.co.uk/songs/o-lord-your-loving-hands-can-hold-

O Lord, your loving hands can hold
this world and all its care,
the grief and loss and pain we feel,
when desperation makes us kneel
in silent, wordless prayer,
in silent, wordless prayer.

O Lord, your loving hands can hold
the burdens that we bear,
each sorrow, every past regret; 
we ask that in our hearts you’ll set
your peace beyond compare,
your peace beyond compare. 

O Lord, your loving hands can hold
the souls of those we love:
our trust in you is not in vain
that all, through grace and faith, may gain
a place in heaven above,
a place in heaven above.

O Lord, your loving hands can hold
our future and our past:
And as you bless us on our way,
and travel with us night and day,
your love will hold us fast,
your love will hold us fast.

Ascensiontide hymn

bible, church resources, hymns, worship

I wrote this as part of the Resound Worship 12 Song Challenge (a songwriting challenge every month, with an online platform where we share what we’re writing and everyone supports and helps each other – it’s awesome). Then I forgot that I wrote it!

Theologically it connects the incarnation with the ascension, which feels reasonable. The metre is 8787D trochaic so any tune that fits that metre and has the right vibes would work.

Jesus left his crown of glory,
chose to share our human birth;
Light of light, our God incarnate
came that heav’n might touch the earth.
Human and divine, his being
mending what had long been torn,
in that time and place revealing
how God’s wondrous love is born.

Through his life of love and service,
from his passion to the grave,
in his mighty resurrection,
all was done to heal and save.
Now ascended to his glory,
Priest for ever, God’s own Son,
still with love he guards and guides us,
leading us where he is gone.

Gathered to receive his promise:
Hope and purpose, life from death,
As the church, Christ’s living body
we will breathe the Spirit’s breath.
Faith declares that Christ is near us,
and will hear our every prayer,
God’s great love made real among us,
now and always, everywhere.

Journey to resurrection

church resources, easter, holy week, hymns, lent, music, worship

A new collection of hymns/songs is out today from Jubilate – I’ve contributed a set of words, but posting here the link to the whole collection, which includes songs from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. From the Jubilate website you can download the words, and also purchase lyric videos of individual songs for use in church, a songbook for if you have live musicians, reflective commentaries on the words, and even a CD of the whole album.

The whole collection: Journey to Resurrection

My song, with music by the wonderful Joel Payne: Drop, slow tears

As with all my Jubilate hymns, you’ll need to put this one on your CCLI return:

1 Drop, slow tears of anguish, sing of love unknown;
watch as in the garden Jesus weeps alone,
seeking strength to finish what he has begun:
“Through this cup of suffering let your will be done.”

2 Peter, at the fireside, weep your bitter tears;
give up to your Saviour all your shame and fears.
He will still forgive you, Christ who freely gave;
let him take your failures with him to the grave.

3 Shed your tears of sorrow: Christ hangs on the cross;
Mary, standing by him, weeps her love and loss.
See the blood and water, balm distilled from pain:
by his wounds he heals us, bringing life again.

4 Wipe our eyes, O Saviour, in the darkest night;
as we long to see you in the dawning light.
When the world feels broken, trapped behind a stone,
raise us up, and teach us songs of love made known. 

words © Ally Barrett / Jubilate
music © Joel Payne / Jubilate
admin. Jubilate Hymns Ltd
copyrightmanager@jubilatehymns.co.uk

Coronation-friendly hymn

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A while back I compiled a hymn for the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, and have now shortened, adapted, and repurposed it in case it might be useful, and because I am keen both on recycling and on providing non-nationalistic material for the upcoming festivities. The hymn more functional than beautiful (and while it’s less clunky than the original, it’s not completely unclunky) but is offered here in case it’s of any use. Tune: Praise my soul the king of heaven.

Praise the Lord for faithful service,
offered through each passing year;
hear our prayer, ‘May God preserve us’
through the times of joy and fear.
Bless our king, and in God’s Kingdom
Give us strength to persevere.

Praise the Lord for faithful vision,
guide us as we watch and pray,
make us wise in each decision,
all we think and do and say.
Bless our king, and in God’s Kingdom
We will play our part each day.

Praise the Lord for faithful living:
sharing faith in deed and word,
trusting, hoping, still believing
all that we have seen and heard.
Bless our king and all God’s Kingdom,
as we love and serve the Lord.

A Hymn for the Diamond Jubilee of Coventry Cathedral (May 2022)

church resources, hymns, worship

This was written for Coventry Cathedral, as the final hymn of their diamond jubileee celebration service, on 25th May 2022. The first, second and final verse are suitable for any service on the general themes of reconciliation, forgiveness, diversity, and so on. The third verse is particularly suitable for the Cathedral, reflecting on the history of that specific building and how destruction paved the way for its ministry of reconciliation. Most of the scriptural, cultural and theological references are probably fairly obvious, but if anyone would like me to provide a short commentary, I’d be very happy to do so.

Be in our midst, and gather us together,
and let your loving-kindness be our guide,
Help us discern your image in each other,
and walk with humble footsteps by your side.
Send us to work, O Lord, Almighty Giver,
‘till all who thirst and hunger now are filled,
Let justice thunder like a mighty river,
And let the storms of strife and conflict now be stilled.

When all the world’s great sorrows overtake us,
and we are crushed by centuries of pain,
lend us your strength, and lovingly remake us
that by your grace we may be whole again.
And when the sins of passing generations
make all the wounds of hist’ry still feel raw,
send out your healing power among the nations,
and fill this broken earth with heaven’s peace once more.

*A verse for the Cathedral only  
And if the cross, the site of such destruction,
a sign of violence, suffering and sin,
can be redeemed to witness resurrection,
and be a place where life can still begin,
then iron and wood and stone can sing their stories:
‘Father, forgive’ these very walls have prayed,
that what was lost could birth still brighter glories,
and what was hurt can be transfigured and remade.

Grant us that peace beyond the mind’s discerning,
Help us to live the truth that sets us free.
And may the Spirit’s fire within us burning
help us become who we are called to be.
In eager longing for your new creation,
a world reshaped by love and hope and grace,
with Christ the Prince of Peace as our foundation,
we’ll build your kingdom now, in this and every place.

Tune: Londonderry Air (11.10.11.10.11.10.11.12)