Category: hymns

A hymn for All Souls

church resources, hymns

I wrote this last year (so you may have already seen it) as an alternative to using simply ‘funeral hymns’ at All Souls.  It needed to be a tune everyone would know, so it’s Repton (Dear Lord and Father of mankind).  Feel free to use it if you’d like to.

We place into your hands, O Lord,
the souls of those we love:
we trust your promise is not vain
that all, through grace and faith, may gain
a place in heaven above,
a place in heaven above.

We place into your hands, O Lord,
this world and all its care,
The grief and hurt and pain we feel,
when desperation makes us kneel
in silent, wordless prayer,
in silent, wordless prayer.

We place into your hands, O Lord,
These burdens that we bear:
Each sorrow and each past regret,
And ask that in our hearts you’ll set
your peace beyond compare,
your peace beyond compare.

We place into your hands, O Lord,
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.

Hymns for weddings

church resources, hymns

During a facebook conversation lamenting the over-use of All Things Bright and Beautiful at weddings (and indeed, at baptisms and funerals) a slightly tongue-in-cheek challenge was issued, and in a fit of procrastination I rose (or sank) to it. The fruits of my afternoon’s procrastination are below, and since they are still at the ‘scribbled-on-the-back-of-an-envelope’ stage, I’d welcome comments, criticisms and suggestions for improvement.

This is the first one, and it goes to ‘Lord of the dance’:

Love, faith and hope are free
to all who live abundantly,
So lead us, Lord, wherever we may be
in the dance of life for eternity.

The gift of love is a powerful thing,
Blessed and worn in a golden ring,
The vows are the binding of our lives,
words for all that the heart believes.

The gift of faith is the gift of care,
The words that say, “I will always be there.”
For better, for worse, in joy and pain,
faith brings love to life again.

The gift of hope is a burning fire,
a beacon to follow that will never ever tire,
A lamp to guide us in the darkest night,
and show us the path that leads to light.

oOoOoOoOoOo

This one goes to the tune ‘All things bright and beautiful’

Bless this sacred moment
with your greatest gift of love,
Bring us ever closer
to the joy of heaven above.

All future growth and flowering
are rooted in our past:
two lives entwined together
in promises that last.

Lord, make us more forgiving
to those who do us wrong,
give patience and endurance
and peace our whole life long.

The care of those around us,
our families and friends,
uphold us and inspire us
to love that never ends.

A ring to seal the promise,
A kiss to touch the heart,
A prayer to know the blessing
that you alone impart.

The Shepherd – a hymn for services with sheep-related readings

church resources, hymns

I wrote this one last year, but remembered that it is relevant for this Sunday’s reading, so I thought I’d post it again

Tune: Tyrolean melody
with thanks to St Augustine

There came a shepherd from the hillside
searching all alone.
He came to seek and save the lost,
And welcome us back home.
‘O come to me, beloved child’,
The shepherd spoke his plea:
‘Your heart will never find its rest
Until you rest in me.’

We hoped to prove our worthiness
in duty and in care;
We sought you, Lord, in rules and laws,
And thought to find you there.
In all our searching, we forgot
What deep inside we knew:
Our hearts could never find their rest
Unless it was in you.

O search us out and know our ways
In waking and in sleep;
Protect us through the day and night
And in your presence keep.
We travel on in life and faith
And find that it is true:
Our hearts will never find their rest
Until we rest in you.

Eastertide hymn

church resources, hymns

For some reason I was thinking today about Epiphany, and how wonderfully the hymn ‘Songs of thankfulness and praise’ captures the Epiphany stories that we enjoy in the lectionary in the weeks after Christmas.  It then occurred to me that it might be fun to write an Eastertide equivalent, so I’ve used the same tune (I know there’s more than one tune used for the Epiphany hymn, so I guess that means that whatever tune you’d use for that one, you could also use for this one!).  I only wrote this just now, and it’s in draft form, so any comments or suggestions for improvement are very welcome, as always!

Life comes to an upper room,
breaking through the fear and gloom;
walls and door-locks are no bar:
Jesus meets us where we are.
Life dispels the doubt of grief
bringing hope and new belief;
touching scars – these signs of pain
bring us back to life again.

Life comes to a broken heart,
bowed by sorrow, torn apart;
in the darkness of our tears
Jesus speaks to calm our fears.
On our journey life comes home,
in this fellowship made known;
with Christ’s body we are fed:
life revealed in broken bread.

Life comes to a sunlit shore,
sharing food with friends once more;
Fresh new callings banish guilt,
hope and faith and love rebuilt.
Jesus’ vict’ry over death
brings new life with every breath,
to the world it’s freely giv’n,
reconciling earth with heav’n.

Easter Vigil Hymn

church resources, hymns

At the risk of getting boring by posting old stuff, here’s a hymn I wrote yonks ago as a metrical version of the Song of Moses and Miriam (one of the canticles used at Easter vigils.  I’m posting it now in case anyone’s still not chosen their vigil hymns!

A song of Moses and Miriam
a metrical version of the canticle usually used at the Easter Vigil
Tune: Kingsfold (the second part of the tune should be used for the doxology)

O sing aloud to God our strength
whose glory conquers all,
His mighty power has raised us up~
While horse and rider fall.
We sing in worship, for to God
All praise and thanks belong,
Our voices raise the melody
Of our salvation’s song.

This is our God, whom we exalt
Until the world shall end;
The Lord who saved our fathers will
To us his love extend.
He did not leave us in our plight
But to the rescue came,
Our strong defender in the fight,
Jehovah is his name.

His powerful hand has been our shield
And glorious is his might,
And all the hosts of evil now
are shattered at the sight.
The breath divine that gave us life
The mighty flood sets free,
And so the water’s swirling rage
Devours our enemy.

Almighty is the power of God,
His love will never end,
He has redeemed us, set us free,
and leads us by the hand.
And now he brings us to that place
Where we may dwell secure,
The holy house of God shall be
Our haven evermore.

All glory be to God on high,
The Father, Spirit, Son,
To whom we raise the melody
Of our salvation’s song.