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.
I don’t often write music, but yesterday I sat down and wrote this very short setting of one of my favourite texts, which I believe is from the Talmud:
Do not be overwhelmed by the enormity of the world’s grief: walk humbly now, love mercy now, do justly now. You are not expected to complete the work but neither are you free to abandon it.
Now it’s almost advent, here are some Christmassy things (NB see also my other post on Advent things) that might be useful. Sorry it’s a bit of a jumble of things all together. Please do feel free to use any of the pictures in any way that’s helpful. I’ve marked whether the words can just be used freely or if they need to go on your CCLI return.
Could be any shed, reallyThis is Mary and Joseph, just after Joseph wakes up from the dream in which the angel tells him they have to leave everything and run to Egypt. Another family at Holy InnocentsAnother mother at Holy InnocentsFlight into Egypt
Some more clipart-y images:
A simple Christmas carol to the tune of the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy:
Little baby, sweetly slumbering, Cradled and cuddled in Mary’s loving arms. In the sky are angels gathering, but for now, here below, all is still and calm.
Little baby, our Emmanuel, God with us, one of us, born to be our king. Little baby, while you slumber, Far above you angels sing.
We know you came to save us all… But how can God become so small…? For God so loved all he had made He sent his Son the world to save……
Little baby…
An easy Christmas song for children to sing The tune is ‘Here we go round the mulberry bush’.
Sing of the time the angel came, the angel came, the angel came, Sing of the time the angel came to bring the news to Mary.
Sing of the birth at Bethlehem, at Bethlehem, at Bethlehem, Sing of the birth at Bethlehem, the baby in the stable.
Sing of shepherds from the hills, from the hills, from the hills, Sing of the shepherds from the hills, who came to worship Jesus.
Sing of the brightly shining star, the shining star, the shining star, Sing of the brightly shining star, that led the kings to Jesus.
Sing of the love of God on earth, God on earth, God on earth, Sing of the love of God on earth, that brings us close to heaven.
Star of wonder (Tune: Sing Hosanna) – Christingle song for Epiphany
We give gold for a king, keep us serving, We give gold for a king today, As we give, it is Christ we are serving, We’ll keep serving Jesus every day.
Star of wonder! Lead us onwards, Show the way to find the world’s true light. Star of wonder! Lead us onwards, Shine around us through the night.
We bring incense today, keep us praying, We bring incense to him today. For the needs of the world, keep us praying. Keep us praying to him every day.
Star of wonder…
We bring myrrh to remember his passion, As he shared in his people’s pain, In our lives we will show his compassion, As we live for Jesus every day.
Simple version of the traditional spiritual, with thanks to my son for recording, editing, and mastering the audio, and for producing the video. Please feel free to use it in your digital worship (if you use it on Good Friday you may wish to pause it before the last verse).
A hymn for Passiontide to Easter Eve 2020, as a contribution to ‘words for difficult times’. (Tune: Eventide, aka Abide with me)
Here is a video of the hymn, with me singing and my son recording and producing it:
And the text for those using screen readers:
Dark is the night, the passing hours are long, Lone voices whisper sorrow’s silent song, Each faltering prayer will fear it’s made in vain, When will we sing the world to life again?
Dark is the night; not all are blessed with sleep. Some wake and work, and some must watch and weep: Angels disguised, they tend a world in pain, Off’ring the hope that there’ll be life again.
Dark is the night, the silent hours are slow, Heav’n’s tears anoint the suffering earth below, Blessing with dew the secret springing grain, Pledge that the world will soon know life again.
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