Thanks again to my son for recording and editing this version of the (biblical) stations of the cross. The text is directly from Common Worship, but using only the biblical texts and the prayers. You’re very welcome to use it if it’s helpful to you.
Tag: Church of England
Vocations Sunday hymns
It’s about to be Vocations Sunday (in the C of E, that is). If you want a new-ish hymn for your service, how about one of these? They’re all free to use – just help yourself (if you could attribute them to (c) Ally Barrett that would be great, but there’s nothing to pay! 🙂
This first was written for Birmingham Diocese, for the re-launch of their mission strategy document.
Here and now we’re drawn together:
hold us all in one embrace.
Help us see, in one another,
difference as a gift of grace.
As each passing generation
worships you in fresh new ways,
join our songs with all creation,
lift our voice to sing your praise.
Lord, affirm our shared vocation:
may we bring your plans to birth,
build a church on Christ’s foundation,
fit to tend a troubled earth.
Growing, praying, sharing, learning,
deep in wisdom, broad in scope,
love-revealing, truth-discerning,
living out the gospel hope.
In your work of transformation
you are making all things new.
Stir our hearts’ imagination,
call us now to work with you.
As we live the Great Commission
all will find their part to play:
Send us out to share your mission,
joyful in the world today.
(tune: Abbot’s Leigh, or any suitable 8787D trochaic tune)
This one is about Vocation, ministry and mission, and was the first hymn I wrote, in 2006.
Tune: Woodlands
(it’s also in the latest version of Hymns Ancient and Modern)
Hope of our calling: hope through courage won;
By those who dared to share all Christ had done.
Saints of today, Christ’s banner now unfurled,
We bring his gospel to a waiting world.
Hope of our calling: hope with strength empowered,
Inspired by all that we have seen and heard;
This call is ours, for we are chosen too,
To live for God in all we say and do.
Hope of our calling: hope with grace outpoured,
From death’s despair the gift of life restored;
Our call to serve, to wash each others’ feet,
To bring Christ’s healing touch to all we meet.
Hope of our calling: hope by faith made bold;
To sow God’s righteousness throughout the world;
Bring peace from conflict, fruitfulness from weeds,
The kingdom’s harvest from a mustard seed.
Hope of our calling: Spirit-filled, unbound,
Old joys remembered and new purpose found,
Our call refreshed by sacrament and word,
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
This next one was written for the service in York Minster on 17th May 2014, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of women priests in the Church of England – anyone is welcome to use it, though.
The tune is Londonderry Air.
Glory to God, the mother of creation,
in love you brought the universe to birth,
then gave your life to purchase the salvation
of all the sons and daughters of the earth.
Glory to you, for love that’s shown through history:
the warp and weft that patterns time and space.
By grace you’re known, yet known to be a mystery,
and we can touch eternity in your embrace.
Glory to you for calling us to service,
shepherds and stewards, messengers and priests,
we give ourselves in gratitude and gladness
as guests and hosts at your thanksgiving feast.
Our hearts exult in loving affirmation,
We sing with joy, your greatness we proclaim.
Your praise resounds in every generation,
Our souls with Mary magnify your holy name.
We are united, in Christ’s body dwelling,
one in the Spirit: wind and fire and dove;
one in the grace and hope of every calling,
to lift the ways of earth to heav’n above.
Through all our lives your power is ever flowing,
To show your work of love is underway;
Stir up your gift in us, your grace bestowing,
so we may speak and live your Word afresh today.
Finally, this hymn is based on the Ely Diocese Vision Statement
It was originally written to Guiting Power (Christ Triumphant, ever reigning) but the author of that tune isn’t keen on it being used for other words, so I’m delighted to say that Peter Moger, my friend and mentor, has written this fabulous tune, Minster Gates, that is in the same metre and fits the words perfectly! You are welcome to use it (please note the copyright information at the bottom of the file). Alternatively, I wrote this tune to the same metre and for these words.
It’s quite long, so would work as a processional/recessional/offertory
Gracious God, your love has found us,
bound us, set us free.
Take our lives, transform us into
all that we can be.
Call us, one and all, together,
now and evermore, we pray.
Call us to be Christ-revealing,
radiant with your light;
generous as a hilltop city,
visible and bright.
Call us, one and all, together,
now and evermore, we pray.
Call us all to live the kingdom,
active here and now;
Life affirming, world-renewing.
Church above, below.
Call us, one and all, together,
now and evermore, we pray.
Call us all in love discerning,
strong in word and deed;
sent, commissioned, gladly serving
all who are in need.
Call us, one and all, together,
now and evermore, we pray.
Call us as your loved disciples:
learning, growing, fed;
Send us out, as new apostles,
Leading as we’re led.
Call us, one and all, together,
now and evermore, we pray.
Call us deeply, touch our souls through
worship, prayer and word,
teach our minds to feel in echo
myst’ries yet unheard.
Call us, one and all, together,
now and evermore, we pray.
Call us, as you called creation
when the world began,
Guide our hearts’ imagination
to your loving plan.
Call us, one and all, together,
now and evermore, we pray.
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Vocations Sunday hymns
It’s about to be Vocations Sunday (in the C of E, that is). If you want a new-ish hymn for your service, how about one of these? They’re all free to use – just help yourself (if you could attribute them to (c) Ally Barrett that would be great, but there’s nothing to pay! 🙂
This first one is about Vocation, ministry and mission, entitled
Hope of our calling
Tune: Woodlands
(it’s also in the latest version of Hymns Ancient and Modern)
Hope of our calling: hope through courage won;
By those who dared to share all Christ had done.
Saints of today, Christ’s banner now unfurled,
We bring his gospel to a waiting world.
Hope of our calling: hope with strength empowered,
Inspired by all that we have seen and heard;
This call is ours, for we are chosen too,
To live for God in all we say and do.
Hope of our calling: hope with grace outpoured,
From death’s despair the gift of life restored;
Our call to serve, to wash each others’ feet,
To bring Christ’s healing touch to all we meet.
Hope of our calling: hope by faith made bold;
To sow God’s righteousness throughout the world;
Bring peace from conflict, fruitfulness from weeds,
The kingdom’s harvest from a mustard seed.
Hope of our calling: Spirit-filled, unbound,
Old joys remembered and new purpose found,
Our call refreshed by sacrament and word,
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
This next one was written for the service in York Minster on 17th May 2014, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of women priests in the Church of England – anyone is welcome to use it, though.
The tune is Londonderry Air.
Glory to God, the mother of creation,
in love you brought the universe to birth,
then gave your life to purchase the salvation
of all the sons and daughters of the earth.
Glory to you, for love that’s shown through history:
the warp and weft that patterns time and space.
By grace you’re known, yet known to be a mystery,
and we can touch eternity in your embrace.
Glory to you for calling us to service,
shepherds and stewards, messengers and priests,
we give ourselves in gratitude and gladness
as guests and hosts at your thanksgiving feast.
Our hearts exult in loving affirmation,
We sing with joy, your greatness we proclaim.
Your praise resounds in every generation,
Our souls with Mary magnify your holy name.
We are united, in Christ’s body dwelling,
one in the Spirit: wind and fire and dove;
one in the grace and hope of every calling,
to lift the ways of earth to heav’n above.
Through all our lives your power is ever flowing,
To show your work of love is underway;
Stir up your gift in us, your grace bestowing,
so we may speak and live your Word afresh today.
Finally, this hymn is based on the Ely Diocese Vision Statement
The tune is Guiting Power (Christ Triumphant, ever reigning).
It’s quite long, so would work as a processional/recessional/offertory
Gracious God, your love has found us,
bound us, set us free.
Take our lives, transform us into
all that we can be.
Call us, one and all, together,
now and evermore, we pray.
Call us to be Christ-revealing,
radiant with your light;
generous as a hilltop city,
visible and bright.
Call us, one and all, together,
now and evermore, we pray.
Call us all to live the kingdom,
active here and now;
Life affirming, world-renewing.
Church above, below.
Call us, one and all, together,
now and evermore, we pray.
Call us all in love discerning,
strong in word and deed;
sent, commissioned, gladly serving
all who are in need.
Call us, one and all, together,
now and evermore, we pray.
Call us as your loved disciples:
learning, growing, fed;
Send us out, as new apostles,
Leading as we’re led.
Call us, one and all, together,
now and evermore, we pray.
Call us deeply, touch our souls through
worship, prayer and word,
teach our minds to feel in echo
myst’ries yet unheard.
Call us, one and all, together,
now and evermore, we pray.
Call us, as you called creation
when the world began,
Guide our hearts’ imagination
to your loving plan.
Call us, one and all, together,
now and evermore, we pray.
The BCP: the Bus of Common Prayer
Warning: I am not absolutely sure myself about how much of this is a genuine suggestion and how much of it is a very silly piece of fantasy satire.
How many clergy (and indeed others) who are involved in rural parish ministry have lamented the Sunday morning rush between multiple tiny congregations, and the reluctance on the part of many parishioners to travel within a benefice in order to have fewer, more populous services?
The solution may be here! All a benefice needs is an old bus, preferably one with a toilet, and a wheelchair friendly ramp. Buses are already equipped with what basically amount to pews (and they’re an awful lot more comfortable than most church pews!), a heating system that works, an an area at the front where one could install a drop-down altar (rather like a caravan’s dining table).
And here’s the clever bit: You could devise a liturgy that begins and ends with hymns, which could be sung as the bus drives round the various villages picking people up and then dropping them off afterwards (you could even order the hymns and time them according to the legs of the journey so that everyone heard each one once). Do most buses these days have a means to play music? They must do, surely – even an old cassette player would work for the hymn accompaniments.
Then, the main bit of your liturgy would take place once everyone has been picked up – it could be anywhere, to be honest, it doesn’t need to be anywhere near a church, it could be in a field, somewhere with a nice view, just somewhere convenient. It could even be in a different place each week…. So, you park up, stop singing hymns and get on with Matins, or Holy Communion, or whatever it is you’re doing, you put the collection in the bit where the bus fares would normally go, and then once you’re had the final blessing, you drive back round the villages dropping people off, and singing the hymns as you go.
Is this a mad idea? Probably.
Is it more mad than the alternative? Maybe not….
Is there anything that can enable rural communities to experience and enjoy worshipping together, give them confidence to stray beyond their usual boundaries, and think out of the box?
Everyone agrees the bus services to rural communities leaves a lot to be desired. But maybe that’s because they haven’t tried this kind of Bus Service.
Addendum: since posting I have been told about the phenomenon of spontaneous ‘churching’ of public buses in Jamaica, and you can read a bit about it here.
reverendally.org 