A hymn for when things are hard

Lord, in our waiting and watching, we pray
that you would watch with us as night turns to day,
and if morning comes and we still cannot stand,
through every long moment keep holding our hand.

Lord, when our tears do not bring us relief,
You weep at our side in our pain and our grief,
Whenever it seems that we suffer alone,
In life’s hardest moments, Lord, make yourself known.

Lord, in our anger when pain is ignored,
when voices are silenced, experience is scorned,
Sustain us, and raise us to speak and be heard,
and soften hard hearts with the power of your word.

Lord, in our weariness, give us your peace,
the hope that the world’s many troubles will cease,
Then help us to find that in each place of need,
your love is transforming each thought, word and deed.

(Tune: Slane)

I wrote this last month and then forgot about it. Sorry about that. But here it is now.

Morning Hymn

Here’s a morning hymn that goes to Slane, to reflect the clothing and armour bits of Ephesians 6 and Colossians 3. A bit rough and ready, because I needed it for something in a hurry. Suggestions for improvement are most welcome!

Morning by morning you call us anew
To live each day faithfully, following you,
you bless us and keep us and stay by our side:
our friend and companion, our guardian and guide.

As we rejoice in the gift of this day,
prepare us in heart, mind, and body, we pray,
to seek out your presence in every new place,
and join in your work of redemption and grace.

This is is the armour of Jesus our Lord:
The truth for a belt, and your word for a sword,
Salavtion our helmet, and shoes for our feet
to help us bring peace to the people we meet.

Clothe us with kindness, compassion and care,
with patient forgiveness, in meekness and prayer,
We’ll wrap all your world in a mantle of love,
in tune with the love-song of heaven above.

Lent hymn

Written for Helen and her churches. Tune is Slane

Lord of our life, our beginning and end,
Our Father, our shepherd, our Saviour and friend,
We look to your teaching in each fresh new day
To lead us and guide us and show us your way.

Ten laws to teach us to live in your love,
Ten ways to make earth more like heaven above,
Ten rules to inspire all we think, say and do,
To help us be faithful in following you.

You are our safety, our great mother hen,
Whenever we wander you call us again,
We’ll always be drawn to your loving embrace
To nestle beneath the soft wings of your grace.

This is our story, and this is our song:
For we are your people, to you we belong,
Wherever life takes us, in all that we do,
Our hearts will find peace when we’re resting in you.

 

 

New communion hymn

I was procrastinating, and this happened. Tune is ‘Slane’.
As ever, help yourself if you would like to use it. 

Come to God’s table! for all is prepared,
The bread we have offered is broken and shared,
Christ’s presence among us is food for the soul,
reviving, renewing, and making us whole.

Come to God’s table! and drink of the wine,
the blood of the Saviour, both real and a sign,
The cup of salvation both priceless and free,
transforming God’s people into all we can be.

Come to God’s table! we come as we are,
we bring all the burdens we’ve carried so far,
in body, in spirit, in soul, mind and heart,
to feed on the grace which God alone can impart.

Come to God’s table! then go in that grace
to hold all the earth in a heav’nly embrace,
Sent out in the Spirit to tend and to care
in thought, word and action, our life is our prayer.

New hymn for godparent Sunday

Godparent Sunday falls on 1st May 2016 – it’s the first time that the Church of England has set aside a particular day for godparents, so it deserves a hymn all of its own. tune: Slane aka Lord of all hopefulness

Thank you, O Lord, for the gift of this day:
a time to count blessings, to think and to pray,
support us, inspire us, and call us anew,
help us to be faithful in following you.

Bless us in keeping our promise to care,
our loving commitment to always be there,
we’ll smile at each moment of joy and success,
and when life is bitter, our love is no less.

Bless us with patience, with care and with time
to listen, to challenge, to open our mind,
exploring life’s questions in wonder and awe,
and sharing the wisdom that loves to learn more.

Guide us, O Lord, as we walk on life’s way,
Discov’ring together fresh blessings each day,
O Lord of our journey, we ask you to show
the paths we might follow, the ways we may go.