It’s hymns ancient and modern this week. We’ve a setting of Hail, gladdening light (a hymn from the 3rd or 4th century), and In You we live written in 2010 by Sue Mepham from Flagstaff Community Church in Dunedin.
Stained glass window at Aokautere Church Photo: Robyn Jaquiery
SONG: ALLELUIA! ALLELUIA! HEARTS TO HEAVEN
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Christopher Wordsworth/Arthur Sullivan
Recording: Hyperion 112102
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Hearts to heaven and voices raise:
Sing to God a hymn of gladness,
Sing to God a hymn of praise:
He, who on the cross a victim,
For the world's salvation bled,
Jesus Christ, the King of glory,
Now is risen from the dead.
Christ is risen, Christ the first-fruits
Of the holy harvest-field,
Which will all its full abundance
At His second coming yield:
Then the golden ears of harvest
Will their heads before Him wave,
Ripened by His glorious sunshine
From the furrows of the grave.
Christ is risen, we are risen!
Shed upon us heavenly grace,
Rain and dew and gleams of glory
From the brightness of Thy face:
That we, with our hearts in heaven,
Here on earth may fruitful be,
And by angel-hands be gathered,
And be ever, Lord, with Thee.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Glory be to God on high;
Alleluia to the Saviour
Who has gained the victory;
Alleluia to the Spirit,
Fount of love and sanctity;
Alleluia! Alleluia!
To the Triune Majesty.
SONG: PSALM 103
Artist: Scottish Philharmonic Singers, Ian McCrorie (dir), John Langdon (organ)
Words/Music: Paraphrase by Barton/Anon
Recording: Abbey 282830
O thou my soul, bless God the Lord;
and all that in me is
Be stirred up his holy name
to magnify and bless.
Bless, O my soul, the Lord thy God,
and not forgetful be
Of all his gracious benefits
he hath bestow’d on thee.
All thine iniquities who doth
most graciously forgive:
Who thy diseases all and pains
doth heal, and thee relieve.
Who doth redeem thy life, that thou
to death may’st not go down;
Who thee with loving-kindness doth
and tender mercies crown:
Who with abundance of good things
doth satisfy thy mouth;
So that, ev’n as the eagle’s age,
renewed is thy youth.
SONG: HAIL, GLADDENING LIGHT
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir)
Words/Music: Anon trans John Keble/John Stainer
Recording: Hyperion 112102
Hail, gladdening Light, of his pure glory poured
who is the immortal Father, heavenly, blest,
hoIiest of holies, Jesus our Lord.
Now we are come to the sun's hour of rest,
the lights of evening round us shine,
we hymn the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit divine.
Worthiest art thou at all times to be sung with undefilèd tongue,
Son of our God, giver of life, alone:
therefore in all the world thy glories, Lord, they own.
SONG: HOLY SPRIT, EVER LIVING
Artist: Choir of All Saints Episcopal Church, Beverly Hills, Thomas Foster (dir), Craig Phillips (organ)
Words/Music: Timothy Rees/Cyril Taylor
Recording: Gothic 349074
Holy Spirit, ever living
As the Church's very life;
Holy Spirit, ever striving
Through us in a ceaseless strife;
Holy Spirit, ever forming
In the Church the mind of Christ;
Thee we praise with endless worship
For thy fruits and gifts unpriced.
Holy Spirit, ever working
Through the Church's ministry;
Quick'ning, strength'ning, and absolving,
Setting captive sinners free;
Holy Spirit, ever binding
Age to age and soul to soul
In communion never ending,
Thee we worship and extol.
SONG: GOD IS LOVE, LET HEAV’N ADORE HIM
Artist: Choir of Christ’s College, Cambridge, David Rowland (dir), Simon Jacobs (organ)
Words/Music: Timothy Rees/Anthony Caesar
Recording: Priory PRCD 721
God is love: let heaven adore him;
God is love: let earth rejoice;
let creation sing before him,
and exalt him with one voice.
He who laid the earth's foundation,
he who spread the heavens above,
he who breathes through all creation,
he is love eternal love.
God is love, and is enfolding
all the world in one embrace;
with unfailing grasp is holding
every child of every race;
and when human hearts are breaking
under sorrow's iron rod,
that same sorrow, that same aching
wrings with pain the heart of God,
God is love: and though with blindness
sin afflicts and clouds the will,
God's eternal loving-kindness
holds us fast and guides us still.
Sin and death and hell shall never
o'er us final triumph gain;
God is love, so Love for ever
o'er the universe must reign.
SONG: IN THE SWEET BY AND BY
Artist: Harding University Choir
Words/Music: Sanford Fillmore Bennett/Joseph Webster
Recording: Dallas Christian Sounds DCS 2008
There's a land that is fairer than day,
and by faith we may see it afar;
for the Father waits over the way
to prepare us a dwelling place there.
Refrain:
In the sweet by and by,
we shall meet on that beautiful shore;
in the sweet by and by,
we shall meet on that beautiful shore.
We shall sing on that beautiful shore
the melodious songs of the blest,
and our spirits shall sorrow no more,
not a sigh for the blessing of rest.
Refrain:
To our bountiful Father above,
we will offer our tribute of praise
for the glorious gift of His love,
and the blessings that hallow our days.
Refrain:
SONG: SHALL WE GATHER AT THE RIVER
Artist: Los Angeles Philharmonic Trombones
Words/Music: Robert Lowry
Recording: LA Philharmonic 2009
Shall we gather at the river,
Where bright angel feet have trod;
With its crystal tide forever
Flowing by the throne of God?
Refrain:
Yes, we’ll gather at the river,
the beautiful, the beautiful river
gathered with the saints at the river
that flows by the throne of God.
Soon we'll reach the shining river,
Soon our pilgrimage will cease;
Soon our happy hearts will quiver
With the melody of peace.
Refrain:
SONG: IN YOU WE LIVE
Artist: Keren Ooey, Flagstaff Community Choir
Words/Music: Sue Mepham
Recording: Flagstaff Community Church
Find the music for this song on the Flagstaff Community Church website
As in times gone past we tread the ancient pathway
leading to the eternal one
with a multitude we join in worship
voices raised in joyful song!
Refrain:
In you we live and have our being
Hallelujah, Hallelu
we breathe and move and have our being
Hallelujah!
Through seasons of our lives we walk with faithful rhythm
heart and hopes set on God
in the shadow lands and in the morning
we’re drawn towards the glorious Son!
Refrain:
In the days to come we’ll walk the path before us
when it’s clear and smooth or harsh and rough
and His mighty hands will lead and guide us
scarred hands that prove His sacred love.
Refrain:
SONG: SIYAHAMBA (WE ARE MARCHING IN THE LIGHT OF GOD)
Artist: American Spiritual Ensemble
Words/Music: Anon
Recording: American Spiritual Ensemble 2009
Siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos’,
siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos’.
Siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos’,
siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos’.
Siyahamba,
Siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos’.
Siyahamba,
Siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos'.
We are marching in the light of God,
we are marching in the light of God.
We are marching in the light of God,
we are marching in the light of God.
We are marching,
We are marching in the light of God.
We are marching,
We are marching in the light of God.
