Notes on the Notes – April 7, 2024

Second Sunday of Easter

This Week’s Music:

“This is the Day That God Has Made” (VU #175)

“This is the day that God had made!
Rejoice! Rejoice, and be exceeding glad!
This is the day that God has made!
Rejoice! Rejoice! Hallelujah!

Christ has conquered death at last,
Left the tomb that held him fast!
Gone the sorrow, gone the night,
Dawns the morning clear and bright!

Jesus lives who once was dead,
Lives forever, as he said!
Risen now our Saviour, King;
Songs of gladness let us sing!”

As we open our worship on this second Sunday of the Easter season, we sing this joyful Easter song, written by American composer Natalie Sleeth in 1976.   The words reference Psalm 118:24.

“Alleluia” (MV #50)

“Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.”

Our sung response to the Words of Assurance has music written by Norah Duncan IV (1987).

“Through the Walls”

“Through the walls of fear and doubt,
Come, Jesus, come.
Though we try to keep you out,
Come, Jesus, come.
Death had claimed you for its own,
Till God rolled away the stone.
Holy One, we need you now –
Break through these walls.

Through the walls of deepest night,
Come, Jesus, come.
Break our shadows by your light;
Come, Jesus, come.
Breathe upon us with your peace;
Bid our fears and sorrows cease.
Holy One, we need you now –
Break through these walls. 

Through the walls that separate, 
Come, Jesus, come;
Walls we’ve built of greed and hate,
Come, Jesus, come.
Bring you life into our death;
Grant us peace with ev’ry breath.
Holy One, we need you now –
Break through these walls. 

Through the walls we yet must face,
Come, Jesus, come.
Hold us in your strong embrace;
Come Jesus, come.
Nothing can keep us apart:
You have bound us heart to heart. 
Holy One, we need you now –
Break through these walls. “

Following the story of Thomas and Jesus, this hymn asks Jesus to come and break through the walls that exist in our world today.   The text for this hymn was written by Chris Shelton, with music by Sally Ann Morris (2020).

“Yearning for a Place”

“Yearning for a place to thrive in, one that we can call our home,
Where we find our peace in family and return to when we roam:
It will fill us with belonging; there our injuries can heal.
Then may Christ reside within us and in trials with which we deal.

Do we notice there are others, homeless, sleeping on the street,
Forced to live in carboard boxes, scrambling for enough to eat?
Trapped by illness or addiction, often battered by abuse;
Lonely souls who’ve been excluded, turned from friend into recluse.

So, wherever chance may take us, work for good in where we dwell.
Forge a space where all are welcome and indifference, dispel.
Could not we who live in comfort lend our hand to those in need?
Jesus, who could find no shelter, looks to us to intercede.”

This week’s anthem was written by Allan Baer (2022), and is arranged by S. Porter.  Allan says of the song,

“When grown children move away, they leave behind so much. That mainly involves memories, but almost always there are physical remnants – old toys, trophies, school projects, collections of assorted rocks and knickknacks. Yet it’s not these “belongings” that make our home, but rather the feeling of our belonging there. I was reminded of this over a holiday season when our children returned home for the usual festivities. My wife presented them with boxes of “stuff” that they needed to take ownership of or discard. Even if everything ended up in the trash, there was still a place to come home to. That’s not always a physical location. In our many moves from city to city, finding a church has been important in re-establishing our roots. And in the last decade, my elderly mother has had to downsize to a smaller place, yet it still feels like coming “home” when I visit her in my hometown. Not everyone is so fortunate to have such a place – it’s something both the homeless or the immigrant often lack or are barred from. Surely we can find ways to be generous to those not so fortunate. Jesus describes how he had no place to rest. Yet he also describes how he wished to “make a home” in us, which I take to mean radiating the same love and acceptance that he did – buildings not required. As it is said, “home is where the heart is”, and everyone deserves a home.”

“Grant Us, God, the Grace of Giving” (VU #540)

“Grant Us, God, the grace of giving,
With a spirit large and free,
That ourselves and all our living
We may offer faithfully.”

The text of our offering response for the Easter season comes from the Mennonite hymn book, “Hymnal: a Worship Book.” The tune is a familiar one which is also used for the Advent hymn “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus”  (VU #2).

“Called as Partners in Christ’s service”

“Called as partners in Christ’s service,
Called to ministries of grace,
We respond with deep commitment
Fresh new lines of faith to trace.
May we learn the art of sharing,
Side by side and friend with friend,
Equal partners in our caring
To fulfill God’s chosen end.

Christ’s example, Christ’s inspiring,
Christ’s clear call to work and worth,
Let us follow, never faltering,
Reconciling folk on earth.
Men and women, richer, poorer,
All God’s people, young and old,
Blending human skills together
Gracious gifts from God unfold.

Thus, new patterns for Christ’s mission,
In a small or global sense,
Help us bear each other’s burdens,
Breaking down each wall or fence.
Words of comfort, words of vision,
Words of challenge, said with care,
Bring new power and strength for action,
Make us colleagues, free and fair. 

So, God grant us for tomorrow
Ways to order human life
That surround each person’s sorrow
With a calm that conquers strife.
Make us partners in our living,
Our compassion to increase,
Messengers of faith, thus giving
Hope and confidence and peace.”

This hymn was written by Jane Parker Huber.   The words are a commissioning to go into the world with a deep commitment to live the life of a follower of Jesus, bringing our faith into all of our actions.
The tune for the hymn is BEECHER, composed by John Zundel in 1870 and can be found at VU 528 with a different set of words.

Hear the hymn sung in worship at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo_SV0r5IHs

“Amen” (VU #974)

“Amen, amen, hallelujah, amen!
Amen, amen, hallelujah, amen!”

Our benediction response was written by Jim Strathdee (1985).