Notes on the Notes – January 5, 2025

Second Sunday after Christmas

Epiphany Sunday

This week’s music: 

“As With Gladness Men of Old” (VU #81)

“As with gladness men of old did the guiding star behold,
As with joy they hailed its light, leading onward, beaming bright,
So, most gracious Lord, may we evermore your splendour see.

As with joyful steps they sped, to that lowly manger bed,
There to bend the knee before Christ, whom heaven and earth adore;
So may we with eager pace ever seek your throne of grace.

As they offered gifts most rare at that manger crude and bare,
So may we with holy joy, pure and free from sin’s alloy,
All our costliest treasures bring, Christ, to you, our heavenly King.

Holy Jesus, every day keep us in the narrow way;
And, when earthly things are past, bring our ransomed souls at last
Where they need no star to guide, where no clouds your glory hide.

In the heavenly country bright none shall need created light;
You its light, its joy, its crown, you its sun which goes not down;
There forever may we sing hallelujah to our King.”

William Dix, an insurance adjuster and amateur hymn-writer, wrote this song in 1858 after hearing the Epiphany Gospel.  The text is based upon Matthew 2:9-11 and Dix first published it in his own collection called Hymns of Love and Joy.   W.H. Monk adapted the tune from a 19th-century German choral specifically for this text and published it in the first edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern (1861).

Hear the hymn played on pipe organ at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97wIbDRAJwU

“Gloria” (VU #37)

“Gloria, gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, gloria, alleluia, alleluia.

Glory to God, glory to God, glory in the highest!
Glory to God, glory to God, hallelujah, hallelujah!”

This music was written by Jacques Berthier for the Taize Community.  The English text by R. Gerald Hobbs and the music arrangement by Darryl Nixon were prepared for Songs for a Gospel People (1987).  We will be using it as a response to the Words of Assurance.

“A Light is Gleaming” (VU #82)

“A light is gleaming,
Spreading its arms throughout the night,
Living in the light.
Come share its gladness,
God’s radiant love is burning bright,
Living in the light.

When light comes pouring into the darkest place,
It hurts our eyes to see the glow.
Sometimes a word of hope reminds us of our fears,
Our memories and tears...

When night is round us and every shadow grows,
A star is there to light our way.
It tells a story of Jesus who came near to say:
“God’s light will ever stay.”…

And Jesus showed us a brighter path to walk.
He showed us things we hadn’t seen.
Now we, like Jesus, can help creation shine,
And this will be a sign:…

So let us live in the brightness God has giv’n,
And let us rise to see the dawn.
We trust that God is here a-sparkle and ablaze,
Warming all our days.

A light is gleaming,
Spreading its arms throughout the night,
Living in the light.
Come share its gladness,
God’s radiant love is burning bright,
Living in the light.“

The words of this beautiful song remind us that Jesus is the light and that, through following his way, we too can be a light in the world.  The song was first published in 1992 in Stickpeople, a collection of songs by the Canadian composer Linnea Good.

Hear Linnea Good sing the song: https://youtu.be/R_OKm5MwMK8

“Will You Come and See the Light” (VU #96)

“Will you come and see the light from the stable door?
It is shining newly bright, though it shone before.
It will be your guiding star, it will show you who you are;
Will you hide, or decide to meet the light?

Will you step into the light that can free the slave?
It will stand for what is right, it will heal and save.
By the pyramids of greed there’s a longing to be freed;
Will you hide, or decide to meet the light?

Will you tell about the light in the prison cell?
Though it’s shackled out of sight, it is shining well.
When the truth is cut and bruised, and the innocent abused,
Will you hide or decide to meet the light?

Will you join the hope, alight in the young girl’s eyes,
of the mighty put to flight by a baby’s cries?
When the lowest and the least are the foremost at the feast,
Will you hide, or decide to meet the light? 

Will you travel by the light of the babe new born?
In the candle lit at night there’s a gleam of dawn,
And the darkness all about is too dim to put it out;
Will you hide, or decide to meet the light?”

Brian Wren has called upon his experience working for Third World aid and development projects to write this hymn, which is an invitation in song.  He chose the Scottish fold tune KELVINGROVE as the setting for his text.  It was arranged by Valerie Ruddle, a British music teacher, composer and author.  The first three lines of each verse describe Jesus – the light – and what it means to be a follower.   First we are challenged to see, then step into, and finally, to travel by the light as we journey through our lives. The final line of each verse is both a challenge and an invitation for each of us as we move through the season of Epiphany.
Hear the song on piano at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN-_eAK6CJo

“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 season of Epiphany 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).

“On this Day of Celebration”

“On this day of celebration, at this time when hopes are new,
God, we gather as your people, called to put our trust in you.
You have made the world we live in; you have worked through history.
In your plan we find our purpose, in your love, our unity.

Long ago, you sent our Savior to this world in deep despair.
In your Word made flesh you came, our life to know, our sins to bear.
Christ has died and Christ is risen! At this new year we proclaim:
Yesterday, today, forever — Jesus Christ is still the same!

Through two thousand years of changes, through these passing centuries,
You have called your church to witness to Christ’s love that claims and frees.
Each new generation hears you, each must find a fresh new way
To make known the life you offer, to the people in their day.

On this day, we pause and wonder what the future years will bring,
Yet we know you clothe each flower and you make each sparrow sing.
How much more will you protect us with your guiding, caring hand!
By your Spirit, lead us boldly in the future you have planned.”

The words for our closing hymn are by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette (1999).  This New Year’s hymn reminds us to trust that God has made the world and has worked though time.  Our role is to hear God’s word and witness to God in the world as we move to the future.  The tune we will be using is “HYMN TO JOY” by Beethoven (1824).

“O Radiant Christ, Incarnate Word” (VU #84 v.4)

O Light of Nations, fill the earth;
Our faith and hope and love renew.
Come, lead the peoples to your peace,
As stars once led the way to you.

We will be using the fourth verse of the hymn “O Radiant Christ, Incarnate Word” as our benediction response this week. The words were written by Ruth Duck (1991).