Notes on the Notes – March 9, 2025
Lent 1
This week’s music:
“Led by the Spirit”
“Led by the Spirit of our God, we go to fast and pray
With Christ into the wilderness; we join his Lenten way.
“Rend not your garments, rend your hearts. Turn back your lives to me.”
Thus says our kind and gracious God, whose reign is liberty.
Led by the Spirit, we confront temptation face to face,
And know full well we must rely on God’s redeeming grace.
On bread alone we cannot live, but nourished by the Word
We seek the will of God to do: this is our drink and food.
Led by the Spirit, now draw near the waters of rebirth
With hearts that long to worship God in spirit and in truth.
“Whoever drinks the drink I give shall never thirst again.”
Thus says the Lord who died for us, our Savior, kin and friend.
Led by the Spirit, now sing praise to God the Trinity;
The Source of Life, the living Word made flesh to set us free,
The Spirit blowing where it will to make us friends of God:
This myst’ry far beyond our reach, yet near in healing love.”
Our closing hymn is based on Joel 2:12-13; Matthew 4:1-4, Mark 1:12-15 and John 4:5-42 and was written by Bob Hurd in 1996. The melody is the traditional tune, KINGSFOLD, arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams in 1906. Through the lyrics we are reminded that we are never alone. We journey through times of trial and wilderness with God, with Christ, and with the Holy Spirit.
Hear the hymn at: https://youtu.be/C6KRhmCqvq8
“Don’t Be Afraid” (MV #90)
“Don’t be afraid.
My love is stronger,
my love is stronger than your fear.
Don’t be afraid.
My love is stronger
and I have promised, promised to be always near.”
The response for our Lenten candle liturgy is by John L. Bell and Graham Maule (1995) of the Iona Community in Scotland. Written in the voice of God, we are reminded of God’s love for us, even in times of fear and sorrow.
“And When You Call for Me” (MV #96)
“And when you call for me, I have already answered.
And when you call for me, I am already there.”
Our sung response to the Words of Assurance is also written from God’s perspective. We are assured that God is always there for us when we call. The song was written by Lynn Bauman in 2000, with music by Linnea Good (2004).
“Jesus, Tempted in the Desert” (VU #115)
Jesus, tempted in the desert; lonely, hungry, filled with dread:
“Use your power,” the tempter tells him, “Turn these barren rocks to bread!”
“Not alone by bread,” he answers, “Can the human heart be filled.
Only by the Word that calls us is our deepest hunger stilled!”
Jesus, tempted at the temple, high above its ancient wall:
“Throw yourself from lofty turret, angels wait to break your fall!”
Jesus shuns such empty marvels, feats that fickle crowds request:
“God, whose grace protects, reserves us, we must never vainly test.”
Jesus, tempted on the mountain by the lure of vast domain:
“Fall before me! Be my servant! Glory, fame, you’re sure to gain!”
Jesus sees the dazzling vision, turns his eyes another way:
“God alone deserves our homage! God alone will I obey!”
When we face temptations power, lonely, struggling, filled with dread,
Christ, who knew the tempter’s hour, come and be our living bread.
By your grace, protect, preserve us lest we fall, your trust betray.
Yours, above all other voices, be the Word we hear, obey.”
This text about the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness is from Herman Stuempfle’s The Word Goes Forth (1990.) While the first verses retell the story of Jesus, the closing verse is a prayer to Jesus to be with us as we face the modern temptations that separate us from God. The tune is the familiar BEACH SPRING, from The Sacred Harp (1844) with harmonization by Ronald A Nelson (1978).
“The Power of Your Love”
This week’s anthem was written by Geoff Bullock, a member of Australia’s Hillsong Church team. In 2006 Angelica Del Vasto of Worship Leader Magazine wrote about Bullock’s song “The Power of Your Love” that it “encompasses the listener with… the empowering conviction that the Creator of the universe has done, and is doing, everything to convey His love to us. It compels us to face our own weaknesses and then fall into the arms of God.” … Bullock acknowledged its (the song’s) influence on his later life, saying “so many of the songs that I had written [earlier] were given new meaning as I had to live out their inspiration. It is far easier writing a song than having to live out its words.”
“Lord I come to You
Let my heart be changed, renewed
Flowing from the grace
That i have found in You
And Lord I have come to know
The weaknesses I see in me
Will be stripped away
By the power of Your love
Hold me close
Let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to Your side
And as I wait
I will rise up like the eagle
And I will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love
Lord unveil my eyes
Let me see You face to face
The knowledge of Your love
As You live in me
And Lord renew my mind
As Your will unfolds in my life
In living every day
By the power of Your love…”
“These Lenten Gifts We Bring”
“These Lenten gifts we bring,
Our living faith expressed,
We offer them, most lovingly,
And thus our hearts are blessed.
O loving God receive
These gifts we gladly give,
That show our faith and hope and trust;
Your way we seek to live.”
Our Lenten offering response uses the tune FRANCONIA (VU #542), which was written by Johann Balthasar Konig (1738) and adapted by William Henry Havergal (1847).
“When We Gather at the Table” (MV #198)
“When we gather at the table wine is poured and bread is broken.
Then love claims us, offering healing, we hear welcome, gently spoken.
Come, invited, now draw nearer, join this holy celebration.
Here be strengthened, called to justice, living now God’s new creation.
Christ, your coming and your hosting gives us place at widening table
no embracing world and neighbour Spirit strong, by love enabled.”
Our communion hymn on this first Sunday in Lent was written by Walter Farquharson (1995), with music by Ron Klusmeier (2006). We will be using verses 1, 4 and 5.
“What a Friend We Have in Jesus” (VU #664)
“What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.
Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful, who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Christ the Saviour is our refuge; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do our friends despise, forsake us? Are we tempted to despair?
Jesus’ strength will shield our weakness, and we’ll find new courage there.”
The words for this hymn were originally written by Joseph M. Scriven in 1855 as a poem to comfort his ill mother who was living in Ireland while he was in Canada. He could not return to be with her, so he wrote a letter of comfort and enclosed this poem. Years later, one of Joseph’s friends discovered his poems and they were published in a book called Hymns and Other verses. The tune to the hymn was composed by Charles Crozat Converse in 1868.
Watch a video about the creation of the hymn at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKjUoE2fack
Hear the Voice of Praise Quartet at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XRmGEbH0qs
“May the Christ Who Walks on Wounded Feet”
“May the Christ who walks on wounded feet
Travel with you all your journey through.
May you see Christ’s face in all you meet
And may all you meet see Christ’s face in you.”
Our benediction response was written by Allan Baer in 2013 and arranged by S. Porter. The words are adapted from a traditional Celtic prayer.
