Notes on the Notes – April 17, 2022 – Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday

Communion

This week’s music: 

“Jesus Christ is Risen Today” (VU #155)

Jesus Christ is risen today, hallelujah!
Our triumphant holy day, hallelujah!
Who did once upon the cross, hallelujah!
Suffer to redeem our loss.  Hallelujah!

Hymns of praise then let us sing…
Unto Christ, our heavenly King,…
Who endured the cross and grave,…
Sinners to redeem and save…

Sing we to our God above…
Praise eternal as God’s love;…
Praise our God, ye heavenly host,…
Praise the Son and Holy Ghost.  Hallelujah!

This triumphant Easter carol appears in several 14th-century manuscripts, and has been revised and added to over the centuries, with the closing verse being written by Charles Wesley in 1740.   The tune, EASTER HYMN, is a model of the new hymnody that was being introduced to English congregations at the beginning of the 18th century.

See the King’s College Choir at:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMwPEmUMP7U

“Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Give Thanks” (VU #179)

“Hallelujah, hallelujah. Give thanks to the risen Christ.
Hallelujah, hallelujah. Give praise to God’s name.

Jesus is Lord of all the earth,
Firstborn of all creation.

Hallelujah…

Spread the good news o’er all the earth:
Jesus has died and is risen.

Hallelujah….

We have been crucified with Christ,
Now we shall live forever.

Hallelujah…

Come let us praise the living God,
Joyfully sing to our Saviour.

Hallelujah…”

The text of this hymn is a series of paraphrases from the letters of Paul.  The words and music are by Donald Fishel (1971) with descant by Betty Pulkingman (1987).   Darryl Nixon created this arrangement for publication in the United Church hymn supplement Songs for a Gospel People (1987).

See the hymn sung in worship at Strathroy United Church at:  https://youtu.be/0GWSdq8GVG8

“We Have Seen Him”

“It was still dark when we arrived
And found the stone was rolled away;
It seemed beyond belief to find;
We felt discouraged and betrayed.
John and Peter rushed to see;
They had forgotten that he said:
A resurrection there would be,
And Christ would rise up from the dead.

For we have seen him,
And he had risen from the dead.
We did not find him lying in the tomb,
We found him full of life instead.
And we obeyed him,
For he sent us here to you,
And the world will be forever changed, 
For we have seen him. 

As Mary wept in misty light
With sorrow filling her within,
Two angels dressed in purest white
Brought hope that Christ would live again.
She thought she heard someone, and turned
To ask if they knew where he was.
And then her heart within her burned,
And joy returned to her because

We have seen him,
And he had risen from the dead.
We did not find him lying in the tomb,
We found him full of life instead.
And we obeyed him,
For he sent us here to you,
And the world will be forever changed, 
For we have seen him. 
And the world will be forever changed, 
For we have seen him. 
We have seen the Lord.”

This week’s anthem by Stan Pethel (2001) is a retelling of the Easter story from the perspective of the women at the tomb.

“Because You Live O Christ” (VU #178) 

“Because you live, O Christ, the garden of the world has come to flower,
The darkness of the tomb is flooded with your resurrection power.

The stone has rolled away and death cannot imprison.
O sing this Easter Day, for Jesus Christ has risen,
Has risen, has risen, has risen!

Because you live, O Christ, the spirit bird of hope is freed for flying,
Our cages of despair no longer keep us closed and life-denying.

Because you live, O Christ, the rainbow of your peace will span creation,
The colours of your love will draw al human kind to adoration.” 

Shirley Erena Murray, a New Zealand hymn writer, wrote this strong new hymn to provide an alternative Easter text for the tune VRUECHTEN.  “I wanted a fresh expression of community joyfulness, with light, color, and the vision of the covenant rainbow through the Resurrection.”  (Shirley Erena Murray).  The hymn is published in her collection, In Every Corner Sing (1992).

“Amen” (VU #974)

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

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