Notes on the Notes – April 4, 2021

Easter Sunday

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…

But the pains which he endured,…
Our salvation have procured;…
Now above the sky he’s King,…
Where the angels ever sing…

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 fourth 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.   The descant was written by Derek Holman in 1971.

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

“He is Lord”

“He is Lord!  He is Lord!  He is risen from the dead and He is Lord!
Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!”

The author and composer of this traditional Easter response are unknown.

“Hallelujah, Resurrection Morning”

“Hallelujah!  Resurrection morning!  The stone is rolled away.
Hallelujah!  Resurrection morning!  The dawn of Easter Day.

Hallelujah!  The stone is rolled away!
Hallelujah!  The dawn of Easter Day, Easter Day.

Hallelujah!  Resurrection morning!
The stone is rolled away!

Hallelujah!  Resurrection morning!
The battle’s over and done!
Hallelujah!  Resurrection morning!
The victory is won.

Hallelujah!  The battle’s over and done.
Hallelujah!  The victory is won, vict’ry’s won!

Hallelujah!  Resurrection morning!  The battle’s over and done.

Our Lord is risen, risen indeed!
Our Lord is risen, risen indeed!
From death and bondage, our Lord is freed!

Hallelujah!  Resurrection morning! The saints rejoice and sing.
Hallelujah!  Resurrection morning!  The earth and heavens ring.

Hallelujah!  The saints rejoice and sing!
Hallelujah!  The earth and heavens, earth and heavens ring!

Hallelujah!  Resurrection morning!  The saints rejoice and sing.
Let earth and heaven ring!
This is the dawn of Easter Day!

This joyful anthem celebrating the resurrection was written by Mary Kay Beall and Lloyd Larson.

“Joy Comes with the Dawn” (VU #166 v3)

“Joy comes with the dawn;
Joy comes with the morning sun;
Joy springs from the tomb and scatters the night with her song,
Joy comes with the dawn.

We will rejoice,
We will rejoice, and give praise, to the One who brings us grace.

Joy comes with the dawn;
Joy comes with the morning sun;
Joy springs from the tomb and scatters the night with her song,
Joy comes with the dawn.”

We will be using the third verse of this Easter hymn by Gordon Light (1985) during the serving of communion.

“Happy Day”

“Greatest day in history;
Death is beaten, You have rescued me.
Sing it out, Jesus is alive.
Empty cross, the empty grave,
Life eternal, You have won the day.
Shout it out: Jesus is alive,
He’s alive.

And oh, happy day, happy day,
You’ve washed my sin away.
Oh, happy day, happy day,
I’ll never be the same.

Forever I am changed.

When I stand in that place,
Free at last, meeting face to face.
I am Yours, Jesus, You are mine.
Endless joy, perfect peace,
Earthly pain finally will cease.
Celebrate, Jesus is alive,
He’s alive.

And oh, happy day, happy day,
You’ve washed my sin away.
Oh, happy day, happy day,
I’ll never be the same.

Forever I am changed.

Oh, what a glorious day,
What a glorious Way
That You have saved me.
And oh, what a glorious day,
What a glorious name.
Hey!

And oh, happy day, happy day,
You’ve washed my sin away.
Oh, happy day, happy day,
I’ll never be the same.

Forever I am changed.

I’ll never be the same.”

Our closing song is written by Tim Hughes (2007).  The lyrics celebrated the joy of knowing the Risen Christ.
See the song at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOiIW8nrw5g

“Christ is Alive” (VU #158 v5)

“Christ is alive, and comes to bring good news to this and every age,
till earth and sky and ocean ring with joy, with justice, love and praise.”

The words for this hymn were written by Brian Wren in 1968.  He says “It was written for Easter Sunday, two weeks after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  I could not let Easter go by without speaking of this tragic event which was on all our minds.  The hymn tries to see God’s love winning over tragedy and suffering in the world.  There is tension and tragedy in these words, not just a howl of Easter rejoicing.”  This hymn was first sung on Easter Sunday, 1968.  The author has revised the text several times, most recently in 1993, in response to changes in theological thinking and in the language of hymns.  The words are sung to TRURO, and anonymous melody from the second volume of Psalmodia Evangelica (1789) compiled by Thomas Williams.  We will be using the last verse of the hymn as our benediction response.

Bonus video: