Notes on the Notes – February 3, 2019

This week’s scripture readings:

Jeremiah 1:4-10                         Luke 4:21-30

This week’s music:

“You, Creator God, Have Searched Me” (MV #131)

“You, Creator God, have searched me and you know my ways.
You perfectly understand me, It’s my cause of praise.
I cannot escape your presence in air, land or sea.
Your arms of love and protection are always with me.

You know me, O God, you have made me.
I am proud I’m the work of your hand.
In my waking and sleeping moments,
With my being I will praise your name.

You created light and darkness and you love them both.
You blessed the womb of my mother, you brought me to birth.
In your image and your likeness wonderfully made.
I will lift my voice to praise you, you are God indeed.”

This lively calypso song is by George Mulrain, ordained minister of the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and Americas.  The lyrics are a paraphrase of Psalm 139 and also reflect the sentiments of Jeremiah 1:5.  The arrangement we will be using was written for More Voices in 2007.

“All Creatures of Our God and King” (VU #217)

“All creatures of our God and King,
Lift up your voice and with us sing:
Hallelujah, hallelujah!
Bright burning sun with golden beam,
Soft shining moon with silver gleam,
Sing praises, sing praises,
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!

O rushing winds and breezes soft,
O clouds that ride the winds aloft,
Sing praises, hallelujah!
O rising morn, in praise rejoice;
O lights of evening, find a voice:
Sing praises, sing praises,
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!

Earth, ever fertile, day by day
Brings forth rich blessing on our way:
Sing praises, hallelujah!
The flowers and fruits that verdant grow,
Let them God’s glory also show:
Sing praises…

And everyone of tender heart,
Forgiving others, take your part:
Sing praises, hallelujah!
All who long pain and sorrow bear,
Praise God and yield up all your care:
Sing praises…

Let all things their Creator bless,
And worship God in humbleness:
Sing praises, hallelujah!
Praise God eternal, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, three in one:
Sing praises…”

All Creatures of Our God and King was written St. Francis of Assisi in 1225 in the Canticle of the Sun poem, which was based on Psalm 148.  William H. Draper translated the lyrics into English for a children’s festival in Leeds, England.  The exact date is unknown but is thought to be sometime between 1899 and 1919.  The hymn first appeared in the Public School Hymn Book in 1919.

The words are set to an Easter hymn, “Lasst uns erfreuen herzlich sehr“, which was published in 1623 by Friedrich Spee.  This tune became widespread in English hymn books starting with a 1906 arrangement by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

Hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing this hymn at:  https://youtu.be/nAXv8mGM4cQ

For fun:  Mr. Bean in Church – https://youtu.be/shIACXmg7Bc

“Let Us Serve Him”

“If we walk within His light He will guide each step we take.
He will keep us in His sight and bring us back if we go astray.
When the road is dark and cold we will have His hand to hold,
And if we put our trust in Him, we’ll see a brand new day begin.

Let us go and let us serve Him with a love for all to see.
Let us show that we have heard Him and we believe, yes we believe.

When we talk with Him in prayer He will hear each word we say.
When we’re safe within His care we know that He will show us the way.
There’s no need to live in fear for our God is always near.
Yes, He loves us ev’ry one and we must see His work is done.

Let us go and let us serve Him with a love for all to see.
Let us show that we have heard Him and we believe, yes we believe…”

This week’s anthem by Don Besig and Nancy Price reminds us that hearing God’s call needs to result in action on our part.  Trusting in God, we go out into the world to serve others.

“I Come With Joy” (VU #477)

“I come with joy, a child of God, forgiven, loved and free,
The life of Jesus to recall in love laid down for me,
In love laid down for me.

I come with Christians far and near to find, as all are fed,
The new community of love in Christ’s communion bread,
In Christ’s communion bread.

As Christ breaks bread, and bids us share, each proud division ends.
The love that made us, makes us one, and strangers now are friends,
And strangers now are friends.

The Spirit of the risen Christ, unseen, but ever near,
Is in such friendship better known, alive among us here,
Alive among us here.

Together met, together bound by all that God has done,
We’ll go with joy, to give the world the love that makes us one,
The love that makes us one.”

This song, one of Brian Wren’s most widely-published hymns, was written for the congregation at Hockley in Essex in 1968, at the end of a series of sermons on communion. It was first published in The Hymn Book (1971). The tune, DOVE OF PEACE, is an American folk tune from Southern Harmony (1835). The arrangement in Voices United is by Austin C. Lovelace.

Hear the melody played on piano at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMFLyMvOro4

“Jesus Came, a Child Like Me” (VU #583)

“Jesus came, a child like me, so the face of God I’d see,
God is not left far away, God is with us every day

Jesus came to show us all ways to answer our God’s call
Came to show us how to share, came to live with God’s own care.

Jesus came God’s work to do, came to live in me and you,
Came to turn the world around till God’s peace and love are found.

Jesus came to show God’s face, live God’s love, and be God’s grace.
God lives now in me, in you, God’s at work in what we do.

Live, Jesus, near us, live, Jesus, with us,
Live, Jesus, in us, come, live in us today.”

Walter Farquharson, a hymn writer and a former moderator of the United Church of Canada, submitted this new children’s hymn for Voices United (1987).    The tune, JESUS CAME, is by Richard D. Hall of Oshawa, Ontario, and was composed for this text.  The simple lyrics remind us of how Jesus came as the ultimate example of how to follow the call of God.  We also ask Jesus to be with us as we learn to answer God’s call.  Learn more about Walter Farquharson at:  http://www.musiklus.com/about-musiklus/authors/songs-for-worship-lyricist-walter-farquharson

To ponder:

Jesus invites us to see things differently.

How might you practice that today?