Notes on the Notes – July 7, 2019

Welcome!

This week we will begin our journey through the book of Revelation.
Service time is 10:30 a.m. at Windsor Park United, 1062 Autumnwood Drive.

The Book of Revelation

Revelation 1:1-20

This week’s music:

As we start our look at the prologue to the book of Revelation, we are introduced to the testimony of John.  Today’s music especially references verses 7 and 8:

⁸ “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

“Song of Praise to the Holy Trinity” (VU #894)

“Holy God, we praise your name;
God of all, we bow before you.
All on earth your sceptre claim;
All in heaven above adore you.
Infinite your vast domain;
Everlasting is your reign.

Hark, the glad celestial hymn angel choirs above are raising;
Cherubim and seraphim, in unceasing chorus praising,
Fill the heavens with sweet accord:
“Holy, holy, holy Lord.”

Lo, the apostolic train join your sacred name to hallow;
Prophets swell the glad refrain, and the white-robed martyrs follow;
And from morn till set of sun through the Church the song goes on.

Glory through eternity:
Spirit, Word, and blest Creator.
God of gracious tenderness,
At your feet we sinners gather;
Light and mercy, now, we pray,
Give your people for this day.”

The words for this hymn are a version of the Te Deum Laudamus.  The words have come from German (1771) to French (1817) to English (1853) with verse 4 added in 1987 by Gerald Hobbs.  The hymn tune GROSSER GOTT  was written in 1774.

“Of the Father’s Love Begotten” (VU #61)

“Of the Father’s love begotten ere the worlds began to be,
Christ is Alpha and Omega,
Christ the source, the ending he,
Of the things that are and have been;
And that future years shall see,
Evermore and evermore.

At his word the worlds were framed,
He commanded, it was done:
Heaven and earth and depths of ocean
In their threefold order one;
All that grows beneath the shining of the moon and burning sun,
Evermore and evermore.

O that birth forever blessed!
When the Virgin, full of grace,
By the Holy Ghost conceiving,
Bare the Saviour of our race,
And the babe, the world’s redeemer,
First revealed his sacred face,
Evermore and evermore.

This is he whom seers in old time chanted of with one accord,
Whom the voices of the prophets promised in their faithful word,
Now he shines, the long-expected;
Let creation praise its Lord,
Evermore and evermore.

O ye heights of heaven, adore him;
Angel hosts, his praises sing;
Powers, dominions, bow before him,
And extol our God and King;
Let no tongue on earth be silent,
Every voice in concert ring,
Evermore and evermore.

Christ, to thee, with God most blessed,
And, O Holy Ghost, to thee,
Hymn and chant and high thanksgiving and unwearied praises be,
Honour, glory, and dominion and eternal victory,
Evermore and evermore.”

This hymn is from the Cathermerinon, a collection of twelve daily hymns for private devotion written by Prudentius in the 5th century.  The arrangement of this plainsong melody is by Healey Willan (1933).

Hear the hymn at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOF9JLJkPis

“Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending” (VU #25)

“Lo, he comes with clouds descending,
See the Lamb for sinners slain!
Thousand, thousand saints attending join to sing the glad refrain:
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!
God appears on earth to reign.

Every eye shall then behold you,
Robed in awesome majesty;
All who jeered, and mocked, and sold you;
Pierced, and nailed you to the tree,
Deeply grieving, deeply grieving, deeply grieving,
Shall the true Messiah see.

Now redemption, long-expected see in solemn pomp appear;
All the saints, by us rejected, thrill the trumpet sound to hear:
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, hallelujah!
See the day of God appear!

Yea! Amen! Let all adore you,
High on your eternal throne;
Crowns and empires all before you,
Claim the kingdom for your own;
O come quickly! O come quickly! O come quickly!
Everlasting Christ, come down.”

The text for this hymn was written by John Cennick in 1750, revised by Charles Wesley in 1758 and modified by Martin Mada in 1769.  HELMSLEY is an 18th-century English tune, attributed to Thomas Olivers.

Hear the hymn at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en0sv1jeDws

“Be Unto Your Name”

“We are a moment, You are forever,
Lord of the ages, God before time.
We are a vapor, You are eternal,
Love everlasting, reigning on high.

Holy, holy, Lord God Almighty.
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain.
Highest praises, honor and glory
Be unto Your name, be unto Your name.

We are the broken, You are the healer,
Jesus, Redeemer, mighty to save.
You are the love song we’ll sing forever,
Bowing before You, blessing Your name.

Holy, holy, Lord God Almighty.
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain.
Highest praises, honor and glory
Be unto Your name, be unto Your name.” 

This praise and worship song was written by Lynn DeShazo and Gary Sadler in 1998.  Hear the song at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkPzszRJIBg

“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 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).

“Halle, Halle, Hallelujah” (VU #958)

“Halle, halle, hallelujah!
Halle, halle, hallelujah!
Halle, halle, hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!”

This traditional liturgical text is set to music by the Iona Community (1990). We will be using it during the month of July as our benediction response.