Notes on the Notes – March 23, 2025
Lent 3
This week’s music:
“All Who are Thirsty” (MV #4)
“All who are thirsty
All who are weak
Come to the fountain
Dip your heart in the streams of life
Let the pain and the sorrow
Be washed away
In the waves of his mercy
As deep cries out to deep, we sing
Come Lord Jesus, come
Come Lord Jesus, come
Come Lord Jesus, come
Come Lord Jesus, come”
This song was written by Brenton Brown in 1998. In John 7:37b-39, Jesus said, “‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’
Are we thirsty? Humans inherently feel that there is something more to life than just living and dying, or gaining reputation and amassing great wealth. There is a deep hunger and thirst for some spiritual meaning in our lives. Jesus satisfies us. Through the lyrics of this song, all who are “thirsty” are invited to come, and Jesus will give us the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. Through this, we find meaning in and through our lives.
Hear the song at: https://yout-u.be/zviSoihOEHU
“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.
Hear the response at: “Don’t Be Afraid” WPUC
“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).
Hear the response at: “And When You Call for Me” WPUC
“All the Way My Saviour Leads Me” (VU #635)
“All the way my Saviour leads me, what have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt his tender mercy who through life has been my guide?
Heavenly peace, divinest comfort, here by faith in him to dwell,
For I know, whate’er befall me, Jesus doeth all things well.
All the way my Saviour leads me, cheers each winding path I tread,
Gives me grace for every trial, feeds me with the living bread.
Though my weary steps may falter, and my soul a-thirst may be,
Gushing from the rock before me, lo, a spring of joy I see!
All the way my Saviour leads me; O the fullness of his love!
Perfect rest to me is promised in my Father’s house above.
When my spirit, clothed, immortal, wings its flight to realms of day,
This my song through endless ages, “Jesus led me all the way!”
“All The Way My Savior Leads Me” was written by Fanny Crosby and is her statement of faith and trust that God, through Jesus, will always be with her. She sent the text to Robert Lowrey who composed the tune for it. It was first published in Chicago, in Brightest and Best (1875), a tune book for Sunday schools.
Hear The Haven Quartet at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEOtFEs0Jos
Hear Melody St Clair Randazzo at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9u38XpHI7Q&index=31&list=PLWfKlHQoDKDWVBl9mE90_wpU-WDjhrGqs
“Jesus, Take All of Me”
“Just as I am without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me.
And that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God I come, I come.
Just as I am Thou will receive,
Will welcome pardon, cleanse, relieve.
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God I come, I come.
Jesus, take all of me.
I come to You, I run to You.
There is nothing that You don’t see.
You love me just as I am.
Just as I am broken in two.
Just as I am, I come to You.
Because I know Your Word is true,
O Lamb of God I come, I come.
Jesus, take all of me.
I come to You, I run to You.
There is nothing that You don’t see.
You love me just as I am.
Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Has broken ev’ry barrier down.
Now to be Thine, yes, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God I come, I come.
I come,
O sweet Lamb of God, I come,
I come.”
This week’s anthem combines the hymn “Just as I Am” by Charlotte Elliott with new words and music by Brenton Brown and Amy Grant. We will be singing an arrangement of the song by Heather Sorenson (2012).
Although disabled at the age of thirty, Charlotte Elliott continued a long career of writing and editing. The text for “Just as I Am” was published in her Invalid’s Hymn Book in 1836. After her death, a file was found containing a thousand letters of thanks for this hymn. Her brother, Henry Venn Elliott, later commented that she had ministered to more people through this hymn than he had in the entire course of his ministry. The tune, WOODWORTH, was originally set to another hymn, but was subsequently printed with “Just as I Am” in 1860. The hymn resonates as we come before God in all of our imperfections, trusting in God’s love and ability to once again give us a “clean heart.”
Hear “Just as I Am” by The Vagle Brothers at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lxqhPC1mNA
Hear “Jesus Take all of Me” recorded by the Harmony Singers (2021)
“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).
“I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say” (VU #626)
“I heard the voice of Jesus say, ‘Come unto me and rest;
Lay down, O weary one, lay down your head upon my breast.’
I came to Jesus as I was, weary and worn and sad;
I found in him a resting place, and he has made me glad.
I heard the voice of Jesus say, ‘Behold, I freely give
The living water; thirsty one, stoop down, and drink, and live.’
I came to Jesus, and I drank of that life-giving stream;
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived, and now I live in him.
I heard the voice of Jesus say, ‘I am this dark world’s light;
Look unto me, your morn shall rise, and all your day be bright.’
I looked to Jesus, and I found in him my star, my sun;
And in that light of life I’ll walk till travelling days are done.”
Horatius Bonar wrote this hymn for his congregation at Kelso in the border district of Scotland, and gave it the title “The Voice from Galilee.” Through the 3 verses, Bonar shares the invitation to come to Jesus for sanctuary, renewal and direction. The tune is a traditional folk melody from England and Ireland. It was arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams for the English Hymnal (1906). The tune is named KINGSFOLD after the village in Surrey where Vaughan Williams collected the folk song.
Flute and harp instrumental http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34hdxri8qbk
“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.
Hear the song at: May the Christ Who Walks WPUC
