Notes on the Notes – March 28, 2016 – Easter Sunday

Hungering and Thirsting for Good News

This week’s scripture readings:

Acts 10: 34-36

Psalm 118: 23-24

Luke 24: 1-12

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 Easter carol appears in several 14th-century manuscripts.  Verse 1 is taken from a translation of the Latin text as published in 1708.  Verses two and three were rewritten in 1749 and 1753.  The fourth verse is by Charles Wesley (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

“Celebrate the Life of Jesus”

“Let us celebrate the life of Jesus,
Let us celebrate the life of Jesus.
Let us celebrate the life of Christ, the Lord, our Savior and our King.

See Him in a stable, on a bed of hay,
Christ, the Lord, was born to save us all on Christmas day.
See Him in the temple, just a boy of twelve.
Teachers heard Him speak and found that they could learn as well.

Let us celebrate the life of Jesus…

See Him on a roadside down in Galilee,
Where the Master told the lame to walk and blind to see.
See Him on the mountain preaching through the day.
Jesus taught them how to trust in God and how to pray.

Let us celebrate the life of Jesus…

See Him on the hillside, there on Calvary,
Where He gave His life upon a cross to set us free.
See the morning sunrise,
See the empty grave!
Jesus conquered death and sin and rose on Easter day!

Let us celebrate the life of Jesus…!”

This anthem, written by Don Besig and Nancy Price in 1999, gives us an overview of the life and work of Jesus, culminating in the resurrection on Easter day.

“This is the Day That God Has Made” (VU #175)

“This is the day that God had made!
Rejoice! Rejoice, and be exceeding glad!
This is the day that God has made!
Rejoice! Rejoice! Hallelujah!

Christ has conquered death at last,
Left the tomb that held him fast!
Gone the sorrow, gone the night,
Dawns the morning clear and bright!

Jesus lives who once was dead,
Lives forever, as he said!
Risen now our Saviour, King;
Songs of gladness let us sing!”

This youth-oriented Easter song was written by American composer Natalie Sleeth in 1976.  Sleeth was born on October 29, 1930 in Evanston, IL.   Among her other published works, “In the Bulb there is a Flower” (“Hymn of Promise”) has become one of her most popular compositions both as a hymn and as an anthem.   An organist, she wrote over 180 highly successful selections for church and school.  At age 62, at the height of her career, she died of cancer on March 21, 1992 in Denver, Colorado.

“Jesus is Lord”

“Jesus is Lord, he’s King of kings,
Glorious in majesty and power,
Yet he gave up his throne fulfilling God’s own plan.
Perfect Son of God with a love above all loves humbled himself.
He took the form of a man.

Let us live like Christ. Show compassion, share his love,
Being on in the spirit with the Lord.
Let us fix our eyes on him. He’s the author of our faith.
Take your comfort in this love he has for you.

Jesus is Lord,…

The Son of God gave his life to save us all
He endured the cross and its shame.
As a servant he lived, as a sacrifice he died.
He’s alive and we proclaim him Lord of life.

Jesus is Lord,…

Now God has exalted his Son to reign on high.
Gave him a name above all names.
That at his name every knee shall bow.
Let every tongue confess that he is Lord.
He is Lord!

Jesus is Lord,…

Glory be to God the Father, Jesus Christ is Lord.
Jesus is Lord, he is Lord!”

Agnes-Marie Lockie wrote this anthem in 2003.  It is based on Phillipians 2:1-11.

“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!”

This traditional Easter response will be our offering response for the season of Easter.  The author and composer are unknown.

“Thine is the Glory” (VU #173)

“Thine is the glory, risen, conquering Son:
Endless is the victory thou o’er death hast won.

Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,
Kept the folded grave-clothes where the body lay.

Thine is the glory…

Lo, Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb!
Lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom.
Let the church with gladness hymns of triumph sing,
For the Lord now liveth: death has lost its sting.

Thine is the glory…

No more we doubt thee, glorious Prince of life;
Life is nought without thee: aid us in our strife;
Make us more than conquerors, through thy deathless love;
Bring us safe through Jordan to thy home above.

Thine is the glory…”

The French hymn “A toi la gloire” may have been derived from an earlier German Advent hymn set to this tune.  The French text was first published in Chantes evangeliques (1885), with the words attributed to Edmond Louis Budry.  Richard Birch Hoyle translated the French text into English in 1924.  The tune is derived from the chorus “See the conquering hero comes” in Handel’s oratorio Judas Maccabaeus (1747).  The hymn is also known as “Thine Be the Glory.”

Hear a choral version at: https://youtu.be/gZz5fO2e1Cc 

Hear the hymn on organ at: https://youtu.be/YZJL8pwLu8A

Happy Easter!