Notes on the Notes – November 17, 2024

This week’s music:

“Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” (VU #333)     

“Love divine, all loves excelling, joy of heaven to earth come down,
Fix in us thy humble dwelling, all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, thou art all compassion, pure, unbounded love thou art;
Visit us with thy salvation, enter every trembling heart.

Come, almighty to deliver; let us all thy grace receive;
Suddenly return, and never, nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing, service thee as thy hosts above,
Pray, and praise thee, without ceasing, glory in thy perfect love.

Finish, then, thy new creation; pure and spotless let us be;
Let us see thy great salvation perfectly restored in thee,
Changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before thee, lost in wonder, love, and praise.”

This hymn was written by Charles Wesley in 1747.   Charles Wesley was an English leader of the Methodist movement, one of the founding faiths of the United Church of Canada.  Charles Wesley wrote over 6500 texts and was known as the “sweet singer of Methodism.”   The text is derived from John Dryden’s “Fairest Isle, all isles excelling” in Henry Purcell’s opera King Arthur (1691).  Note that in the third verse, we become the “new creation” as we are transformed from “glory into glory.”

Hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing this hymn at:  https://youtu.be/yRF4KKx7czU

“I, the Lord of Sea and Sky” (VU #509)

I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in deepest sin my hand will save.
I who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?

 Here I am, Lord.  Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.

 I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne my people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them;
They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone, give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak my word to them.
Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord.  Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will tend the poor and lame.
I well set a feast for them;
My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give my life to them.
Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord.  Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.”

This hymn was written by Dan Schutte in 1981.  “The stirring refrain is perhaps the first part of the hymn to capture the singer’s imagination.…“Here I Am, Lord” recalls immediately Isaiah 6:8: “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’”

An unusual attribute of this hymn is the change in point of view that the singer makes between the verses and the refrain. The verses speak from the perspective of God, while the refrain is from the perspective of the singers of the hymn offering their lives to God.

Each verse reflects a paradox. The powerful God, creator of “sea and sky,” “snow and rain” and “wind and flame” is also the God who hears the “people cry,” bears the “people’s pain” and “tend[s] the poor and lame.” This is a hymn of transformation. God transforms the darkness into light in stanza one, melts “hearts of stone” with love in stanza two and nourishes the “poor and lame” with the “finest bread.”

Each stanza ends with the question, “Whom shall I send?” … The refrain immediately offers the response, “Here I am, Lord.”…”  (Source: http://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-here-i-am-lord)

Original version of the song, sung by the songwriter, Dan Schutte:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBg-yDhM2KY

“Love Over Hate” 

“Love over hate, our sacred song.
Sing in our hearts our voices strong.
All of the earth, each place, faith,
each one belongs. 

You of my heart, You of my soul.
You are the Love that makes us whole.
You of my heart, You of my soul,
You are the Love that makes us whole.

Love over fear, our common dream.
Justice that flows, a mighty stream.
Kindness and mercy calling, 
for you and for me. 

You of my heart, You of my soul.
You are the Love that makes us whole.
You of my heart, You of my soul,
You are the Love that makes us whole.

Love over lies, our promise true.
Healing and hope held high anew.
Strengthen our lives with courage
to carry us through.

You of my heart, You of my soul.
You are the Love that makes us whole.
You of my heart, You of my soul,
You are the Love that makes us whole.”

The words for this song were written by John Oldham and Pat Mayberry in 2019 in response to the shootings of Muslims in New Zealand.  The lyrics remind us that, no matter our faith, God is love and we find our wholeness in God’s love.  The arrangement we are using is by David Kai (2019).

“Come to My Heart” (VU #661)

“Come to my heart, Lord Jesus; teach me to walk in your way.
Come to my heart, Lord Jesus; come to my heart today.
Give me the peace and joy that only you can bring.
Come to my heart, Lord Jesus; give me a song to sing.

Fill me with love, Lord Jesus; teach me to walk in your way.
Fill me with love, Lord Jesus; fill me with love today.
Give me the peace and joy that only you can bring.
Fill me with love, Lord Jesus; give me a song to sing.

Answer my prayer, Lord Jesus; teach me to walk in your way.
Answer my prayer, Lord Jesus; answer my prayer today.
Give me the peace and joy that only you can bring.
Answer my prayer, Lord Jesus; give me a song to sing.”

This song was written by Joe Pinson in 1979.  Its simple lyrics are an invitation for Jesus to be with us both now, during this time of worship, and as we go through life’s journey.

Hear the Harmony Singers (2021):

“Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow” (VU #541)

“Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise God, all creatures high and low;
Give thanks to God in love made known:
Creator, Word and Spirit, One.  Amen.”

The words for this traditional Doxology were written around 1674 by Thomas Ken, and updated for Voices United.   A Doxology is a short hymn of praise to God, which is often used as an offering response.  The music, OLD 100th, is from the Genevan Psalter (1551).

“The Church’s One Foundation” (VU #332)
Throughout the 100 year history of the United Church, both language and theology have undergone changes.  In order to keep up, yet still maintain our heritage, words are sometimes updated.  In the United Church hymn book, Voices United, we see the original version of this hymn at #332. This hymn was sung at the opening service of the United Church of Canada on June 10, 1925 and will be the version we are using this week. The original words are by Samuel John Stone (1866). The music is by Samuel Sebastian Wesley, grandson of Charles Wesley  (1864).   The hymn is based on the ninth article of the Apostles’ Creed, on “the Holy Catholic Church:  the Communion of Saints.”  It was written in 1866 in defense of the orthodox view of scriptural authority against the challenge to it.

“The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is his new creation by water and the word;
From heaven he came and sought her to be his holy bride;
With his own blood he bought her, and for her life he died.

Elect from every nation, yet one o’er all the earth,
her charter of salvation – one Lord, one faith, one birth,
one holy name she blesses, partakes one holy food,
and to one hope she presses, with every grace endued.

‘Mid toil and tribulation and tumult of her war,
she waits the consummation of peace for evermore,
till with the vision glorious her longing eyes are blest,
and the great church victorious shall be the church at rest.

Yet she on earth hath union with God the three in one,
and mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is won.
O happy ones and holy! Lord, give us grace that we,
like them, the meek and lowly, on high may dwell with thee.”

The updated version, with adaptations by Laurence Hull Stooley (1983) can be found at VU #331:

“The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ our Lord;
We are his new creation by water and the Word,
From heaven he came and sought us that we might ever be
His living servant people, by his own death set free…”

Hear the hymn with original lyrics at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKRmncbUMps

“Choral Amen” (VU #967)

“Amen, amen, amen.”

Our 3-fold choral amen is also referred to as the Danish Amen, although the composer is unknown.