Notes on the Notes – September 26, 2021

Fourth Sunday of Creation/Baptism

“Mountain Top Experiences”

This Week’s Music:

“O Beautiful Gaia” (MV #41)

“O beautiful Gaia, O Gaia, calling us home.
O beautiful Gaia, calling us on.”

The term Gaia (guy-ah) represents “Mother Earth,” inviting us to live into our care and respect for all creation. It asks us to consider our relationship to the earth in the context of our faith. We will be using the chorus of this song by Carolyn McDade (2006) as our sung response after the lighting of the Christ candle during the season of Creation. The musical arrangement is by Lydia Pedersen (2006).

“The River is Here”

“Down the mountain the river flows and it brings refreshing wherever it goes.
Through the valleys and over the fields the river is rushing and the river is here.

The river of God sets our feet a-dancing,
The river of God fills our hearts with cheer.
The river of God fills our mouths with laughter,
And we rejoice for the river is here.

The river of God is teeming with life and all who touch it can be revived;
And those who linger on this river’s shore will come back thirsting for more of the Lord.

The river of God sets our feet a-dancing,
The river of God fills our hearts with cheer.
The river of God fills our mouths with laughter,
And we rejoice for the river is here.

Up to the mountain we love to go to find the presence of the Lord.
Along the banks of the river we run – we dance with laughter giving praise to the Son.

The river of God sets our feet a-dancing,
The river of God fills our hearts with cheer.
The river of God fills our mouths with laughter,
And we rejoice for the river is here.”

Andy Park wrote this song in 1994. Mountains are mentioned frequently in the Bible because they dotted the landscape where the stories in the Bible take place. As a result, mountains and hills are mentioned more than 500 times in Scripture. Mountains had a logical religious symbolism for Jewish and Christian cultures since they are “closer to God” who dwells in the heavens (as in the sky). As a result, God often reveals himself on a mountaintop.

See the song interpreted through dance at:  https://youtu.be/rbs0sAgG2s8

“Soil of God, You and I” (MV #174) 

“Soil of God, you and I, stand ready to bear
Seeds of faith nourished by God’s tender care.
Growing in everyone for here God is found.
All stand together, we are…
Holy ground.

Soil of God, you and I, now ready to be
Part of God’s promise, for others to see.
Open to everyone for here God is found.
All stand together, we are…
Holy ground.

Soil of God, you and I, now called to rebirth,
Joining as partners with all of the earth.
Living in harmony for here God is found.
All stand together, this is…
Holy ground.”

This hymn by jim hannah (1995) reminds us of our role in God’s creation using the metaphors of soil and planting.   First, the seed of faith is planted and nourished.  Then, the growth of our faith is seen and shared with others.  And finally, we find our place within all of God’s creation – for when we become a true part of the Creation, we find God.  The phrase “holy ground” is found only twice in the Bible, once in the Old Testament and once in the New. God first identified the area in which He met with Moses on Mount Horeb (Sinai) as holy ground. It was there that God commanded Moses to go to Pharaoh and demand that he let the people go from bondage to Egypt.  It was not that the actual ground on which Moses stood was holy; rather, it was the presence of the holy God that made it holy.

“Remember” 

“Remember when our earth was green and gently fell the rain,
When rivers sang their sweetest songs, renewing earth again?

Remember when the forests walked on mountain and on plain,
And shared with us their living breath, our planet to sustain?

Remember when we closed our minds and watched earth slowly die,
When science talked of climate change and we the truth denied?

Today we have a chance to change our act of heart and mind,
A chance to live in harmony, with earth and humankind.

Today we offer open hands and cradle earth with care;
We choose to live sustainably, abundant life to share.

To share a plentitude of grace with those who live on less,
To walk in wisdom in this world, and tread with gentleness.”

This week’s anthem was written by Helen Wiltshire.  It reminds us that, in this time of climate change, we will be called upon to make choices affecting the fate of God’s creation, both today and for future generations. It will be sung to the tune, AMAZING GRACE.

“God, the Mountains Tell Your Glory”

“God, the mountains tell your glory, lifting praise to you above!
In your Word, each mountain story shows your presence and your love.
Noah built as you commanded; soon the waters swirled around.
Those you saved, Lord, safely landed; you set them on mountain ground.

Lord, when Moses was returning to the mountain that he knew,
There a bush was brightly burning. There it was he heard from you.
Later Moses felt your presence; in the heights he knew your grace.
He brought down the Ten Commandments from your holy mountain place.

Christ, you taught upon a mountain, showing us God’s kingdom view.
In the heights when you were praying, God’s own glory shone on you.
Climbing to a quiet garden, in your grief and faith you cried.
On a hill for our own pardon, you, O Lord, were crucified.

Thank you now for blue-green mountains, red-brown mesas, high peaks, too.
Here may we enjoy creation, know your presence, learn from you.
Here may we sing out your glory, hear your call and find your grace.
Risen Christ, we’ll tell your story, from these heights to every place.”

The words for our closing hymn this week were written by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette (used with permission from carolynshymns.com) The first two verses reference stories from the Hebrew Scriptures.  Verse one speaks of Noah and the Ark, while verse two refers to Moses receiving the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai.  Both are symbolic of God’s covenant with his people.   The third verse reminds us of the significance of mountains in the life and teachings of Jesus:  the Sermon on the Mount, the Transfiguration, Jesus’ time of prayer on the Mount of Olives and the hill (Golgotha/Calvary) that was the site of the Crucifixion.   The closing verse of the hymn encourages us to continue to look to the mountains to find God’s presence and call.  We will be using the tune HYMN TO JOY.

“Like a Rock” (MV #92)

“Like a rock, like a rock, God is under our feet.
Like the starry night sky, God is over our head.
Like the sun on the horizon, God is ever before.
Like the river runs to ocean, our home is in God evermore.”

The words for this song are by Keri K. Wehlander (1998), adapted to music by Linnea Good (1998).  We will be using this song as our benediction response during the season of Creation to express our confidence in the eternal nature of God.