Notes on the Notes – September 3, 2023

This week’s music:

“Praise God for This Holy Ground” (MV #42)

“Praise God for this holy ground, place and people, sight and sound.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!  God’s goodness is eternal.

Praise God in whose word we find food for body, soul and mind.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!  God’s goodness is eternal.

Praise God who through Christ makes known all are loved and called God’s own.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!  God’s goodness is eternal.

 Praise God’s Spirit who befriends, raises, humbles, breaks and mends.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!  God’s goodness is eternal.

Though praise ends, praise is begun where God’s will is gladly done.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!  God’s goodness is eternal.”

Our opening hymn offers praise and gratitude for God’s goodness.  We celebrate the places where worship can take place and the people who gather in spirit with us to worship.  We proclaim the word of God and the teachings of Jesus that sustain us.  This hymn was written by John L. Bell in 2002.

 “Walk With Me” (VU #649)

Walk with me, I will walk with you
And build the land that God has planned where love shines through.

When Moses heard the call of God he said, “Lord, don’t send me.”
But God told Moses, “You’re the one to set my people free.”
Walk with me, I will walk with you
And build the land that God has planned where love shines through.

Now Peter was a most unlikely man to lead the flock;
But Jesus knew his holiness and he became the Rock.
Walk with me, I will walk with you
And build the land that God has planned where love shines through.

Young Mary Magdalene was sure her life could be much more,
And by her faith she dared to let God’s love unlock the door.
Walk with me, I will walk with you
And build the land that God has planned where love shines through.

And when you share your faith with me and work for life made new,
The witness of your faithfulness calls me to walk with you.
Walk with me, I will walk with you
And build the land that God has planned where love shines through.”

The lyrics of this hymn reference the stories of three Biblical characters who, at first, seemed unlikely to be important in the story of God, but who become major turning points in the faith journey.   The closing verse reminds us that walking together in faith leads us toward the kingdom of God on earth.  This hymn was written by John Rice in 1981.

 “God Says” (MV #172)

God says, “Be still so you may hear the words I whisper in your ear.
If you will listen, you will know I’m with you always where you go.”

God says, “Look up and see the prize I’ve placed here right before your eyes.
Find beauty in the things of earth, a cause for wonder and rebirth.”

God says, “Come here!  I need your voice.  Please teach my people to rejoice.
In who you are, in what you do, your life will show my love for you.”

God says, “Reach out!  The world’s in need and wants a word, a song, a deed.
I send you forth to speak, to sing, to act for Christ in everything.”

The words and music for this hymn were written by Mary Bittner in 1993.  The lyrics have God speaking directly to us.  First, we must be still, in order to hear the Word of God.  Then we must open our eyes to see the glory of God’s Creation.  God then asks us to share the love of God through our love for other’s and to reach out to act for Christ in everything we do.

“Grant Us, God, the Grace” (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,” and reminds us to freely and faithfully share our gifts, whatever they may be.  The tune is a familiar one which is also used for the Advent hymn “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus”  (VU #2).

“Bless Now, O God, the Journey” (VU #633)

“Bless now, O God, the journey that all your people make,
The path through noise and silence, the way of give and take.
The trail is found in desert and winds the mountain round,
Then leads beside still waters, the road where faith is found.

Bless sojourners and pilgrims who share this winding way,
Whose hope burns through the terrors, whose love sustains the day.
We yearn for holy freedom while often we are bound.
Together we are seeking the road where faith is found.

Divine Eternal Lover, you meet us on the road.
We wait for lands of promise where milk and honey flow.
But waiting not for places, you meet us all around.
Our covenant is written on roads, as faith is found.”

This hymn is from Sylvia Dunstun’s first collection, In Search of Hope and Grace (1991). The melody, THORNBURY was composed by Basil Harwood, an English organist and composer of church music in 1864. We also use the same tune for the hymns “Your Hand, O God, Has Guided” (VU #274) and “To Abraham and Sarah” (VU #634). Through the lyrics we are reminded of both of those who have come before us, as well as those who join us in our faith journey.  The closing verse assures us that God is with us on the journey.

Hear the melody on pipe organ at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hPE3L4WBJU0VU 633

“Show Us Christ in One Another” 

“Show us Christ in one another.
Make us servants strong and true.
Give us all your love of justice
So we do what you would do.
Let us call all people holy.
Let us pledge our lives anew.
Make us one with all the lowly.
Let us all be one in you.”

The words for our benediction response were written by Marty Haugen (1985) and come from the hymn “God of Day and God of Darkness.”  We will be using the tune BEACH SPRING (1844).