John Gay. Part 2

My contemporary song is difficult, there are several. I am going to choose 'We give you praise' by Delirious? because I would like it to go out to at my funeral. It very much reflects my belief that death is not the end but only the beginning point of new life for those who believe in Jesus Christ and follow him. Again I will end up in tears of joy!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fo8lex1Td_g

John Gay. Part1

'All my hope on God is founded' is one that seems to have followed me about since April 21 1991 at around 12.00 midday. I am that precise because the day before Lucy and I had gone to Twickenham to watch Corrnwall win the County Championship for the first time since 1908. The game was tense with Cornwall 16-3 down with 15 minutes to go. They equalised with a try in the last minute of normal time, missed the conversion and went on to win 27-20 after extra time. Much celebration!

The next day at church, (St Nicholas, Abingdon) this was the last hymn. As the last verse came around with those words 'Christ doth call, one and all, ye who follow shall not fall' it all got too much and I burst into tears, 'One and All' being the Cornish motto.

But actually the whole hymn reflects how I feel about God and how much I love and trust him and have confidence in his care for me. It needs to be the traditional words though. The modern version does not convey the same meaning. With the Trad version it is Christ doing the calling and it is up to us to respond. the other version says 'Hear Christ's call' putting the obligation on the listener not the caller. Not the same thing at all. The modern version reads awkwardly too.

A very close second is 'Guide me O thou great Jehovah'. does this need explaining!!

Lyrics:
http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/a/a133.html

Music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2oYTtyBSxk

John Page

No 3 - Love divine, all loves excelling

Again, its the Welsh in me ! ..... wonderfully deep spiritual words, and again one of the best tunes in the book !!

Lyrics:
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/l/d/ldalexcl.htm

Music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ8JgGqkaj4

John Page

No 2 - "Jesu, lover of my soul"


Being Welsh of course, I cannot hide my deep affection for all the great Welsh hymns ! .... and this one is at the top of my "all-time" list ..... the words are so powerful and emotive, and the tune Aberystwyth is simply fantastic.

Words:
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/j/l/jlmysoul.htm

Music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjnspkVAGRM

John Page

No 1 - "Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us"


I always chose this one as the very first hymn on our first Sunday at sea ...... and it still evokes strong stirring memories of setting out from our home port for long deployments overseas, especially across the North Atlantic where you certainly need all the "leading and protecting" you can get !

Lyrics and Music:
http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/l/l018.html

Music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dc-XpUcGS6k

Chris Howse

I knew two song choices were not going to be enough so have taken the opportunity whilst there is a lull in entries to have another song.

Over the Rhine: Jesus in New Orleans

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&hl=en-GB&v=-FyOqECvDZw&feature=related

Lyrics (scroll down)
http://www.overtherhine.com/words/lyrics/index.html#Anchor-Jacksie-33869

Love the song, love voice and love the opening lines:

“The last time I saw Jesus I was drinking bloody Mary’s in the South”

The song reminds me that you can meet Jesus anywhere not only in Church on Sundays. I had better be ready.

Ruth Buller. Part 3

Morte Christe (When I Survey the Wondrous Cross)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CwYA7k5zxI

My final choice is this version of ‘When I Survey’. The words show us of just what Jesus did for us all by dying on the cross and I find the final verse so incredibly moving in that it shows us how we should respond to this amazing sacrifice.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were an offering far too small,
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life , my all.

Ruth Buller. Part 2

You Raised Me Up – Westlife (Lyrics by Josh Groban)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1_MydgRFZw

This is a secular song but one which I feel has a true Christian message. It gives me great confidence to know that no matter how down and weary I may be feeling God will always be there to raise me up. This song also reminds me of Lee Abbey where a DVD of people there was made to the words. It showed the beauty of the Lee Abbey Estate ending with the estate manager lifting a new born lamb onto his shoulders at the three crosses.

Ruth Buller. Part 1

Could have been another three on another day but these are my choices for today!!

Build This House – Lou Fellingham

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryip0dD1uoo

The words of this song remind us of how everything we have comes from God and how we need to be grateful for the things that we have and not be envious of others. As we go about our lives we need to put God at the centre of all we do and give Him the glory.

Hilary Howe

Like several others I have many favourite hymns, and it all depends on the mood of the moment, or circumstances in which the hymn is being sung which one is currently top of the list. I also often use favourite hymns as prayers. However the one that never fails to move and inspire me is “Oh Lord My God”. The four verses are a wonderful expression of faith - the awesome power of God in creating the universe, the wonder of nature on earth, the reminder of Jesus’ perfect sacrifice and the promise and reassurance of the life to come. The chorus is an amazing, moving praise of thanks to God, added to which the music is powerful and uplifting.

The trouble is I get so choked up with emotion that I can’t sing it!

Lyrics:
http://www.rwlswann.org.uk/archive/songs/hymns/o/olordmygod.htm

Music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHqgQjJrxI8

Yvonne Haggett

As I was walking home after lunch, the first line of this hymn just popped into my head. I find it has not been used before, so I will make it my suggestion.

God is working his purpose out as year succeeds to year,
God is working his purpose out and the time is drawing near:
Nearer and nearer draws the time, the time that shall surely be,
When the earth shall be filled with the glory of God as the waters cover the sea.

I like it because is reminds me that even if we can't see progress being made, God knows what he is doing and one day the earth will be filled with the glory of God.

Words and music
http://www.hymnswithoutwords.com/hymns/God_is_working_his_purpose_out

Jenny Jeffery

At different times and seasons I have different “favourites” and even then I keep adding to them. Somehow “Be thou my vision” is never far from my thoughts nor “O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness”

However right now I am choosing “In Christ Alone” words by Stuart Townend and music by Keith Getty ( Stuart Townend also wrote a great new tune to the words of the 23rd Psalm, The Lord is my Shepherd, with a chorus that begins “And I will trust in him always” with a second part descant that fits over the top of the tune. He also wrote the words to “How deep the Father’s love for me”)

However "In Christ Alone” is based on words from Ephesians I:4-7He is my light, strength, cornerstone, comforter, my All in All As the title suggests the words form the basis of our Christian faith. In Christ alone my hope is found. Jesus – the Incarnation -The Cross – Resurrection- Eternal Life are all there in the words. The song was written just before the 9/11 bombings and has a very powerful line in the last verse......”no scheme of man can ever pluck me from His (Christ’s) Hand” There has been some controversy over the line in verse two which reads “The wrath of God was satisfied” some have preferred the line to read “The price of sin was satisfied” What do you think?

The song can reduce me to both tears of sadness and tears of joy.
I love the crescendo in verse 3 ....then bursting forth in glorious day up from the grave he rose again!”

I’ll leave you with the last two lines.
“Till he returns to call me home, here in the power of Christ I stand”




In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my all in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones he came to save;
Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of god was satisfied-
For every sin on him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I Live.

There in the ground his body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave he rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine –
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from his hand;
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I stand.

Music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMtz1fJv340

Anna Oliver

As many have been agreeing, choosing just one song/hymn is very difficult, as so many are appealing depending on how I am feeling at any time. However I find the ‘Make me a channel for your peace’ is a very focussing hymn/prayer that reminds me of what I should be striving to do with God’s help.

Music and Lyric:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM3tAGU1Kn0&feature=related

Judith Pickles

Shine Jesus Shine - Graham Kendrick

I have chosen this for 2 reasons. Firstly, in the early 70s Graham and I were fellow students in London. Over the years I have enjoyed watching the way his life has developed and singing his songs. In the 80s we went to the Billy Graham mission in Norwich where Graham led the worship, a far cry from student days.

Secondly, our daughter Laura danced to this song (with the St George's dance group) in Wells Cathedral and two years ago chose it as one of her wedding hymns, so it has very happy memories as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlKChQ2IYZo

Hilary Mckegney

A number of people said that they liked my prayer/poem on Sunday. I thought it might be good to put it on the Lent Blog.

GARDENING GOD'S WAY IN THE 'SPRING' OF LENT

Plant three rows of peas:
Peace of mind
Peace of heart
Peace of soul

Plant four rows of squash:
Squash gossip
Squash indifference
Squash grumbling
Squash selfishness

Plant four rows of lettuce:
Lettuce be faithful
Lettuce be kind
Lettuce be obedient
Lettuce really love one another

Plant three rows of turnips:
Turnip for meetings
Turnip for service
Turnip to help one another

Water freely with patience and cultivate with love. There is much fruit in your garden because you reap what you sow.

To conclude our garden
We must have thyme:
Thyme for God
Thyme for study
Thyme for prayer

Ruth Taylor

Among my many favourite hymns I have chosen ‘All my hope on God is founded’ which we sang recently in church: MP 292; AMNS 336.

It brings back strong memories of a warm July evening in 1997. I was surrounded by family, friends, and a very welcoming crowd. It was the occasion of Nick’s Induction Service as Team Rector and Vicar of St. George’s.

We had chosen this hymn because of its message of love, hope, and encouragement, at a time of new beginnings. In the first verse are the lines:

‘He doth still my trust renew.
Me through change and chance He guideth
Only good and only true’.

These words have helped me especially in the years since that night. Through many times of joy and some of sadness, I have recalled the following lines:

‘Daily doth the Almighty Giver
Bounteous gifts on us bestow’.
And the verse finishes with the reassuring:
‘Love doth stand at His hand,
Joy doth wait on His command’.
Sometimes the future can seem an uncertain place, but the final line of this hymn helps to reassure me, as the first line did:

‘Ye who follow shall not fall’.

Music and Lyrics:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2oYTtyBSxk

Chris Howse

Meekness and Majesty

This song reminds me that we don’t get all the answers in this life.

I love the imagery of meekness and majesty: A King born in a stable. The Saviour who rides a donkey not a war horse.

Music and lyrics:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tK1hQpacs8

Chris Howse

“When it Kicks In” – Iain Archer

When it kicks in, when it kicks in you'll know
When it kicks in, when it kicks in you'll know it alright
When it kicks in, when it kicks in you'll know it
A truth drug is gonna open your weeping eyes

Sometimes I despair. We are told to seek the coming of the Kingdom but it can seem a long way away when we read of wars natural disasters global warming and injustice. The world appears to be moving away from God not closer to him. At times like these I think my favourite song/psalm is this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXfIOUu47Zo . I have to say I felt this most keenly when I turned on the TV news on the Boxing day the Tsunami struck Sri Lanka. I watched with growing dread as the story unfolded. Through the entire programme no good news was reported and I felt a long way from the Kingdom and struggled to think of any signs of it breaking through. And yet….. out of the devastation came an outpouring of aid and support from the rest of the world, people gave generously. The song I have chosen is undoubtedly a song about the troubles in Northern Ireland or the North of Ireland. I was born in 1966 (I know it’s hard believe I look so young) and for most of my life the situation there looked hopeless, things would never change. Today we have a sort of peace and previous enemies trying to get along and build a future together.

I love the line “A truth drug is gonna open your weeping eyes”. It reminds me of St. Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus and what happened in Acts 9
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts.%209:1-19&version=NIV

What is the truth drug? When what kicks in? Love/Grace.

Lyrics:
http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3530822107858718696/

Music and video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ileEqcJ6f2A

Jan Egeland, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs stated that the Indian Ocean tsunami was nature at its worst, but also humanity at its best.

Carole Smith

“Be Still, for the Presence of the Lord”

Because I am very much a ‘Martha’ kind of person and need to be reminded that, sometimes, I need to be more like ‘Mary’.

Lyrics:
http://www.musiclyric4christian.com/bestill.html

Music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jblX88cA81A

Hilary Allen

The song I have chosen is on Paul Simon's "Surprise" album - track 5 - "Wartime Prayers"
It is a very poignant song which touches me and makes me angry every time I listen to it. On a very simplistic level it always reminds me that to many people, prayer is their last and desperate resource.

Lyrics:
http://www.lyricsmania.com/wartime_prayers_lyrics_paul_simon.html

Peter Westcott

I have been looking at your Lent Blog and see that "secular" songs are accepted. One that I find quite thought making was played by Alan Titchmarsh on his programme last Sunday. It is Bryn Terfel's recording of the Sunset Poem, otherwise Rev. Eli Jenkins Prayer from Dylan Thomas's "Under Milk Wood.

I find the first two verses in particular often in my thoughts.


Every morning when I wake,
Dear Lord a little prayer I make,
O please to keep Thy loving eye
On all poor creatures born to die.

And every evening at sun-down
I ask a blessing on the town,
For whether we last the night or no
I'm sure is always touch-and-go.

We are not wholly bad or good
Who live our lives under Milk Wood,
And Thou, I know, wilt be the first
To see our best side, not our worst.

O let us see another day!
Bless us all this night, I pray,
And to the sun we all will bow
And say, good-bye - but just for now!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TsPiNkj6DA

Coryn Howse

One Shot by JLS

I have chosen this song because in the chorus it says ‘you only get one shot, so make it count you won’t ever get this moment again. The clocks ticking down it’s the final round don’t watch this moment go by’ In some ways its like God has only given us one shot at our lives so we have to make it count and we are not on this earth for long so we need to make the most of our lives and not watch it just go by and be the best that we can be.

Lyrics:
http://www.metrolyrics.com/one-shot-lyrics-jls.html

Music video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eV_WunW1KR8

Luke Howse. Part 3

I really like ‘The Lord of The Dance’ because I like dancing. Jesus is the Lord of the dance and maybe he dances with God when he hears that song.

Lyrics:
http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/l/o/r/lordoftd.htm

Music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwdmqM3pc68

Luke Howse. Part 2

My other favourite hymn is ‘Father God’ and I like this because it says how great God is and he is everybody’s Father. I also like clapping in the chorus.

Music and lyrics:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMuvGb7KDE8

Father God, I wonder how I managed to exist
Without the knowledge of Your parenthood and Your loving care
But now I am Your child, I am adopted in Your family
And I can never be alone'Cause Father God, You're there beside me

I will sing Your praises
I will sing Your praises
I will sing Your praises
Forever more
I will sing Your praises
I will sing Your praises
I will sing Your praises
Forever more

Luke Howse

My favourite hymn is ‘Who Put The Colours In The Rainbow’. I like this because it is all about God’s creation and I really like rainbows and the sea because you can swim in it.

Lyrics:
http://www.hymnlyrics.org/mostpopularhymns/who_put_the_colors_in_the_rainbow.php

Nick Taylor

I have many favourite hymns and songs, so this time I will choose ‘Praise to the Holiest in the height’ to the tune ‘Gerontius’. It was written by John Henry Newman, an Anglican priest who later became a Roman Catholic [and there’s talk of making him a saint!]. It celebrates what Jesus Christ did to rescue us, by being strong against the weak human nature described in the Adam and Eve story.

But in verse 4 we’re reminded that it wasn’t just God’s grace that rescued us, but his ‘presence…and his very self, and essence all-divine’ which came as a ‘Man’ [v.5]. Some people think verse 4 also refers to Holy Communion, where the ‘flesh and blood’ are also the bread and wine of God’s ‘presence and essence all-divine’.

‘The double agony in Man…….. in the garden [of Gethsemane] secretly……..and on the cross on high’ are usually sung quietly, as we think of all Jesus suffered with and for us.
Then we’re full of joyful praise again as the last verse repeats the words of the first ‘Praise to the Holiest’.

Followers of the Archers will remember that when the character Phil Archer died recently, he was listening to Elgar’s famous oratorio ‘The Dream of Gerontius’. The words for this were written by Newman, and contain his wonderful hymn, sung with great triumph as Gerontius dreams of entering heaven – what a way to go!

Words:
http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/p/p101.html


Music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_KQNx61n8o

Just found this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paAVIBcErko&feature=related

Constance Booth

"The old rugged cross"

I just love both my choices.

Words:
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/r/oruggedc.htm

Music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBJUpl7JjOU&feature=related

Constance Booth

“As the deer pants for water”. I first heard this when I was staying in the Australian outback for a couple of months – perhaps it just struck a cord! I just don’t know.

Lyrics:
http://www.lyrics-p.com/authors/misc-religious/misc-religious-as-the-deer-pants-for-the-water-lyrics.shtml

Music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YY0t6_V1OqQ

Cathryn Howse

Apparently it is a typical female trait to like a song for the melody and not the lyrics, and therefore I make no excuse for my “femaleness”. Song words appear to have very little effect on me personally. With the exception of the first line, I don’t even hear the words let alone remember them. I think of it as a kind of ‘word deafness’, similar to the affliction of certain members of my household with the word ‘housework’. Apologies to those who agonise over hymn choices every Sunday – it must be like educating pork!

The song that I have chosen as my favourite is an instrumental version of ‘O Come O Come Emmanuel’ by Casting Crowns and the reason it is my favourite is because it is simply a beautiful arrangement of strings and piano and the effect is quite haunting. The melancholy of the music expresses the longing for Jesus in a way that words cannot. Jesus come to us and ransom captured Israel – it’s poetic. Also, I wish I could play the violin like that!

Back to the words! The words that echo to me through the piece as I listen are ‘O come O come Emmanuel and ransom captive Is-ra-el’ and ‘rejoice, rejoice!’ which makes it a worthy version for this alone, beauty and simplicity. As I said I can usually only remember the first line so the first two lines and part of the chorus is a triumph! The original words are in 9th century Latin and the letters of the titles spell the word SARCORE which reversed spells ERO CRAS meaning ‘I shall be there tomorrow’. Put simply, this is traditionally sung on Christmas Eve and is the answer from the One we call.

One commentary puts it better than I can:
“…(the words) sum up the longing of Advent as they depict the desperate plight of humanity in need of a Savior, and address Christ with seven grand titles, pleading with him to come save his people. The verse we know as the first was actually the last, climactic verse in the series.”

I realise that this is an Advent hymn but I was asked for my favourite and I cannot think of a time when it is not appropriate to long for Jesus to come into our lives.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roy3Ft6Fvbk

Jess Tidy

"You've got the love" by Florence and the Machine. Cover version of Candi Staton gospel song "You got the love".

wikipedia quote:

"The song has a clear Christian message: Staton talks of giving up on God, only to discover that he has "got the love I need to see me through", and that "the Saviour's love is real". The theme behind the song is one of upliftment and empowerment."

Lyrics:
http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/f/florence_and_the_machine/youve_got_the_love.html

Florence:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQZhN65vq9E

Candi Staton:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4O6dlXxQ7ho&feature=related

Martin Tidy

"Closer to the Light" by Bruce Cockburn

When the singer-songwriter, Mark Heard, died prematurely from a heart attack at the age of 40 in 1992, Bruce Cockburn was moved to write this song in tribute. The chorus captures the loss Bruce Cockburn felt surrounding the death of his friend whilst holding out the prospect of hope:

"Gone from mystery into mystery
Gone from daylight into night
Another step deeper into darkness
Closer to the light"

The picture of stepping deeper into darkness and yet closer to the light is, for me, a vivid image that describes the paradox at the heart of my faith - that the darkness of loss and doubt somehow coexists with the light of hope and love.


Music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3uq5QaQGio

Lyrics:
http://www.lyricstime.com/bruce-cockburn-closer-to-the-light-lyrics.html