Author: Andrew Pratt

Andrew Pratt was born in Paignton, Devon, England in 1948.

Advent in uncertain times – Active love, not fearful frenzy – a hymn

Advent in uncertain times - Active love, not fearful frenzy

1	Active love, not fearful frenzy,
	Is the path that we pursue,
	Counterblast to alienation,
	Struggle making all things new.
	Facing up to common conflict,
	Meeting arrogance with prayer,
	Seeking to be one with Jesus,
	Dignified amid despair.
	
2	Torture, fear and desecration
	Paint the canvas of our lives;
	But the picture, deeply woven,
	Demonstrates that love survives.
	Systems that would seek to scar us,
	Mould us blindly to their trends,
	We will overthrow with kindness,
	Not be subject to their ends.

3	We will take the cross of Jesus
	Into every sphere of life,
	We will stand for peace and justice,
	We will not succumb to strife.
	We must meet this tribulation,
	Live our lives, if need be, die;
	Take no refuge in abstraction,
	Take the cross and lift it high! 

Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
© 1997 Stainer & Bell Ltd
Words Andrew Pratt © 2015 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England copyright@stainer.co.uk . Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd. 
Metre: 8 7 8 7 D Trochaic
Tune: BETHANY (Smart)


A different Advent Candle Lighting Hymn – Deep in darkness

1	Deep in darkness we begin,
	dark outside and deep within.
	Now ignite a single flame,
	shadows form, let light remain.

2	 As they gleaned the word of life,
	narrative of love and strife,
	people through each age have known
	yet more light: God's glory shown.
	
3	John the Baptist spoke out loud,
	challenged that discordant crowd,
	called each one toward the light,
	see it growing, gleaming bright.
	
4	Mary wondered at her lot,
	blessed?  Or cursed?  Or loved?  Or not?
	Angels came and glory shone,
	feel the love, let light shine on.
	
5	Look!  a star is shining there.
	See the stable stark and bare.
	Christmas dawns, all darkness gone!
	Christ has come, the light shines on!

Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2003 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England copyright@stainer.co.uk . Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd
Metre: 7 7 7 7  
Tunes: LAUDS (Wilson); ORIENTIS PARTIBUS

Life is tough but God will hold us…

Life is tough, but God will hold -  us inspired by Psalm 132: 1 – 12 (13 – 18)

1	Life is tough, but God will hold us 
	through each hardship of our lives, 
	when our hope is torn to ribbons 
	grace is present, love survives.
	
2	God will feed us bread of heaven, 
	finest wine to slake our thirst.
	Those who grieve will know God's comfort,
	those who waited will be first.
	
3	Hear the faithful offer praises, 
	here the poor will shout for joy, 
	grace and hope will give forever 
	love that nothing can destroy.

Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2012 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England copyright@stainer.co.uk . Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd.
Metre: 8 7 8 7
Tunes: CROSS OF JESUS; LAUS DEO (Redhead)

A New Book of Poetry by David Lythgoe – Beside Another Sea

Beside Another Sea is David Lythgoe’s latest book of Poetry available here and other other bookshops

If you know David Lythgoe you will not be disappointed by this book of over a hundred poems. Simply read on. But if you’re tasting his work for the first time, with no spoilers, let me give you an idea of what you’re holding in your hand.

I have known David for many years. I have found him to be a quiet, self-effacing man. In consequence his writing in these poems offers an insight to a sensitive, reflective personality who, through this medium, has been able to give expression to emotion, to impressions, sometimes with humour, yet equally able to voice the grief born of love and loss.

David has won awards for his writing and our reward is this gift which I sense has been gestating for some time. His subject matter often quarries memory. He unearths feelings as much as facts. Often the description of a remembered scene becomes a metaphor for life’s conundrums. His poetry frequently spans personal thoughts, yet he is never sentimental. Often the poems originate in a particular context – a holiday, a shared experience with his wife, lockdown and the unexpected sound of birds singing, the waves of the sea or some other pattern of nature. Much of the writing is observational, reminiscent sometimes of the poetry of R.S. Thomas. David is compassionate while the narrative of his verse occasionally twists offering a political slant.

His background enables him to merge a travelogue with classical literary, and scientific linguistic devices.

From the Preface – Andrew Pratt