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The sunlight on the water – Hymn

The sunlight on the water –  inspired by Luke 12: 13-21

1           The sunlight on the water
              Sets singing in our eyes
              A single glance of wonder, 
              A shimmering first surprise;
              But dusty practicalities,
              The thorn within our flesh,
              That recommend obedience
              Just will not let us rest.

2           The landfall at a haven,
              Our solitude replete,
              A foretaste of God’s heaven,
              Serenity complete,
              Is tempered by reality
              With feet firm on the ground.
              We recognise a call to live
              In this world’s sight and sound.

3           We turn again from wonder,
              From spiritual surprise,
              From laser light and thunder,
              Through dazzled, dancing eyes
              We see the grinding poverty,
              We smell the stench of death,
              And only sacrificial love
              Will lead through hell to rest.

Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2000 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 6 7 6 8 6 8 6 Tune: CHRYSOSTOM Published in Whatever Name or Creed

If love could be the centre of the lives we seek to live – a hymn inspired by Luke 11: 4 (The Lord’s Prayer)

If love could be the centre of the lives we seek to live – inspired by Luke 11: 4 (The Lord’s Prayer) - 'forgive us our debts' Lectionary 26-7-2025

1	If love could be the centre of 
	the lives we seek to live, 
	if we could learn to measure wealth 
	by debts that we forgive; 
	then Christ would be incarnate in 
	all love that we could give

2	Our lives would then be measured by 
	our depth of love and grace, 
	the way in which we looked on Christ 
	in one another’s face. 
	Then Love would come to live again 
	within this time and place.

Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2014 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 6 8 6 8 6
Tune: SHELTERED DALE (used in the Methodist Hymn Book[1933] to set 'Awake, awake to love and work')

A hymn inspired by the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42)

Hymn: inspired by the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42) - Sometimes when all our busyness 

1	Sometimes when all our busyness 
	is just too much bear 
	remember Jesus kindly words 
	with Mary sitting there.
	
2	The words that Martha felt unfair 
	gave leave to stop and be, 
	and those who need the peace of God 
	have reason to feel free.
	
3	So when for any one of us 
	the pressure is too great, 
	then stop, take stock, and rest awhile, 
	it never is too late. 

Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2013 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: CM
Tune: BELMONT


A hymn by Marjorie Dobson – A woman in a crowd touches Jesus robe

A hymn by Marjorie Dobson - A woman in a crowd touches Jesus robe- The touch was so light that it passed by unnoticed …

The touch was so light that it passed by unnoticed.
The crowd was so dense, who could possibly tell
that there in the crush was a desperate woman,
a woman entombed by her personal hell.

The touch was so light and yet someone had noticed –
the man at the centre; the man in demand;
the healer whose presence was urgently sought for
a child who was needing the power from his hand.

The touch turned his head as he wondered who’d done it.
The poor guilty woman was bowed by her shame.
But power had gone from him, he knew he was needed.
With fear she admitted that she was to blame.

The touch of his robe had already proved healing.
The sound of his voice was a blessing at last.
‘My daughter, take courage, your suffering is over.
Your pain and disgrace are a part of your past.’

One touch in a crowd had seemed pointless to others
and many felt agony at the delay.
But one outcast woman could be well for ever
and others would know that same touch on that day.

Marjorie Dobson (born 1940) based on Mark 5 vs 24-34 and Luke 8 vs 42-48
Words © 2017 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: 12 11 12 11
Tunes: ERISKAY; STREETS OF LAREDO

Published in Hymns of Hope and Healing, Stainer & Bell Ltd

Reflecting on the Good Samaritan – hymn – ‘All the power that fuelled creation’

Reflecting on the Good Samaritan – ‘All the power that fuelled creation’

1	All the power that fuelled creation,
	cosmic force that fired the stars,
	still leaves people in the darkness
	when we grasp for 'us' and 'ours'.
	All the emptiness and sorrow
	we dispel with just a glance,
	eyes averted from our neighbours
	giving them no second chance.

2	All we cling to, all we cherish,
	stands as nothing in God’s light,
	yet our attitudes deny it
	holding all as if by right.
	All the wealth at our disposal
	could bring hope, transfigure care;
	even candles lit in darkness
	bring new hope when none is there.

3	All we need is love and kindness,
	costly kindness to dispel
	fear and poverty, while bringing
	deepest love to counter hell.
	All God’s love, when shared among us
	shatters poverty with grace,
	even now transfiguration
	could be felt within this place.

Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
© 2016 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
Tunes: SCARLET RIBBONS; ABBOTS LEIGH

For another text relating to the Good Samaritan click here