Blogs

God’s commandments link together – hymn for Easter 5

A hymn for the fifth Sunday of Easter – ‘God's commandments link together’

1	God's commandments link together 
	justice, mercy, love and grace; 
	elements to guide the framing 
	of our laws within this place.
	Yet the laws and legal judgments 
	that we form through human thought, 
	all too easily diminish 
	values that the Christ had sought.

2	As we follow in his footsteps
	as disciples, let us find, 
	ways to live in peace together, 
	ways that bring God's grace to mind;
	ways of gracious peaceful living, 
	that might spread throughout the earth,
	ways of God's audacious giving:
	let the spirit find new birth.

Andrew E Pratt.
Words © 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
Tune: BETHANY

Earth day hymn

Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by Earthday.org including 1 billion people in more than 193 countries. 

The following hymn, previously blogged, was written in response to a Seminar given by Dr Michael Morecroft, Principal Climate Scientist, Natural England

 

Called to be partners with God in creation,

stewards of the biosphere, what can we do?

How can we work with the land as it’s changing,

working more flexibly, alter our view.

 

Here with a climate that’s moving, evolving,

summers are drier, but winters more wet,

storm, drought and flood, matched with wildfire, erosion,

raising the question how great is our debt?

 

Help us to learn how to live with each species,

neighbours to share with our planetary store.

Earth has a cycle, a sensitive balance,

ours to care fairly, destroy or restore.

 

God infuse learning, respect for creation,

give us humility, channel your grace;

all earth’s resources are precious, yet finite,

help us to value all life in this place.

 

Andrew Pratt 12/5/2021

Words © 2021 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: 11.10.11.10

Tune: STEWARDSHIP(Ruddle); EPIPHANY HYMN; SPEAN