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Jesus casts out an unclean spirit from a man in a synagogue – Mark 1: 21 -28 – a new hymn


A man convulsed and crying 

was turning to and fro’, 

but Jesus reached to meet him 

to bid the spirit go.

The language of this story 

sounds foreign, to our speech

yet still our health can test us, 

when faith seems out of reach.



Great God, in Christ you show us 

that love can cast out fear, 

the fear that can assail us,

or those that we hold dear.

In times of desolation, 

or  times of deep  distress. 

mid loneliness bring friendship 

bring love to lift and bless.



If hearts and thoughts are twisted,

when nothing is secure

may ones like Christ stay near us, 

to show that love is sure,

to hold us through disturbance, 

as we will hold them too

when shadows cloud your presence

we’ll see each other through.



Andrew Pratt 20/1/2024

Words © 2024 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.D

Tune: CRUGER; PENLAN

What happened to the Covenant – a hymn for a time of storms and floods

What happened to the covenant, 

the rainbow in the sky, 

that signed an end to flood and storm? 

Still people stand and cry.



The floods still come, the waters rage, 

while homes are swept away, 

the covenant, of which God spoke, 

seems of another day.



And yet amid experience, 

a mystery remains, 

a sense in spite of all we see 

that love survives, sustains.



The rainbow arch still signs a truth, 

God’s covenant of care 

will never leave us without love, 

in turmoil God is there.



For nothing now in all the earth 

below, or heaven above 

will separate us from Christ’s grace

or tear us from God’s love.


© Andrew Pratt 7/2/2012

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: CM
Tunes: RODWELL; OSWALD’S TREE; NOX PRAECESSIT



Christ netted fishermen – the first disciples

Christ netted fishermen, called them to follow, 

challenged them squarely, called each one by name; 

hearing the carpenter they would be joiners, 

lives changed forever, they’d not be the same.



On down through ages the people have wondered, 

wandered, exploring then what it might mean

if they could risk it, to mirror this hist’ry

joining the narrative, sharing each scene.



Now in this moment, then, let us consider:

dare we love freely the outcast, despised, 

reach out with kindness to those now rejected, 

in them see Jesus, though lost or disguised.



Andrew Pratt

Words © 2024 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: EPIPHANY HYMN