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New Year hymn, a resolution, perhaps – Infectious faith

1	Infectious faith we demonstrate by action,  
	when words are lived and people feel God's grace,  
	when platitudes are kept in quiet abeyance,  
	and love expressed through every human face.  

2	This is the witness we are called to offer: 
	the smile of welcome and the touch of care,  
	when every neighbour frames the Christ we honour,  
	the angel that we're greeting unaware. 

3	My friend, we cannot claim to grace the Godhead 
	when those who stand in tatters at our door 
	are turned away without a moment's notice,  
	while others sleep upon a stone cold floor.  

4	Our faith and love are nothing, simply empty,  
	just words we fling against a cloud filled sky,  
	when those we see derided, disregarded, 
	are left, without our protest, just to die. 

5	Are we to be just noisy, clanging cymbals,  
	or signs of hope upon this cold, dark earth?  
	Ours is the calling now to re-imagine 
	the love of God, to sign each person's worth. 

Andrew E Pratt (born 1948) Words © 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: 11 10 11 10
Tune: INTERCESSOR

Kyries for Holy Innocents – Herod’s high and mighty stand

1	Herod's high and mighty stand
	Showed the power at his command,
	Slaughtered children in the land:
	Kyrie, Lord have mercy, 
	Kyrie, Lord have mercy, 
	Kyrie, Lord have mercy on us. 

2	Mary wept, she understood,
	Wept as every mother should,
	Ramah's echo, death to good:
	Chorus 

3	Surely force has had its day,
	Brutish whim and power's display;
	Yet our actions hurt betray:
	Chorus 

4	Seen on every paper's page,
	Words of hate and fists of rage,
	Signs of greed in every age:
	Chorus 

5	Anger still inflicts the pain,
	Each excuse is seen as lame,
	Yet again we bear the shame:
	Chorus 

6	Till through this and every time
	People cease from heinous crime,
	Till with peace their actions rhyme:
	Chorus 

VERSION IN SONGS FOR A NEW MILLENIUM (7 7 7 D and refrain) 

1	Herod's high and mighty stand
	Showed the power at his command,
	Slaughtered children in the land:
	Mary wept, she understood,
	Wept as every mother should,
	Ramah's echo, death to good:
	Kyrie, Lord have mercy, 
	Kyrie, Lord have mercy, 
	Kyrie, Lord have mercy on us. 

2	Surely force has had its day,
	Brutish whim and power's display;
	Yet our actions truth betray:
	Seen on every paper's page,
	Words of hate and fists of rage,
	Signs of greed in every age:
	Kyrie, Lord have mercy, 
	Kyrie, Lord have mercy, 
	Kyrie, Lord have mercy on us. 

3	Anger still inflicts the pain,
	Each excuse is seen as lame,
	Yet again we bear the shame:
	Till through this and every time
	People cease from heinous crime,
	Till with peace their actions rhyme:
	Kyrie, Lord have mercy, 
	Kyrie, Lord have mercy, 
	Kyrie, Lord have mercy on us. 

Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)	
From: Whatever name creed, No.28 (1999) & Songs for the new millennium.
Words © 1999, 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.
Tune: HOLY INNOCENTS (Ian Sharp) Whatever name creed, No.28