ANNUNCIATION – MAGNIFICAT – 22 December 2024
1 Here a messenger was standing
waiting outside Mary's door,
not a face at all familiar
or that she had seen before.
Was there some anticipation,
or some other grave concern?
Could the stranger have a message,
what was there that she must learn?
2 First there came a welcome greeting,
Gabriel was now made known:
Mary was to be most favoured,
here God's love was being shown.
More of love, and greater kindness,
these were waiting in the wings.
News the messenger was bringing
pointed on to higher things.
3 God was coming as a person,
meeting every human need.
Mary had a role and purpose:
first give birth, then nurse and feed.
Shock, surprise and some resistance
underlined her every word
as young Mary sought to answer,
for the scheme seemed so absurd.
4 But there was much more for sharing
just to make the message clear;
more was needed from her Godhead
to dispel her natural fear.
Fire and love, the Spirit's power
would enfold her in God's care,
all at once she sensed God's comfort,
felt at last her Lord was there.
5 Now she magnified her praising,
thanks for all her God had done,
gift of life, God's gracious saving,
now the promise of a son.
We will go on in her footsteps:
latent servants of the Lord,
join our praise through all our giving,
all the love we can afford.
Andrew Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2011 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 8 7 8 7
Tune: DIM OND IES
Category: Bible
John the Baptist – a hymn
Related to Luke 3:7-18 – John the Baptist – The Third Sunday in Advent
1 This is the Baptist, unkempt and yet ready,
calling the people to listen and act;
calling them down to the water for washing,
talking of holiness, Godliness, fact.
2 This is the man who will call to repentance
fisherman, Pharisee, zealot and priest;
here in the river the sinners will gather,
taking God's blessing and sharing God's peace.
3 This is the prophet announcing the crisis,
moment for turning for challenge and choice;
quenching of hatred, demanding repentance,
giving a reason to praise and rejoice.
4 This is the man, in humility pointing
others to one who would soon take his place.
Jesus is coming, the Spirit confirming,
this is my Son who will channel my grace.
5 Up from the waters the Christ is arising,
up from our slumbering we will rise too;
waking to love and to work every dawning,
each a disciple with Christ's work to do.
Andrew Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2009 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
This towering edifice – inspired by Mark 13:1-8
Temples now and then – This towering edifice of shining glass – inspired by Mark 13:1-8
1 This towering edifice of shining glass
which speaks of power, of status and of class.
will one day fall, a glittering shower of shards,
will flutter like the children's house of cards.
2 These temples of our vanity and pride
like expectations of the crucified
will lie in dust and rubble that we raze,
not like the Christ who, later, God might raise.
3 We need to hear that sharp prophetic cry
reminding of the ones we would deny.
Self-righteous hypocrites will meet their end.
Neglected people find in Christ a friend.
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: 10 10 10 10
Tunes: CHILTON FOLIAT; GO FORTH
Where James and John had asked to stand – inspired by Mark 10: 35-45
Where James and John had asked to stand – inspired by Mark 10:35-45
1 Where James and John had asked to stand
two criminals would hang,
one on the left, one on the right,
while passing crowds harangue.
2 They did not know the consequence
of what they asked that day,
that those who sided with this man
might die the self-same way.
3 They sought the honour and the pride
of being one with Christ,
yet those acknowledging this plea
would bear the highest price.
4 And when we hear the call of God
and follow where Christ led,
let’s recognise a cross is set
along the path we tread.
Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
© 2012 Stainer and 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: BELMONT; CONTEMPLATION (Ouseley)
A sacramental union – Hymn/Poem Inspired by Mark 10:2-16
A sacramental union - Inspired by Mark 10:2-16
A sacramental union
that none can put apart,
and those who sought to fudge the law,
were challenged from the start.
The Pharisees were undermined,
the laws would stay in place,
with subtle ways of subterfuge
destroyed without a trace.
Then learning from this interchange
should we condemn and judge,
or take a wider view of Christ,
his spirit and his touch?
When questions of adultery
were set to catch him out,
he turned a mirror on the crowd
and none were left to shout.
Hypocrisy and judgment were
things that Christ condemned,
and so we need to judge ourselves
before we charge a friend.
To love as we would love ourselves
a child can understand,
and we must unlearn prejudice,
give grace the upper-hand.
Words Andrew Pratt © 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.Tune:
Metre: CMD
Tune: ELLACOMBE
Inspired by Mark 10:2-16; May also be used as a poem.
hymnsandbooks 