I met Dan in Boston (Massachusetts) over 20 years ago. An American Methodist Pastor with four items in Singing the Faith – too few to my mind. You can find him at Dan Damon Music . His latest collection Look at the light, can be found here but also on other streaming services.
This is religious music with intelligent texts and with a jazz setting.
Cities of sanctuary, places of safety, here where all strangers are welcomed and blessed, we stand with Jesus in love of our neighbour, here in our actions his love is expressed. We will act justly while offering mercy, nurturing humbly a gospel of peace, welcome all people regardless of status, counter celebrity, value the least. Here in a world that is cruel and unyielding God's hospitality values the poor; this is the scandal of love without limits, loving the unloved, then loving them more. We will not rest till each migrant is welcomed. We will share bread till the hungry are fed. We will confront each injustice that greets us, loving with vigour till hatred is dead. Andrew Pratt (born 1948) Words © 2008 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 With thanks to Inderjit Bhogal for his work, example and inspiration
All of us are valued by God – Matthew records these words of Jesus: 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 And even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31 So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. And a hymn… This goal of equality laid out before us, where each one is valued and no-one denied, is given, through loving, to those who will listen, yet, while we should welcome, we often deride. We look at our neighbours and judge by appearance: the colour of skin or the cadence of voice, the cut of a jacket or youthful confusion, while prejudice beckons our ultimate choice. Yet love would compel to see Christ clothe our neighbour, the ragged and ugly gain elegant grace; enabling discernment, refined understanding: the future is present and all have a place. Andrew Pratt Words © 2001 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 Tune: ST CATHERINE’S COURT
Methodists in the area in which I live are part of the way through the Methodist Bible Month. Some of our preachers are modelling worship on a sequence of passages from the Book of Revelation. Many of these verses are obscure and difficult to penetrate. Jewish and Christian history has been built on a sequence of revelations. The Book of Revelation is one of those. Meanwhile, as a nation, a world even, we are living in a time of change. As such we are a pilgrim people, moving forward, guided by the Spirit, reliant on God, dependent on our understanding of what is revealed to us now of how our Christianity can be expressed in our days and time. We are a pilgrim people, forever moving on, each day a new creation, each dawn a brand new song. And when our hearts are rooted into one place and time, we lose God's moving Spirit, that singing, dancing rhyme. The Hebrews came from Egypt, each turn along the way another revelation, another dawning day; and through this God would teach them to always travel light, to trust grace for the future, to calm them or excite. The shepherd of our future, calls us to something new, and this may twist and turn us before it can renew. But trust and God will take us, will help us realise beyond imagination the hope that can arise. We must not cage the Spirit, we must not quench the flame, we move with God together, are ready for the game. Each day a new creation, each dawn a brand new song, we are a pilgrim people, forever moving on. Andrew 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: 13 13 13 13 Tune: THORNBURY
Incendiary God, your fire of love, ignites our hope, within this place when we allow the sparks to spread we know your presence, sense your grace. On through the stubble of our lives, love burns out hatred, kindles faith, beyond the fire-breaks of our doubt you sign our path, you mark and trace. Great conflagration fire our hearts until the world warmed by your breath, is spirit filled, infused with love that lasts beyond each human death. Andrew E Pratt 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.
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