A Hymn for the beginning of Lent – Jesus’ temptation Wild wilderness, pathetic desolation, as Jesus walked, then rested for the night, for forty days his strength was tried and tested, for forty days he sifted wrong and right. He woke to hunger tangled in his being, what miracle might turn these stones to bread? But God within the centre of his spirit was food enough to keep his body fed. His faith was such that it could move a mountain and God could save him from the greatest fall. But faith like this need not be tried or tested; the love of God will never slip or stall. He climbed the mountain, saw the world in splendour, then thought of ruling all his eyes could see; yet power like this was not the thing he needed - devoid of wealth he'd set the people free. Beyond temptation love would live incarnate, his human flesh would laugh and cry and weep, in Christ God's love and grace would not diminish, dynamic love would never die nor sleep. Andrew E Pratt (born 1948) 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: SM Metre: 11 10 11 10 Tune: INTERCESSOR
Category: Song
Tectonic plates beneath this rock hard surface – the Turkish-Syrian earthquakes 2023and again now in Venezuala
Tectonic plates beneath this rock hard surface,
uplifted, twisting life and limb and steel.
The landscape that was home has lost its features,
destruction means that few are left to heal.
An empty chair amid such devastation
where cars like toys, are lifted, spun about;
and here we wait and pray in helpless anguish;
and 'where is God' we want to cry and shout.
Incarnate God we need your present spirit
to live within your people at this time,
to energise our prayerful words and action,
to offer grace to life's discordant rhyme.
May we grant hope to those who feel forsaken,
to those whose lives have spun and turned around;
to those whose grief defies all consolation,
bring grace and love and hope and solid ground.
Andrew Pratt (born 1948)
© 2011 Stainer & Bell Ltd. Alt 6/2/2023 by the author.
11 10 11 10
Tunes: INTERCESSOR; LORD OF THE YEARS
On the day of the earthquakes in Turkey, Syria and the surrounding areas.
Earthquake- iPad art (c) Andrew Pratt 2023
Salt and Light – a hymn inspired by Matthew 5: 13 – 20
This hymn was inspired by – Matthew 5: 13 – 20 1 When all the stars burn out, or all the seas run dry, God's love and law will still remain, they soar beyond the sky. 2 When justice is denied, or people are constrained, God's righteousness cannot be found, or hopeful joy retained. 3 Bring savour to the world: this saltiness we share is evidence of godliness that we are meant to bear. 4 For us to be of use, like standards that will shine we need God's power to offer grace through symbol, act and sign. 5 Saltshakers giving taste, light bearers through the night, world changers in the name of Christ we bring God's reign in sight. Andrew Pratt (born 1948) based on Matthew 5 vs 13-20 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: 6 6 8 6 Tune: CARLISLE
The Beatitudes – a hymn – A contradictory blessing
The Beatitudes - A contradictory blessing The gospel reading appointed for this coming Sunday, Matthew 5:1-12, is known as the Beatitudes. The following hymn was inspired by this passage: 1 A contradictory blessing of those who feel unblessed, when life is torn and twisted for this to be redressed; a time of reparation and yet a time for grace when those who feel forsaken will meet God face to face. 2 And in that time of meeting, the hurt will find new joy, the poor will welcome riches, more than they could deploy; the mourning will find comfort, the lost will see God's light to bring them to the dawning, beyond their darkest night. 3 The ones who ache with hunger will share a glorious feast, and those reviled and hated will find they are released. The gentle will inherit the greatest gift of all, while rafters ring with laughter where crying filled the hall. Andrew E Pratt (born 1948) 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: 7 6 7 6 D Tune: THORNBURY
If God is love, then God in love unites us – Christian Unity
If God is love, then God in love unites us If God is love, then God in love unites us, the essence of our being, sense and life, how can we be divided, for our nature is rooted in this Spirit, transcends strife. The ethic by which all our life is driven is grounded in relationship and prayer, for where love joins us, weaving bonds of friendship, be sure to find that God, through grace, is dwelling there. If this is so, then what can separate us: our human ego, hubris or our pride? For when we argue, struggle with each other, like children we are fighting for our side. Without God holding us we’re hollow cymbals, we need to let Love guide our ebb and flow, till entering the stream of love together, the harmony of hope through trust will surely show. Andrew Pratt 15/1/2023 written for Northwich & District Churches Together, with thanks to Robert Bridge for inspiration. Words © 2023 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England, http://www.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: LONDONDERRY AIR
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