Category: Song

When grief is raw and anger burns – a hymn for those who grieve

When grief is raw and anger burns – a hymn for those who grieve

1	When grief is raw and anger burns 
	and lives are churned about, 
	the reed will bruise, but will not break, 
	love's flame will not snuff out.
	
2	Our depth of love is signalled by 
	this parting stress we feel 
	and neither platitudes, nor prayer, 
	can make our loss less real.
	
3	Yes, death will sting and pain will hurt, 
	but love will not recede, 
	for God is greater than our loss 
	and to our God we plead.
	
4	We cry for peace, we plead for rest, 
	we ask that we might trace, 
	through every mem'ry that we hold, 
	God's present love and grace.

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: CM
Tune: BEATITUDO

On the Sunday between my wife’s death and her funeral one of the lectionary readings is John 14: 15 – 21
Jesus’ words…18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

HymnQuest.com suggests this hymn, written 18 years ago as one related to this text.

How can God, condemned, be hanging? – the test of all that deserves to be called Christian…

How can God, condemned, be hanging? – the test of all that deserves to be called  Christian… (See Jurgen Moltmann The Crucified God)

How can God, condemned, be hanging?
False messiahs meet such ends, 
and the ones then testifying, 
have no need to make amends.
Educated folk were laughing, 
they foresaw what was to come, 
saw disciples hiding, crying, 
feeling both distraught and numb.
             
But that early Easter morning 
brought another scene to bear, 
Jesus mission had not ended, 
he was risen, standing there.
Still the story, more than foolish 
soon gave rise to talk and doubt. 
‘Surely God could never suffer?’ 
taunting people tease and shout.
             
Signs and wisdom are confounded 
by that stumbling block, the cross. 
Things that we once saw as wisdom 
now dismissed as foolish dross.
God had shown such strength in weakness. 
Those who shared Christ’s dying breath
now at last could claim dominion, 
love defeating hate and death.

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: 8 7 8 7 D Tune: CALON LAN
Created by HymnQuest.com

God we need your holy wisdom – a hymn – pertinent, I fear?

God we need your holy wisdom – a hymn written nearly 20 years ago…still pertinent, I fear.

1	God we need your holy wisdom, 
	need to know your presence here,
	through audacious, fearless living, 
	and your dying, draw us near.
	
2	We are failing, needing loving, 
	so addicted to despair,
	come with healing, mend the broken,
	with your grace renew, repair.
	
3	Feed our rich imagination,
	let the poets speak again
	words of hope, profound redemption,
	foil this sharp, systemic pain.
	
4	Then unleash our lives to follow
	Christ our leader, yet our friend,
	and through risks of selfless living,
	find through love your goal, our end.

Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2007Stainer & 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
Tune: CHAPEL BRAE; ALL FOR JESUS

He stood with scarred and open hands – a hymn of resurrection

He stood with scarred and open hands - a hymn of resurrection inspired by John 20: 19-31

1	He stood with scarred and open hands, 
	their bloodied, but now risen, Lord, 
	incomprehension met his words, 
	their fear had tightened like a cord.
	
2	His word of peace rang in their ears, 
	yet they could hardly understand. 
	Bemused, unsettled, disbelief 
	meant that the fear they felt was fanned.
	
3	Yet here he stood, as flesh and blood, 
	a word of peace upon his lips, 
	but as they try to grasp at facts 
	their sense of meaning slides and slips.
	
4	He knew their need, for doubt and awe 
	was clouding each and every mind 
	but here was fish, he took and ate, 
	his human life was sealed and signed.
	
5	The path of pain that he had known 
	was grounded in necessity, 
	for perfect love was bound to face 
	self interest and hypocrisy.
	
6	And now they understood his words, 
	'come follow' echoed in their ears. 
	That self-same grace will call us all  
	and love will cancel out our fears.

Words: Andrew Pratt (born 1948) © 2012 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England, 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.
Metre: LM Tune: BRESLAU

Easter Resurrection hymn: In the garden, walking, weeping

Easter Resurrection hymn: In the garden, walking, weeping

1	In the garden, walking, weeping,
	Mary came at break of dawn.
	All the sorrow, all the anguish
	made her figure lost, forlorn.

2	All the fragrance of that garden
	couldn't take away her fear;
	coming through the dancing shadows
	sunshine could not calm or cheer.

3	In the corner of the garden
	was the tomb where he'd been laid.
	Her intention was to hold him,
	feel again the love he gave.

4	Now she saw the tomb was empty,
	heard a gardener call her name,
	turning round she saw him, Jesus,
	one who'd reached her through her shame.

5	Sunshine cut through clouds of mourning,
	for his death had come and gone,
	silencing the dirge of sorrow,
	now she'd sing a sweeter song.

Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2002 © 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
Tune: OMNI DIE










Used By Permission. CCLI Licence No. 1111
Created by HymnQuest.com - HymnQuest ID: 77131