1 God loves a scandal, look at Christ,
his crying indignation
will turn our tables round again,
infect our generation.
2 And those of us who hold some power,
our influence diluted,
will sense the end of all we love,
our treasured schemes uprooted.
3 What will we do? What can we say?
Bow down in adoration?
Or rage with words, then crucify
the ground of our creation?
4 The crisis looms, the choice remains:
the cross or selfish grasping;
the denigration of the poor
or love that can be lasting?
5 God give us strength that we might take
the risk of Christ-like living,
this gracious way of selfless love,
of sacrificial giving.
Andrew Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2010 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: DOMINUS REGIT ME
Category: Uncategorized
Sunlight glinting on the water – a hymn of hope
For all its beauty snow and ice can be dangerous, or keep us in our homes. This week’s text looks back to memories and forward to hopes, to sunlight glinting on the water
1 Sunlight glinting on the water,
moonlight filtered by the trees,
nature constantly reminding,
spirit moving with the breeze,
God is present in creation,
God is here in such as these.
2 Holding visions in our memories,
cherishing all we have known,
things of beauty, scenes of wonder,
gifts of grace we cannot own,
all the joys that God has given,
all the love that Christ has shown.
3 Now we come to offer worship
for each heart and mind’s delight,
for all human care and friendship,
for the soaring spirit’s flight,
God we offer praise each morning
for your living, dancing light.
Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
© 2015 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: 8 7 8 7 8 7
Tune: RHUDDLAN
When the weeping of the nations – a hymn at the turning of the year
1 When the weeping of the nations
fills our hearts with holy dread,
when a devastated city
cannot bury all its dead,
God is in the conflagration,
crying where our children bled.
2 Dust will settle on the dying
cradled in a mother’s arms,
fearful faces meet the camera
knowing human hatred harms,
knowing only humane kindness
brings the peace that heals, disarms.
3 God remove our warring blindness,
give us grace that we might see
through the mists of mortal malice
how we fuel life’s agony,
how inaction, sullen silence,
marks our own complicity.
Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
© 2016 Stainer and Bell Ltd.
8 7 8 7 8 7
Tunes: GRAFTON; PICARDY
Christmas Hymn – Long shadows fell across the floor
Long shadows fell across the floor – the first Christmas
1 Long shadows fell across the floor,
the sign of early morning light,
as Jesus gasped a human breath
and stars were fading from the night.
2 His parents waited for this dawn,
a dawn of love, of faith and grace.
But could a little baby boy
be God born in this horrid place?
3 The angels heralded such hope:
that God is very real and near,
and in the person of the Christ
love entered life and cast out fear.
4 We hear the angel song again,
today the story is re-told,
that in that squalid manger bed
our God was laid and love took hold;
5 Took hold of every willing heart,
began to build with child-like hope
a way of loving and of life
to challenge narrow human scope.
6 But then as now the season passed,
the seeming fairy tale had gone.
Sophistication countered truth.
In childlike hearts, hope lingers on.
Andrew E. Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2004 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 8 8 8
Tune: WAREHAM
Advent 4 ANNUNCIATION – MAGNIFICAT
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
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