Category: Uncategorized

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

A prescient hymn perhaps…

This hymn was written immediately following the announcement of the death of Osama bin Laden. Today’s news of the death  Yahya Sinwar perhaps makes it prescient…?

This hymn can be used freely locally. Please include in your CCL returns.

We cannot gloat: a time for grief,
another mother’s son is dead,
and if that son has killed and maimed,
it is the better least is said;
but let us mourn for all the loss,
within the shadow of the cross.

We mourn for victims we have loved,
and for the orphans yet unborn;
for those for whom a searing pain
greets this and every rising dawn,
and then we bow our heads and pray
that peace might drench the world today.

And to that end we pledge our lives,
our words, our actions and our deeds,
as following the Prince of Peace,
we’ll work for peace till peace succeeds
in breaking every barrier down,
that love may be our goal and crown.

Andrew Pratt 02/05/2011
© Copyright Stainer & Bell Ltd
Please include useage on your CCL Licence returns
Tune: ABINGDON

The mingled tears of memory – for now in Florida while remembering Katrina

1 The mingled tears of memory,

of present grief and fear,

reminders for humanity

that death is always near.

2 The hurricane, the tidal wave,

the terrorist attack,

that fracture faith, unsettle hope,

can cause belief to crack.

3 For where is God? And what is love

within this finite frame,

where life is trampled underfoot,

destroyed by winds that maim?

4 Can God be found in broken lives.

where chaos seems to rule?

Forsaken on a cross Christ hung,

made wisdom look a fool.

5 His broken hands reach out to heal,

through human hands today;

compassion sees the need for love

and God still makes a way.

6 And so amid these mingled tears

we cling to those who care,

and in the silence come to feel

the love of God is there.

Andrew E. Pratt (born 1948) 2005 Stainer and Bell Ltd.