Tag: Climate change

Hymns responding to Christopher Walsh’s Seminar for Bramhall Methodist Church Climate Change Series

Pre-meeting text

Is it time to pause the picture, 
freeze the frame until we learn. 
Listen more to one another, 
as we focus to discern 
differences of our perspectives, 
how our neighbours live and grow, 
till in Christian understanding,
Jesus’ love begins to show?
 
Accidents of birth have placed us 
into poverty or wealth, 
having access to possessions, 
bringing peace? Destroying health?
When will humans learn together 
how to meet our common need? 
How to live with one another, 
nurture love, that precious seed.
 
God enable us to treasure 
those with whom we share this earth, 
those whose lives are marked by difference, 
yet who share our human birth; 
bring a clearer understanding 
of the planet that we share, 
till we grasp the trust that’s given, 
measured out for all to care.

Andrew Pratt 15/5/2021
Words © 2021 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: BETHANY (Smart)

Hymn responding to Christopher Walsh
PhD Student, Tyndall Centre, University of Manchester

How we trust and work together 
with our partners on this earth, 
will sustain, or damn our planet, 
place of nurture, home of birth.

Yet removed and isolated 
we have not been stewards of faith, 
as we pray with understanding 
may we channel active grace. 

May our prayer inspire our actions, 
not just words or empty rhyme, 
all our lives are interactive, 
interwoven threads in time.

With a common understanding 
sisters, brothers work as one, 
reap the value of creation 
as our time on earth is run.

Metre: 8.7.8.7
Tune: ALL FOR JESUS
Andrew Pratt 18/5/2021
Words © 2021 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.

More information click here

Praying for our planet – faith and climate change – Bramhall Methodist Church

Seven scientists through seven seminars offer perspectives on a faithful response to climate change.

A series of free webinars. Beginning 12th May 2021

Find out more here

Climate change song – Crises drive us from our comfort

Crises drive us from our comfort
to the edge of vital choice,
children speak the words we’ve hidden,
simple words we’ve failed to voice.
Will we listen to the judgment
warning us to change our ways,
change essential in this moment
making way for future days?

Cut the greed, this present moment
is a sacrament in time:
calls for change in our perspective,
hearing reason, mending rhyme.
Here we have just finite tenure,
stewards of this planet, earth,
handing each new generation
sacred space to come to birth.

Space and time are lent and trusted
into each receptive hand,
ours to tend, maintain and offer
clean, refreshed: each cherished land.
Yet our science says we’re wanting,
faulted in our craft and care.
May the future be forgiving
of the love we failed to share.

Andrew Pratt 8/12/2019
Inspired by Greta Thunberg

Words © 2019 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: THE CARNIVAL IS OVER

The care of our planet, the threat of extinction – Hymn

The care of our planet, the threat of extinction,
alerts us to need to be stewards of the earth:
this place of great beauty, our God given tenure,
the place of our nurture, the globe of our birth.

This place we must guard for each new generation,
to leave as we found it or, better, restored;
to share each resource without greed or pretension,
not barring the needy, not plunder, nor hoard.

The  banquet of God is for all of God’s people,
communion companions are both rich and poor,
our ultimate end will remove all distinctions,
no birthright or creed can obstruct heaven’s door.

God’s common wealth love can encompass all nations,
but here in this place we must all make a start:
a life of acceptance of sister and brother,
the practice of loving, a God given art.

Andrew Pratt 1/5/2019
Words © 2019 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.
Written for the 140th Anniversary of St John’s Methodist Church Whitchurch, Shropshire.
Tunes: STREETS OF LAREDO; ST CATHERINES COURT