Reflecting on the Good Samaritan – ‘All the power that fuelled creation’
1 All the power that fuelled creation,
cosmic force that fired the stars,
still leaves people in the darkness
when we grasp for 'us' and 'ours'.
All the emptiness and sorrow
we dispel with just a glance,
eyes averted from our neighbours
giving them no second chance.
2 All we cling to, all we cherish,
stands as nothing in God’s light,
yet our attitudes deny it
holding all as if by right.
All the wealth at our disposal
could bring hope, transfigure care;
even candles lit in darkness
bring new hope when none is there.
3 All we need is love and kindness,
costly kindness to dispel
fear and poverty, while bringing
deepest love to counter hell.
All God’s love, when shared among us
shatters poverty with grace,
even now transfiguration
could be felt within this place.
Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
© 2016 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
Tunes: SCARLET RIBBONS; ABBOTS LEIGH
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Tag: love
A hymn for going out – Now let us go from our praise and our worship
A hymn for going out - Now let us go from our praise and our worship
As the Methodist Conference recognises new Deacons and Presbyters might we all consider our own commitment to faith, love and justice - a hymn : Now let us go from our praise and out worship'....
Now let us go from our praise and our worship
out through these doors with the light of the world,
where we can share with our friends and our neighbours
love given freely to have and to hold.
There let us reach to the ones who seem distant,
those we might shun or see pushed to one side,
people less valued than those set around them,
those who the world would accost or deride.
Here is God’s grace and the power of God’s spirit,
here is the love that was seen on the cross,
these we will offer as our obligation,
giving our all, never counting the loss.
Then hand in hand with the neighbours around us,
seeking companionship all of our days,
we’ll follow after the one who has named us,
sharing our bread as we offer God praise.
Andrew Pratt, Words © 2014 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.
Metre: 11 10 11 10
Tune: EPIPHANY HYMN
How do we imagine beauty – Against a bleak backdrop a contrast…helpful? …a new text.
How do we imagine beauty - Against a bleak backdrop something of a contrast...helpful? I hope...a completely new text. How do we imagine beauty, wonder, words cannot express? Something felt, beyond our vision, love incarnate, nothing less? Here and now all life is timeless, here we're lifted out of self, now beyond all expectation, human sense, or worldly wealth. Can eternity be fathomed? Glimpse the feeling, sense the sound, breathe the spirit of creation, ground of being, sought and found. Here a mystery unravels, yet withheld from human sight: simply trust, with faith the given, God is beauty, love and light. Andrew Pratt written 22/6/2025 Words 2025 © 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
I stroll along the forest paths – Pentecost goes on…
I stroll along the forest paths – hymn for 21st June – life in the Spirit!
I stroll along the forest paths, I ride upon the wind.
I sail across the ocean waves, or feast on tamarind,
but all the wealth and wonder here is empty, pale and trite
against the vibrant colours of your spirit’s flaming light.
Your spirit turns me round again when I'm against the wall.
Your spirit lifts me up again, you will not let me fall.
And when I lie asleep at night, in incandescent streams
your love cascades around my life, the goal of all my dreams.
I cast my life into that love, ignited by its flame.
Since meeting you each day I live can never be the same.
In concert and in harmony our lives will merge as one,
in singing, dancing joy until the setting of the sun.
Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2003 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: 14 14 14 14
Tune: THE LINCOLNSHIRE POACHER
Love’s debt
13: 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.
1 Love's debt to each and all we owe,
to those who brought us to this day,
and how can we return this love?
In things we do? In words we say?
2 Some debts seem more than we can bear,
to brother, sister, parent, child;
for while we give and give again,
our love is weak, our sense beguiled.
3 O God where is the purest love,
that does not seek for pride or wealth?
God give to me, that I might share,
the love that seeks another's health.
4 God help me love as you love me
with selfless, unremitting care.
And when I look to those around
to see the face of Christ is there.
Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
© 2014 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: LM
Tune: RIVAULX (StF 735)
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