God is with us – Mary and Joseph becoming parents of Jesus
1 God is with us, Joseph heard it,
in a dream in deepest sleep:
Mary's child, they'd call him Jesus,
now he had a vow to keep;
bound together in God's purpose,
he and Mary made their way
to the census in the city,
waiting for God's chosen day.
2 So they pause within the tension;
fallow moment, time to pray;
parents looking for protection,
what would follow day on day?
Tiny fingers, gurgles, crying,
Mary feeding as they go,
God is with them in this baby,
God would learn and God would grow.
3 Enigmatic gift and promise,
Mary pondered in her heart,
Joseph just as challenged, puzzled,
had to learn a father's part.
Now we look back on the story,
time contracted, one life's span,
Jesus human, here among us,
terror waits as life began.
Andrew Pratt (born 1948) based on Matthew 1:18-25
Words © 2015 © 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: AUSTRIA
Tag: Mary
A hymn inspired by the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42)
Hymn: inspired by the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42) - Sometimes when all our busyness
1 Sometimes when all our busyness
is just too much bear
remember Jesus kindly words
with Mary sitting there.
2 The words that Martha felt unfair
gave leave to stop and be,
and those who need the peace of God
have reason to feel free.
3 So when for any one of us
the pressure is too great,
then stop, take stock, and rest awhile,
it never is too late.
Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2013 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: BELMONT
‘Right here in the presence of loving and grace’ – a hymn inspired by Mary anointing Jesus’s feet.
‘Right here in the presence of loving and grace’ – a hymn inspired by Mary anointing Jesus's feet.
1 Right here in the presence of loving and grace,
see Judas is scowling, a sneer scars his face.
Anointing with perfume is costly and rare;
this gift could be sold, giving substance to care.
2 What need this affection that Jesus received?
It seemed to go counter to all they believed.
The sale of the perfume could go in the purse,
some pieces of silver, not seen as a curse.
3 Yet this would foreshadow for Judas and Christ,
a scene of betrayal, for greed had enticed
this zealot to grasp for much more than his lot,
through misunderstanding, he'd scheme and he'd plot.
4 For Jesus, anointing would speak of his death,
as love of humanity took his last breath,
but now in this moment a woman knelt down,
her wisdom, perception, would lead to a crown.
5 This act of extravagance, worldly yet wise,
offensive to some, was now opening eyes
to love without measure, to infinite grace,
that minds cannot fathom, nor custom displace.
Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
© 2015 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: 11 11 11 11
Tune: ST DENIO
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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