peace – hymnsandbooks

As we spin on through boundless space – a New hymn for the New Year

As we spin on through boundless space – a New hymn for the New Year

As we spin on through boundless space     
and mark the seasons passing, 
we trust again the Cov’nant grace,
the love that's everlasting.

We carry grief across the years, 
some memories are fading,
while others sharp as broken glass
leave scars beyond evading.

And time will test the strength of loss,
a tensile strand still holds us, 
as love of family, friends and God
are strong, and still enfold us.

So  nothing now that breaks our peace
can once deflect time's arrow, 
that joins us by the grace of God
through every new tomorrow.

Andrew Pratt 21/12/2025
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
Tune: DOMINUS REGIT ME

When evil gathers in the wings – A hymn for Remembrance at a time of international tension

When evil gathers in the wings  - A hymn for Remembrance at a time of international tension

1	When evil gathers in the wings 
	the time of crisis offers choice: 
	to rise with courage and resist 
	or keep our silence, still each voice. 
	What shall we do when chaos reigns, 
	act out God’s love? Submit to chains?

2	As history echoes from the past, 
	while memories can tend to fade, 
	‘lest we forget’ let us recast 
	the hard decisions others made: 
	to live the love that Christ had shown, 
	self-sacrificial, Spirit blown.

Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2019 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 8 8
Tune: ABINGDON

A Hymn for International Day of Peace – ‘Here is Peace’

A Hymn for International Day of Peace - Here is Peace

In 1981, the United Nations General Assembly declared the third Tuesday of September as International Day of Peace. This day coincided with the opening day of the annual sessions of the General Assembly. The purpose of the day was and still remains, to strengthen the ideals of peace around the world.
Two decades after establishing this day of observance, in 2001, the assembly moved the date to be observed annually on September 21. So, beginning in 2002, September 21 marks not only a time to discuss how to promote and maintain peace among all peoples but also a 24-hour period of global ceasefire and non-violence for groups in active combat (I am grateful to Rev’d Pat Bilsborrow for drawing my attention to this day).

Hymn: Here is Peace

Here is peace, when grace astounds us
quelling all our wild pretence.
Here is peace, shalom and kindness,
passion ruled by reasoned sense.

Here is peace, when grace engenders
love that neither fades nor ends.
Here is peace when people welcome;
enemies become as friends.

Here is peace, when grace surprises
ignorance with words of hope.
Here is peace, to light our senses:
see, God’s love has boundless scope.

Words: Andrew Pratt written while listening to Mr D. Rutter, preacher, in Comberbach Methodist Church 2004; © 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: ADORATION (Hunt)
A tune can be found here – Traditional Latvian Melody
A commentary on the text and tune (with an out of date biography) can be found here.

When nations are healed – a hymn for today

1 When nations are healed and all warfare is banished,
the hungry are fed and the poor lifted high,
the vision of glory, God’s presence among us,
will signify love and all hatred will die.

2 The river of life will flow on unpolluted,
the language we share will express common wealth,
all greed and all grasping will vanish forever,
instead of for warfare, we’ll budget for health.

3 The light of God’s love will then shine on forever,
the same light will shine out from each neighbour’s eyes,
this vision need not be set far in the future,
through love, in God’s spirit, we can grasp this prize.

Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
© 2013 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: 12 11 12 11 Tunes: THE ASH GROVE; SAINT CATHERINE’S COURT

Advent in uncertain times – Active love, not fearful frenzy – a hymn

Advent in uncertain times - Active love, not fearful frenzy

1	Active love, not fearful frenzy,
	Is the path that we pursue,
	Counterblast to alienation,
	Struggle making all things new.
	Facing up to common conflict,
	Meeting arrogance with prayer,
	Seeking to be one with Jesus,
	Dignified amid despair.
	
2	Torture, fear and desecration
	Paint the canvas of our lives;
	But the picture, deeply woven,
	Demonstrates that love survives.
	Systems that would seek to scar us,
	Mould us blindly to their trends,
	We will overthrow with kindness,
	Not be subject to their ends.

3	We will take the cross of Jesus
	Into every sphere of life,
	We will stand for peace and justice,
	We will not succumb to strife.
	We must meet this tribulation,
	Live our lives, if need be, die;
	Take no refuge in abstraction,
	Take the cross and lift it high! 

Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
© 1997 Stainer & Bell Ltd
Words Andrew Pratt © 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 Trochaic
Tune: BETHANY (Smart)