Tag: vocation

The earth pleads for justice – hymn

The earth pleads for justice, the harvest is wanting - While Matthew 9: 37 speaks of a harvest of people, perhaps it is also pertinent today if we think of a harvest of the earth and its care?

The earth pleads for justice, the harvest is wanting, 
in fire, flood or tempest our crops are destroyed;
the Spring, once predicted, is desolate, silent,
excuses are hollow, we’ve done all we can?

The mountains have echoed, or is that God’s whisper, 
the quiet consternation of one in distress? 
A prompting, a question that answers our calling, 
is that your defence, that you’ve done all you can?

While continents crumble and ice caps are melting,
you sit on your hands, you do nothing at all. 
Wake up to the danger still growing around you, 
and do all you can till your passage is through.

And now in the present let’s work for the future, 
still others will follow, they wait in the wings: 
this planet, its future, its people our neighbours,
join hands, sing our anthem: ‘We’ll do All We Can!’

Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
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: 12 11 12 11
Tunes: LAREDO; ST CATHERINES COURT

Created by HymnQuest.com

Calling and Vocation – the first disciples- a hymn

Within the temple's shaking frame – Calling and Vocation – the first disciples

1	Within the temple's shaking frame, 
	Isaiah heard a call, 
	that sought commitment through a vow 
	that he would give his all.
	The gospel message that he heard, 
	apostles heard again 
	within another time and age. 
	God's call was not in vain;
	
2	For Jesus standing by a lake 
	amazed the men who fished, 
	then challenged them to move beyond 
	all that they hoped or wished.
	And now we stand before you God,
	in our own time and place, 
	so give us courage and the nerve 
	to trust surprising grace.
	
3	To go beyond our place and time, 
	encompassed in your care, 
	to know however hard the call 
	your love will find us there.
	Amazed by grace and stunned by awe
	that brings us to our knees, 
	we rise within the hope of God
	that strengthens, loves and frees.

Andrew Pratt (born 1948) © 2010 Stainer and 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: 8 6 8 6 8 6 8 6
Tune: KINGSFOLD


God loves a scandal…a hymn for our times…

1	God loves a scandal, look at Christ, 
	his crying indignation 
	will turn our tables round again, 
	infect our generation.

2	And those of us who hold some power, 
	our influence diluted, 
	will sense the end of all we love, 
	our treasured schemes uprooted.

3	What will we do? What can we say? 
	Bow down in adoration?
	Or rage with words, then crucify 
	the ground of our creation?

4	The crisis looms, the choice remains: 
	the cross or selfish grasping; 
	the denigration of the poor 
	or love that can be lasting?

5	God give us strength that we might take 
	the risk of Christ-like living, 
	this gracious way of selfless love,
	of sacrificial giving.

Andrew Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 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: DOMINUS REGIT ME

Come follow me – hymn inspired by Mark 10: 17-31

Come follow me – inspired by Mark 10:17-31

1	'Come follow me, come follow fast, 
	and leave the rest behind, 
	reach after realms of mystery, 
	yes, seek, and you will find'.
	What holds us in this human realm? 
	What treasures keep us back
	from giving all we have and are? 
	This confidence we lack!
	
2	The call had seemed impossible, 
	the problem was his wealth.         
	And we deflect the word of God
	avoiding it by stealth.
	Our legs are heavy, steps are slow, 
	it seems we cannot move. 
	The call to trusting seems absurd, 
	in things we cannot prove.
	
3	And so we stay with what is sure, 
	we cling to what is known,
	and through our fear we lose our grip 
	on treasure we might own.
	Then like that man we walk away, 
	each with a heavy heart, 
	or turn to follow in the way, 
	to make a brand new start.

Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2012 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: DCM
Tune: KINGSFOLD