The finest detail of our lives – a hymn as we age… (Matthew 10: 24-39)
1 The finest detail of our lives
is held by God with care and grace,
while every chance and change that comes,
our loss of hair, lines on our face,
can signal wisdom time has borne,
within each context, in each place.
2 Yet grace and hope and love remain,
as faith is nurtured till mature.
Though we can know both scorn and hurt,
while held by God we stand secure;
God is the centre of our hope
as long as love and life endure.
Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
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 8 8 D Tune: ABINGDON
Created by HymnQuest.com
Tag: wisdom
Making much of clever counsel – a hymn inspired by Luke 20:27-38
Making much of clever counsel – a hymn inspired by Luke 20:27-38
1 Making much of clever counsel
lawyers sought to trip and flaw.
Jesus answered with God’s wisdom,
offered grace to cut through law.
2 God of Jesus, God of Moses,
God of Hannah and of Ruth;
God of Dorcas, God of Peter,
help us understand your truth
3 Held by things that do not matter,
we can sometimes miss our place,
nothings fuel our indignation
still we’re blinded to your grace.
4 Open eyes and hearts to kindness,
help us see beyond the lies
that would complicate your goodness,
God with grace awake, surprise!
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: ALL FOR JESUS
‘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
The Queen’s Accession and Platinum Jubilee – a Hymn
A hymn that might be used to mark the Anniversary of the Queen’s Accession and Platinum Jubilee.
While some people question the concept of Monarchy, whatever our perspective, many have found Queen Elizabeth II to be a person who has engendered respect. These words are written in that light and from that perspective.
Once a woman heard a message,
telling of her father’s death,
spinning life round on a pinhead -
causing her to catch her breath.
From that day a life of service,
putting others first of all,
meant a change of her direction,
yet she saw this as God’s call.
Celebrate her tour of duty,
duty built on faith and love,
ceaseless run since her Accession,
life committed, hand in glove.
Even though some question kingship,
they would witness cov’nant grace,
promise made, tasks undertaken,
never knowing what she’d face.
So today, in celebration,
we will stand to recognise,
age and wisdom, dedication,
pray that peace may be her prize;
then, whatever our perspective,
may we be forever bound
in communion with our neighbours,
finding grace on heaven’s ground.
Andrew Pratt (4/2/2022)
Words © 2022 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: MARATHON (Vaughan Williams)This tune can be heard with different words here it is printed at Songs Of Praise No.302; RUSTINGTON; BETHANY (Smart)
Published in the Methodist Recorder June 3rd 2022
Communion with our God in prayer – https://bramhallmethodists.org.uk/scienceandprayer/
Communion with our God in prayer
may be explained in mystic ways:
a prophet’s dream, a shining light,
that flashes through the darkest night.
Yet that same sense of harmony
can be explained in other ways,
as neurones channel, pulse and play,
the darkest night can seem like day.
We question, is this God or self?
Can God in spirit fire each mind?
Is prayer a myth we ought to shelve,
as we experiment and delve?
A deeper wisdom might explain
that neural pulses we detect
show prayer and science can equate,
as cause and symptom correlate.
So it should not seem odd or strange,
that when we meditate or pray,
a God incarnate offers grace,
inspires each neural interface.
Andrew Pratt 19/10/2019
Tune: O WALY WALY
Metre: LM
Written in response to Rev’d Canon Dr Joanna Collicutt seminar on The Psychology of Neuroscience and Prayer
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.
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