Trinity 15 at Our Place tomorrow:
Fight the good fight (Duke Street) When I needed a neighbour (Neighbour) Thanks for the fellowship (Skye Boat Song)
and something from The Sheet
I'm guessing that the last hymn might be a nod in the direction of the Angels and Archangels, what with it being Michaelmas on Monday.
“Let all the world in every corner sing” - Luckington.
“Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus".
“We give thee but thine own” - Sandys (I'd have preferred "Venice" but no-one knew it the last time I chose it).
“God, whose giving knows no ending” - All Saints.
“Now thank we all our God” - Gracias - let's see how that goes!
Last night/today is the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene hitting western North Carolina, Georgia, eastern Tennessee and western Virginia. Thursday night, we gathered with others for an outdoor community candlelight service to remember that. We gathered next to calm waters that a year ago we had watched become remarkably swollen and destructive.
Because of the outdoor and somewhat informal nature of the gathering, traditional hymns with a keyboard instrument weren’t really the called-for thing.
At the start of the service, we sang “Down to the River to Pray.”
At the close of the service, we sang “Hallelujah! The Great Storm Is Over.” I suspect I was not the only one fighting back a few tears on that last one.
Not going to have time to do this tomorrow - but this is what I'm told we'll be singing.
Be Still, For The Presence Of The Lord (Evans)
Rock Of Ages, Cleft For Me (Toplady)
My Soul Finds Rest In God Alone (Townend)
The God Of Abraham Praise (Leoni)
I can't recall it from Skool, but we did sing it at The Church Of My Youth, along with Geoffrey Beaumont's lovely version of Psalm 150 O praise God in his holiness...
Were both of these in an early edition of Youth Praise? I see that Beaumont died in 1970.
Our offerings this morning, which were mostly sung with reasonable gusto:
Tell out, my soul - Woodlands God who made the earth - Sommerlied For the fruits of his creation - Ar Hyd Y Nos Bread is blessed and broken - Grace in Essence Lord, for the years Lord of the Years
Lord, I lift your name on high Give thanks to the Lord our God and King (For ever God is faithful, for ever God is strong) If we call to him he will answer us (O sing for joy to God our strength) We praise thee O God (Hallelujah, thine the glory) Consuming fire (Fan into flame a passion for your name) Lord I need you (chorus only)
Harvest festival at the local Methodist church.
Come you thankful people, come ( amended words)
We plough the fields and scatter
[A new Children’s song with actions.*]
Praise and thanksgiving ( Bunessan)
Give thanks to the holy one.
*This was dire. Nobody knew it except the minister but bravely attempted it. A repeat was instructed, with children out the front to do the actions. Adults who declined to join in with actions were threatened with smaller portions of lunch. ( Thankfully I wasn’t staying).
Goodness! I haven't heard or sung Gracias for donkeys' years, although I see that it's the alternative to Nun Danket in the Orange Book.
I hope it goes well - FWIW, I think it's a good sing.
I've just Youtubed it, being (rather badly) sung by a soloist. I'd never heard it before, and tbh I'll be quite content never to hear it again - it didn't float my boat at all.
Nun Danket is imho a very decent sing; definitely a case of "if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it".
Harvest festival at the local Methodist church.
Come you thankful people, come ( amended words)
We plough the fields and scatter
[A new Children’s song with actions.*]
Praise and thanksgiving ( Bunessan)
Give thanks to the holy one.
*This was dire. Nobody knew it except the minister but bravely attempted it. A repeat was instructed, with children out the front to do the actions. Adults who declined to join in with actions were threatened with smaller portions of lunch. ( Thankfully I wasn’t staying).
You'll see Satan having to defrost the spark plugs on his snowplough before you'll catch me doing actions to songs.
I have had a few Hatvest bookings lately but pointless boring you with the details as they were all extremely predictable. Even in this modern age liturgically, hearing a rural Evensong crowd belting out Psalm 65 (BCP) is something to gladden my heart. Today I got a rest from it (more yet to come mind you) as had a high church booking for an anticipated Michaelmas.
Sung Eucharist. (NEH and Common worship trad version)
Jesus glorious prince of angels (Laudes Mariae)*
Burton in F and Shaw Folk Mass
Psalm 148
Around the throne of God a band (Sulothorn)
Sons of the holy one bright with his splemdour (Epiphany Hymn)
Let all mortal flesh (Picardy)
Christ the fair glory of the holy angels
*from 'The Sheet" in case you wondered lol.
A very good uplifting service, a fairly traditional but not extreme high church at their best complete with gongs, pongs and processional examination of the brickwork 🤣
Evensong elsewhere (old EH)
Psalm 91
Thee O Christ the Father's splemdour (Neander)
Angel voices*
Stars of the morning (Trisagion)
Hark hark my soul (Pilgrims)
* pasted in the back of the hymnals ... usually Crimond is the choice for that 🤣
Another good service and a trip down memory lane for the last one, a long time since I got asked to play that. My mother had it for her funeral as it happens for which the words are actually rather apt.
"Gracias" (and glad it was a success @Baptist Trainfan) also took me down memory lane to college services in the 70s. It was in a pink covered book I think (🤔) peoduced by the 20th century light church music group or the like. Not heard it for yonks as it is never asked for in the sticks! The students all sang it with great gusto years ago.
Goodness! I haven't heard or sung Gracias for donkeys' years, although I see that it's the alternative to Nun Danket in the Orange Book.
I hope it goes well - FWIW, I think it's a good sing.
I've just Youtubed it, being (rather badly) sung by a soloist. I'd never heard it before, and tbh I'll be quite content never to hear it again - it didn't float my boat at all.
I had to YouTube it as well, and I’m afraid I’d have to agree about it not floating my boat. I found it rather odd, to be honest.
Nun Danket is imho a very decent sing; definitely a case of "if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it".
I’d say NUN DANKET is more than a very decent sing; it’s a first class tune. It would frankly never have occurred to me there might be a different tune for “Now Thank We All Our God.”
But I guess if you grew up on a different tune . . . .
I didn’t make it to church today. Lingering Covid fatigue and Covid brain led me to play hooky and stay home. But my wife reported. Today, the hymns were:
“Deep in the Shadows of the Past”/SHEPHERD’S PIPES
“We Walk by Faith and Not by Sight”/DUNLAP’S CREEK
“In a Derp, Unbounded Darkness”/DIVINUM MYSTERIUM
“Live into Hope”/TRURO
"Gracias" (and glad it was a success @Baptist Trainfan) also took me down memory lane to college services in the 70s. It was in a pink covered book I think (🤔) produced by the 20th century light church music group or the like.
I love Nun Danket, but it has become a bit of a struggle as our congregation ages. I generally transpose down a tone now. I find I have to do this quite often with traditional hymns, just to give the folks a decent chance of hitting the high notes.
Never come across Gracias. When I Googled it I was provided with the Agincourt Song, a terrific tune, but not the thing.
Have now Youtubed it. Its too 1950s "end of the pier, striped blazer" for me.
I love Nun Danket, but it has become a bit of a struggle as our congregation ages. I generally transpose down a tone now. I find I have to do this quite often with traditional hymns, just to give the folks a decent chance of hitting the high notes.
Eb is about our limit to avoid feline maltreatment allegations, so I'm ruthless about transposing.
I love Nun Danket, but it has become a bit of a struggle as our congregation ages. I generally transpose down a tone now. I find I have to do this quite often with traditional hymns, just to give the folks a decent chance of hitting the high notes.
Eb is about our limit to avoid feline maltreatment allegations, so I'm ruthless about transposing.
I actually wrote a letter to "The Times" many years ago, saying the same thing. It was published!
I love Nun Danket, but it has become a bit of a struggle as our congregation ages. I generally transpose down a tone now. I find I have to do this quite often with traditional hymns, just to give the folks a decent chance of hitting the high notes.
Eb is about our limit to avoid feline maltreatment allegations, so I'm ruthless about transposing.
I actually wrote a letter to "The Times" many years ago, saying the same thing. It was published!
The only letter I had published in The Times was slagging off Michael Gove for a mean spirited column he wrote about GCSEs the day my results came out. And they edited out most of my invective.
Its too 1950s "end of the pier, striped blazer" for me.
An interesting, colorful image, but I’m afraid I can’t make out what it means.
Its a bit of a mixed maetaphor. Seaside leisure piers used to have theatres at the end where song and dance acts used to perform.
For striped blazer . . . .
Ah, thank you. I must say, it was a nicely-mixed metaphor, even for someone unfamiliar with the references.
“Sing to the Lord of harvest” - Ellacombe.
“We eat the plants that grow from the seed” - English country garden.
"Praise God for the harvest of orchard and field” - Stowey.
“We see the fruitful harvest” - Wir pflugen.
“Come, you thankful people, come” - St George's Windsor.
Not entirely sure as there was deviation from the original list.
Parish Communion.
Started with Come…. and worship, first in an African language, then in English.
All people that on earth do dwell ( Old hundredth)
Lord of all hopefulness ( Slane)
Faithful God and unchanging.
And a couple more worship songs, all led by visiting Archdeacon on his guitar + piano, words on screen.
How sweet the name of Jesus sounds (St Peter) We have a gospel to proclaim (Fulda) Make me a channel of your peace (words & music by Sebastian Temple) He who would valiant be (Monks Gate)
Come, ye thankful people, come - St George's, Windsor Give thanks, with grateful heart - Give Thanks We plough the fields and scatter - Wir Pflügen Praise God for the harvest - Stowey Great is thy faithfulness - Faithfulness
Morning Communion.
Tell Out, My Soul* (Woodlands)
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (Rockingham)
Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me (What gift of grace is Jesus my redeemer)
*An appropriate choice as our guest preacher was the son of Timothy Dudley-Smith, the hymn's author
Harvest at Our Place too; not that you'd have known it from the songs.
Jesus, you are here with me God is so good I love you Lord, for your mercy never fails me Bless the Lord, O my soul (Ten Thousand Reasons) The Lord bless you (The Blessing)
Was Fairest Lord Jesus based on the hauntingly beautiful German tune Schoenster Herr Jesu? It's popular in Lutheran churches in Scandinavia, too, where it's used for a Christmas hymn:
I don't know why, but I find this one of the most beautiful and moving tunes there are. I've sung the hymn Fairest Lord Jesus in English, but I also know the Christmas version in Swedish - different words, but a fine evocation of the true wonder of the Christmas story.
Yesterday, our place hosted an ordination (to ministry of Word and Sacrament). The hymns were:
“Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness”/SPIRIT
“Will You Come and Follow Me” (The Summons)/KELVINGROVE
“Lord, You Have Come to the Lakeshore” (Tú has venido a la orilla)/PESCADOR DE HOMBRES
“God, Be the Love to Search and Keep Me” (O Christ, Surround Me)/GREEN TYLER
Today, we had:
“We Are Marching in the Light of God” (Siyahamba)/SIYAHAMBA
“Halle, Halle, Hallelujah” (John Bell, Graham Maule and Marty Haugen)
“The Rice of Life”/BÍ-NÎU
“Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ”/LINSTEAD
Each of these hymns was very appropriate both for the service in which it was sung and its particular place in the service, but it occurred to me that, with the exception of Siyahamba, all of these hymns were written in my lifetime. (The tunes KELVINGROVE and LINSTEAD are, of course, older, but the texts set to them are not.) Siyahamba was first written down a decade or so before I was born, but didn’t become well-known in North America until the 1990s.
I doubt anyone at either service was bothered by the lack of older hymns; there were actually a lot of comments after the service today about how much people enjoyed the music. (Good drumming—djembes and congas—on all but the Asian hymn definitely helped.) But I did find it interesting.
Not sung by me, but Belfast Cathedral choir sang David's Preces and Responses today. A friend sent me a photo of the order of service, with David designated as "David Drinkell 1955-2019". 💔
Comments
Carlisle Cathedral appears to have no tradition of singing an Office Hymn. Weekday Evensongs generally seem to include no hymn at all.
Fight the good fight (Duke Street)
When I needed a neighbour (Neighbour)
Thanks for the fellowship (Skye Boat Song)
and something from The Sheet
I'm guessing that the last hymn might be a nod in the direction of the Angels and Archangels, what with it being Michaelmas on Monday.
Here:
“Let all the world in every corner sing” - Luckington.
“Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus".
“We give thee but thine own” - Sandys (I'd have preferred "Venice" but no-one knew it the last time I chose it).
“God, whose giving knows no ending” - All Saints.
“Now thank we all our God” - Gracias - let's see how that goes!
I hope it goes well - FWIW, I think it's a good sing.
Because of the outdoor and somewhat informal nature of the gathering, traditional hymns with a keyboard instrument weren’t really the called-for thing.
At the start of the service, we sang “Down to the River to Pray.”
At the close of the service, we sang “Hallelujah! The Great Storm Is Over.” I suspect I was not the only one fighting back a few tears on that last one.
Be Still, For The Presence Of The Lord (Evans)
Rock Of Ages, Cleft For Me (Toplady)
My Soul Finds Rest In God Alone (Townend)
The God Of Abraham Praise (Leoni)
So do I - although it does take me back to school Assemblies (and they weren't yesterday!).
Were both of these in an early edition of Youth Praise? I see that Beaumont died in 1970.
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
Beauty for brokenness
Glory be to God the Father
Just as I am
To God be the glory
A bit of variety for once. A couple there that our minister hasn't picked before.
Dear Lord and Father of Mankind - REPTON
Amazing Grace - AMAZING GRACE
Lord, for the Years - LORD OF THE YEARS
Tell out, my soul - Woodlands
God who made the earth - Sommerlied
For the fruits of his creation - Ar Hyd Y Nos
Bread is blessed and broken - Grace in Essence
Lord, for the years Lord of the Years
Give thanks to the Lord our God and King (For ever God is faithful, for ever God is strong)
If we call to him he will answer us (O sing for joy to God our strength)
We praise thee O God (Hallelujah, thine the glory)
Consuming fire (Fan into flame a passion for your name)
Lord I need you (chorus only)
Come you thankful people, come ( amended words)
We plough the fields and scatter
[A new Children’s song with actions.*]
Praise and thanksgiving ( Bunessan)
Give thanks to the holy one.
*This was dire. Nobody knew it except the minister but bravely attempted it. A repeat was instructed, with children out the front to do the actions. Adults who declined to join in with actions were threatened with smaller portions of lunch. ( Thankfully I wasn’t staying).
I've just Youtubed it, being (rather badly) sung by a soloist. I'd never heard it before, and tbh I'll be quite content never to hear it again - it didn't float my boat at all.
Nun Danket is imho a very decent sing; definitely a case of "if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it".
You'll see Satan having to defrost the spark plugs on his snowplough before you'll catch me doing actions to songs.
Sung Eucharist. (NEH and Common worship trad version)
Jesus glorious prince of angels (Laudes Mariae)*
Burton in F and Shaw Folk Mass
Psalm 148
Around the throne of God a band (Sulothorn)
Sons of the holy one bright with his splemdour (Epiphany Hymn)
Let all mortal flesh (Picardy)
Christ the fair glory of the holy angels
*from 'The Sheet" in case you wondered lol.
A very good uplifting service, a fairly traditional but not extreme high church at their best complete with gongs, pongs and processional examination of the brickwork 🤣
Evensong elsewhere (old EH)
Psalm 91
Thee O Christ the Father's splemdour (Neander)
Angel voices*
Stars of the morning (Trisagion)
Hark hark my soul (Pilgrims)
* pasted in the back of the hymnals ... usually Crimond is the choice for that 🤣
Another good service and a trip down memory lane for the last one, a long time since I got asked to play that. My mother had it for her funeral as it happens for which the words are actually rather apt.
"Gracias" (and glad it was a success @Baptist Trainfan) also took me down memory lane to college services in the 70s. It was in a pink covered book I think (🤔) peoduced by the 20th century light church music group or the like. Not heard it for yonks as it is never asked for in the sticks! The students all sang it with great gusto years ago.
I’d say NUN DANKET is more than a very decent sing; it’s a first class tune. It would frankly never have occurred to me there might be a different tune for “Now Thank We All Our God.”
But I guess if you grew up on a different tune . . . .
I didn’t make it to church today. Lingering Covid fatigue and Covid brain led me to play hooky and stay home. But my wife reported. Today, the hymns were:
“Deep in the Shadows of the Past”/SHEPHERD’S PIPES
“We Walk by Faith and Not by Sight”/DUNLAP’S CREEK
“In a Derp, Unbounded Darkness”/DIVINUM MYSTERIUM
“Live into Hope”/TRURO
Never come across Gracias. When I Googled it I was provided with the Agincourt Song, a terrific tune, but not the thing.
Have now Youtubed it. Its too 1950s "end of the pier, striped blazer" for me.
We used the piano version.
Sorry, just not my cup of tea.
It's been interesting to see how much discussion this has engendered!
Eb is about our limit to avoid feline maltreatment allegations, so I'm ruthless about transposing.
Each to their own, of course, but Gracias brings back Happy Memories of enjoyable singing at The Church Of My Youth.
I agree, however, that Nun Danket may legitimately be regarded by many as the Proper Tune.
I actually wrote a letter to "The Times" many years ago, saying the same thing. It was published!
The only letter I had published in The Times was slagging off Michael Gove for a mean spirited column he wrote about GCSEs the day my results came out. And they edited out most of my invective.
Its a bit of a mixed maetaphor. Seaside leisure piers used to have theatres at the end where song and dance acts used to perform.
For striped blazer
https://cazaar.co.uk/adults-red-and-white-striped-blazer/?variant=990&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17419357338&gbraid=0AAAAADjfXy0BHlf6EVg6rrL9Em6Lz3YpN&gclid=Cj0KCQjw3OjGBhDYARIsADd-uX6jA8ZQ3n9IMjRrQ2Rz59DFM7fCO55V98LNP6Y3twBnDUOLa6J-VIMaApmIEALw_wcB
“Sing to the Lord of harvest” - Ellacombe.
“We eat the plants that grow from the seed” - English country garden.
"Praise God for the harvest of orchard and field” - Stowey.
“We see the fruitful harvest” - Wir pflugen.
“Come, you thankful people, come” - St George's Windsor.
Parish Communion.
Started with Come…. and worship, first in an African language, then in English.
All people that on earth do dwell ( Old hundredth)
Lord of all hopefulness ( Slane)
Faithful God and unchanging.
And a couple more worship songs, all led by visiting Archdeacon on his guitar + piano, words on screen.
How sweet the name of Jesus sounds (St Peter)
We have a gospel to proclaim (Fulda)
Make me a channel of your peace (words & music by Sebastian Temple)
He who would valiant be (Monks Gate)
Come, ye thankful people, come - St George's, Windsor
Give thanks, with grateful heart - Give Thanks
We plough the fields and scatter - Wir Pflügen
Praise God for the harvest - Stowey
Great is thy faithfulness - Faithfulness
Tell Out, My Soul* (Woodlands)
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (Rockingham)
Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me (What gift of grace is Jesus my redeemer)
*An appropriate choice as our guest preacher was the son of Timothy Dudley-Smith, the hymn's author
Jesus, you are here with me
God is so good
I love you Lord, for your mercy never fails me
Bless the Lord, O my soul (Ten Thousand Reasons)
The Lord bless you (The Blessing)
Processional: Come, ye thankful people, come (Tune: St George's Windsor )
Gradual: For the beauty of the earth Tune: England’s Lane
Offertory:All creatures of our God and King
Anthem: God that madest earth & heavens arr. Thorne
Recessional: We plough the fields & scatter
Was Fairest Lord Jesus based on the hauntingly beautiful German tune Schoenster Herr Jesu? It's popular in Lutheran churches in Scandinavia, too, where it's used for a Christmas hymn:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r66U0A1GgG0&list=RDr66U0A1GgG0&start_radio=1
This is from Turku Cathedal in Finland, but sung in Swedish (Harlig Ar Jorden), as Finland is bi-lingual.
“Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness”/SPIRIT
“Will You Come and Follow Me” (The Summons)/KELVINGROVE
“Lord, You Have Come to the Lakeshore” (Tú has venido a la orilla)/PESCADOR DE HOMBRES
“God, Be the Love to Search and Keep Me” (O Christ, Surround Me)/GREEN TYLER
Today, we had:
“We Are Marching in the Light of God” (Siyahamba)/SIYAHAMBA
“Halle, Halle, Hallelujah” (John Bell, Graham Maule and Marty Haugen)
“The Rice of Life”/BÍ-NÎU
“Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ”/LINSTEAD
Each of these hymns was very appropriate both for the service in which it was sung and its particular place in the service, but it occurred to me that, with the exception of Siyahamba, all of these hymns were written in my lifetime. (The tunes KELVINGROVE and LINSTEAD are, of course, older, but the texts set to them are not.) Siyahamba was first written down a decade or so before I was born, but didn’t become well-known in North America until the 1990s.
I doubt anyone at either service was bothered by the lack of older hymns; there were actually a lot of comments after the service today about how much people enjoyed the music. (Good drumming—djembes and congas—on all but the Asian hymn definitely helped.) But I did find it interesting.
Usual hymns + Rutter (For the beauty..) and Archer (Harvest Anthem).
The bit I enjoyed singing the most was Ian Ray's Harvest Carol. Breakneck speed + 5/8. Top fun.
Are you in Colchester (which is Ian Ray's hometown)?