October 28, 2012: Reformation Sunday and Kirkin' O' the Tartans

Kirkin' O' the Tartans 2012

Hymn: Morning Has Broken

Eleanor Farjeon wrote this hymn as per a request from Percy Dearmer, who was putting together a new songbook (Enlarged Songs of Praise, 1931) and wanted a hymn on the theme of thanksgiving to the tune BUNESSAN. Carlton Young writes, “The text effectively links and expresses the creation stories in Genesis 1 and John 1, and reminds us that each new day is a gift from God. In stanza 3, God’s graceful acts of ‘re-creation’ are not divine recreational activity.”

Hymn: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah

LindaJo McKim writes, “William Williams, known as the ‘Sweet Singer of Wales’ and ‘the Isaac Watts of Wales’ wrote this text, full of biblical imagery in 1745.” A minister, Williams’ original title for the hymn was “A Prayer for Strength to go through the Wilderness of the World.” Alan Luff, a Welsh hymnody scholar, comments on the world of Williams: “[it] is a mixture of his own Wales and the land of the Bible. So a preaching journey can become both the toiling of the Israelites through the wilderness and Everyman’s pilgrimage through life to the eternal home. The best known of his hymns in English, ‘Guide me, O thou great Jehovah,’ shows the truth of this; in it we are the Israelites seeking food and water in the wilderness and at the end we are passing through the waters of the Jordan to reach final safety on the other side.” Carlton Young notes that “the hymn draws upon strong biblical metaphors, especially from Exodus 13 and 16: ‘manna,’ ‘crystal fountain,’ ‘fire and cloudy pillar,’ ‘crossing the river Jordan to Canaan’s side.’

Hymn: Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound

It is good to have a thorough understanding of this hymn’s history to understand the significance of it. From The Presbyterian Hymnal Companion:

            John Newton was born in London and at age eleven went to sea with his father. his mother had die when he was six. By age seventeen he was in the British Royal Navy assigned to a man-of-war. After serving as a sailor on a slave ship, he became a captain, transporting Africans to port where they could be sold for the best price. In 1748 he was caught in a storm at sea and experienced a spiritual awakening…At age forty Newton was ordained in the Church of England despite his formal education.

            With William Cowper, Newton penned Olney Hymns (1779), from which four of the four we’ll sing today come. The fifth stanza is the tenth stanza of another hymn, “Jerusalem, My Happy Home,” which was included in another hymn collection; it is unclear when it was added to the four originals by Newton. The hymn was not paired with the tune NEW BRITAIN (AMAZING GRACE in our hymnal) until 1835.

Anthem: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

Written in 1529 by Martin Luther, this hymn is based on Psalm 46 and soon became the rallying cry of the Protestant Reformation. Luther had it sung every day at his church in Coburg, Bavaria.  Along with John Calvin, Luther is considered a pillar of the Protestant Reformation, and is lauded by church musicians for his emphasis on music in worship, as well as his excellent hymn writing. Michael Burkhardt, a church musician from Texas, wrote today’s arrangement. The third stanza is set in the isometric version of the tune, which is how Luther originally wrote it.

October 21, 2012: The Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost

October 21 2012 Worship

Hymn: Take My Life and Let It Be Consecrated

We take our information on the origin of this “consecration hymn” from the author’s manuscripts. She wrote: “I went for a little visit of five days. There were ten persons in the house, some unconverted and long-prayed-for, some converted but not rejoicing Christians. He gave me the prayer, ‘Lord, give me all in this house!’ And [God] just did. The last night of my visit… I was too happy to sleep, and passed most of the night in renewal of my own consecration, and thes little couplets formed themselves and chimed in my heart one after another till they finished with ‘Ever, only, all for Thee.’”

Hymn: Lord of Light, Your Name Outshining

The Congregational (English) minister Howell Elvet Lewis wrote this hymn in 1916. Lindajo McKim notes, “It was written to declare that ‘in doing God’s will, active co-operation is as much needed as humble resignation.’” As we observe extravagant generosity today, let the refrain of this hymn speak to your hearts and minds: “Abba, as in highest heaven, so on earth your will be done.”

Prelude: HOLY MANNA

The tune HOLY MANNA first appeared as the setting for “Brethren, We Have Met to Worship” in William Moore’s collection, The Columbian Harmony (1825). Paul Westermeyer explains, “the tune’s name comes from this hymn, where the last two lines in each of its five stanzas is some form of ‘holy manna will be shower’d all around.’” The tune’s form is AABA, with the first musical phrase being repeated twice more after its initial statement.

Offertory: Variations on MADRID

The tune MADRID is also called SPANISH HYMN or CHANT, as its origins are found in a popular Spanish folk melody. The tune is easily sung, with the first, second, and fourth lines all being identical, and the third line having two repeated phrases. It is perhaps best known for being paired with the hymn text, “Come, Christians, Join to Sing.” The language is clear and simple, making it easy for children and adults alike to sing it with understanding. 

October 14, 2012: Children's Sabbath

Children's Sabbath 2012

Introit: Take My Life

We take our information on the origin of this “consecration hymn” from the author’s manuscripts. She wrote: “I went for a little visit of five days. There were ten persons in the house, some unconverted and long-prayed-for, some converted but not rejoicing Christians. He gave me the prayer, ‘Lord, give me all in this house!’ And [God] just did. The last night of my visit… I was too happy to sleep, and passed most of the night in renewal of my own consecration, and these little couplets formed themselves and chimed in my heart one after another till they finished with ‘Ever, only, all for Thee.’”

Hymn: Come, Christians, Join to Sing

"Come, Christians, Join to Sing" was written by Christian Henry Bateman and was published in several children's songbooks. In fact, the first line of the hymn originally read, "Come, children, join to sing." The line was changed in The Hymnal (1933), an early Presbyterian (USA) hymnal, to make the hymn available to all age groups. The tune MADRID is also called SPANISH HYMN or CHANT, as its origins are found in a popular Spanish folk melody. The tune is easily sung, with the first, second, and fourth lines all being identical, and the third line having two repeated phrases. The language is clear and simple, making it easy for children and adults alike to sing it with understanding. It is easy to see why this hymn and tune were matched together to be included in children's hymnals.

Hymn: God, Whose Giving Knows No Ending

Written in 1961, this text by Robert Lansing Edwards has a clear focus on our responsibility to be good stewards of all God has shared with us. The text outlines these gifts: the wonder of creation, Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, and our talents for preaching the gospel are foremost. The tune comes from The Sacred Harp, a tune book published in 1844 that helped to pave the way for shape-note singing in America, a tradition that continues to this day.

Hymn: Go With Us, Lord

Mary Jackson Cathey wrote this text in 1986 for the children’s choir of National Presbyterian Church, Washington, D.C., where she was director of children’s ministry. Cathey is a graduate of Winthrop and served churches and schools in South Carolina for a time. The tune TALLIS CANON was written by English composer Thomas Tallis to be used as one of nine tunes and several anthems in a Psalter, published in 1561.

October 7, 2012: The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost (World Communion Sunday)

Oct 7 2012

Hymn: O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing

Charles Wesley titled this hymn “For the Anniversary Day of One’s Conversion,” written on the first anniversary of his own conversion. Methodist hymnologist Carlton Young believes it to be “the most characteristic, widely known, and sung hymn of the Wesleyan movement.” The original poem had eighteen stanzas; Wesley was inspired to write the text after a conversation with a Moravian, Peter Böhler during which he asked about praising Christ. Böhler replied, “Had I a thousand tongues, I would praise him with them all.”

Hymn: Arise, Your Light Is Come!

“Arise, Your Light Is Come!” by Ruth Duck was originally intended to be an updated, inclusive-language adaptation of “Rise Up, O Men of God.” However, says Duck, “this new hymn text came to me, as if the new wine of the faith I wanted to express would not fit into the old wineskin of the earlier text.” Much like our other hymns today, this one exhorts Christians to go out into the world, making Christ’s name known both in our words and our actions.

Hymn: Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ

LindaJo McKim writes, “This lively ‘Communion Calypso,’ as Fred Kaan titled the hymn, was written at the request of Jamaican composer Doreen Potter. Mrs. Potter, whose family lived on the same street in Geneva as the Kaans, brought the adaptation of a Jamaican folk melody to him and asked him to write a text. He decided on a hymn of celebration for the Lord’s Supper.”

Music during Communion: For Everyone Born

Shirley Erena Murray is a New Zealand hymn writer whose texts often reflect a concern for human rights, justice, and peace. Brian Mann, a United Methodist from Minnesota, wrote the music to commemorate the decision of a United Methodist church in South Dakota to become a community of reconciliation. The stanzas of this hymn are particularly fitting on World Communion Sunday, as we join with Christians around the world in celebrating communion and our joy in Christ.

Anthem: Put Peace Into Each Other’s Hands

“Put Peace Into Each Other’s Hands” was written by the Rev. Dr. Fred Kaan, a Dutchman who is widely regarded as one of the finest hymn writers of the twentieth century. Further insight into this piece can be gained from a small dedication to Kaan at a hymn festival several years ago:

            Fred chose to focus on touch, recognizing that touch can be a powerful comfort in situations where a patient is so ill that verbal communication is no longer possible. ‘Where words fall short, let hands speak out.’

            It is with those sentiments in mind that we present this as our anthem during worship today, with the prayer that we will, “in love, make peace…give peace a chance.”

Reflecting on September 23 and September 30: We Are the Church

The church is not a building, the church is not a steeple, the church is not a resting place,

the church is a people.

-Richard K. Avery and Donald S. Marsh

     Over the past weeks and months, we talked a lot about "the church" and "this church" and "our church" in worship and meetings as the 175th anniversary of First Presbyterian Church's founding approached. Pictures were shared, movies were made, and memories were recalled as members young and old talked about the church- not just FPC, but what I'd call the capital-C "Church." To reinforce this idea, we sang Richard Avery and Donald Marsh's song "We Are the Church" at Wednesday night gatherings and during our September 30 activities. The refrain reads:

I am the church! You are the church! We are the church together!

All who follow Jesus, all around the world! Yes, we're the church together!

    As we sang "We Are the Church" Sunday during worship, I loved the juxtaposition of two very different groups joining in song: the six Children's Choir members who had volunteered to help lead the singing, and the congregation, varied in age and experience. It reinforced the second verse of the song so well: 

We're many kinds of people, with many kinds of faces,

all colors and all ages, too, from all times and places.

    Before the service on Sunday, we got to hear about those people and see those faces and hear about those times and places in the wonderful "Our Church" video. Each chapter focused on different facet of the life of our church, and our Church: "We Worship." "We Love." "We Laugh." In all of these things, we learned the stories of members whose lives were undeniably changed as they grew up in and with the church. As we entered worship, we encountered some of the 175 ways that FPC Anderson is making history today. We heard of the respite we provide for families dealing with the horrible effects of Alzheimer's; we laughed at a picture of staff members wearing capes for the Wednesday night kickoff; we saw the hands and feet of adults, youth, and children acting as Christ's hands and feet on a muggy Saturday in September, unloading and distributing food from the Manna Truck. What stories will we be telling 25 years from now? Will we be laughing about the time the girls on the Youth Choir trip forgot that you lose an hour when Daylight Savings Time begins? Will we smile when we recall Annie West's wonderful letter explaining what she would do to help homeless children with her $175? I certainly hope so. Let's pray that our church and our Church continue to work and worship in our community and our world. Yes, we're the church together!