May 12, 2013: The Seventh Sunday of Easter

May 12 2013

Hymn: Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

Henry van Dyke wrote this hymn in 1907, and from the outset intended that it be sung to the famous tune from the final movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Dr. van Dyke wrote of his hymn writing, “These verses are simple expressions of common Christian feelings and desires in this present time, hymns of today that may be sung together by people who know the thought of the age, and are not afraid that any truth of science will destroy religion, or any revolution on earth overthrow the kingdom of heaven. Therefore these are hymns of trust and joy and hope.”

Hymn: Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us

Greg Scheer writes the following: The text of “Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us” first appeard in Hymns for the Young (1840), which was edited by Dorothy Ann Thrupp. Although no author’s name appears with the text, it is thought that Thrupp wrote it, since she often published hymns anonymously, under the pseudonym “Iota,” or simply using her initials. The tune we sing today was written by William Bradbury expressly for this text…It’s interesting that “Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us” was originally intended for children. In fact, many classic hymns like “Morning has Broken” and “All Things Bright and Beatuiful” were originally written for youth. Certainly this proves that educating our children and creating lasting music need not be mutually exclusive goals!

Hymn: Lord, Speak to Me

The text for this hymn was written by Frances Ridley Havergal, who also wrote “Take my life and let it be.” It was first published with the title “A worker’s prayer. ‘None of us liveth to himself.’ Romans 14:7.” The hymn tune CANONBURY is an arrangement of Robert Schumann’s piano work “Nachtstücke [Night Pieces] in F, Opus 23, No. 4” (1839). Schumann said, “I used to rack my brains for a long time, but now I often feel as if I could go playing straight on without ever coming to an end.”

Anthem: Who At My Door is Standing?

A minister’s wife and teacher, Mary Slade was assistant editor of The New England Journal of Education. Slade has had around one hundred hymn texts and poems published in various collections and hymnbooks. This text, written circa 1875, has been included in at least seventy-nine collections, ranging from camp meeting songbooks to denominational hymnals. The text is tied to Revelation 3:20, which reads, “Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.”