See the people of God

Refrain:

See the people of God, held in love and grace together;

Formed in Christ's loving heart, any storm or trial to weather.

See the people of God. 

 

See them one in heart and soul, with no care or claim for owning;

They shared all things together, no complaining or groaning.

Refrain

 

With great power they spoke of Christ and his resurrected glory;

God's grace held them in union as they told our Savior's story.

Refrain

 

There was no one here in need, no one lording over others;

What they once owned, they now sold for their siblings, sisters, brothers.

Refrain

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, March 2024, after Acts 4:32-35 (Easter 2B)

MUSIC: Tune WILD MOUNTAIN THYME, Irish melody (note: harmonizations under various copyrights).

 

 

Admittedly most pastors that I know kind of give in and preach from the mandatory gospel reading from John about Thomas and his failure to show up. For those who venture elsewhere, this reading from Acts on the communeity of Christ-followers in the early days has found its way into a hymn text with the help of a well-known Irish folk tune. 

Different harmonizations of the tune may treat the melody differently; this one follows most closely after #629 in Glory to God: The Presbyterian Hymnal, which was harmonized by Alfred V. Fedak. Some adjustments may be needed if different harmonizations are used.