Live in love for one another

Live in love for one another, in the love of Christ for you.

Show such kindness to the stranger in the things you say and do.

Let not wealth claim your affection, but do good with what you own.

Have no fear for what the world does, for with Christ you’re not alone.

Share the good and offer comfort to the ones you find in need,

For our Christ is glorified so, and our God is served indeed.

For our Jesus is forever, yesterday, today the same,

So forever let us praise him and give glory to his name.

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, 2019, rev. 2021; after Hebrews 13:1-8

MUSIC: Tune CHARLESTOWN, The United States Sacred Harmony, 1799

Notes: This one came about a couple of years ago in a different way than most of the hymns I've written, as a deliberate "find something in this week's lectionary readings and do the work as discipline" effort. And yet I find I really like it; it grew on me very quickly. Also, I did not actually have this hymn tune in mind when I wrote the hymn, but once I found it (it's always been a tune I've liked even though it doesn't get sung nearly often enough; mind you, that has nothing to do with the tune name) I fell in love with the combination, and completely forgot whatever other tune had been in my head before.