For those who take up science

For those who take up science to study nature’s ways

And learn of your creation, the wonder it displays,

To warn us from destruction of all we have adored;

For those who take up science, we give you thanks, O Lord.

For those who take up study of creatures great and small,

On land, in air and water, O God who made them all,

To thwart annihilation of creatures that you love;

In wonder and repentance, we thank you, God above.

For those who seek out learning of water, heat, and air,

Of climate and its changing, the consequence we bear,

And who, for all their labors, face sore abuse and scorn

We thank you for the knowledge of those who work and warn.

In time when fear is rampant and ignorance is strong,

We see the consequences of years of greed and wrong;

With mourning and repentance we seek your learning new,

To know the holy healing that you would have us do.

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, April 22, 2020

MUSIC: Suggested tune AURELIA, Samuel Sebastian Wesley, 1864

Between today being Earth Day and the recent news of the death of faith-fueled climate scientist Sir John Houghton, this hymn developed. The last verse, no surprise, is the kicker - to paraphrase Sam Cooke, a change has gotta come.