Once a star shone out on high

Once a star shone out on high,

Blazing ‘cross the eastern sky.

From its shining, seekers knew 

That its light would lead to you.

 

God, we need your guiding star,

For we languish where we are;

Our hearts fail in misery

And we wander aimlessly.

 

How we seek your light to shine

And your fire our souls refine!

Like that star of ages past,

Let your sign be sure and fast.

 

Like those ancient seekers’ deed: 

Toward your light help us proceed.

Let our steps be sure and true,

And our star be only you.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, December 2021

MUSIC: Tune SONG 13, Orlando Gibbons, 1623; alt.

 

 

A hymn suitable for Epiphany, and perhaps other times I suppose. 

 

In the beginning was the Word (alternate tune)

In the beginning was the Word; 

The Word was from the first with God.

In the beginning this same Word,

This Word was God and only God. 

 

All things became then through this Word; 

No thing became, apart from God.

Life came to be all through this Word;

This life, this light that comes from God.

 

Into the world then came this Word,

But yet the world did not know God.

So many welcomed not the Word,

But some became children of God.

 

And in the flesh did come this Word,

With glory, grace, and truth of God.

Receive the fullness of the Word,

And grace upon grace from our God.

 

 

Text: Charles Spence Freeman, after verses from John 1:1-18.

Music: Suggested tune CONDITOR ALME SIDERUM, Sarum plainsong, Mode IV, 9^th cent. Alternate tune O WALY WALY, English folk melody

 

 

The Revised Common Lectionary insists upon thrusting John 1 into every Christmas season, so might as well have a hymn that sums it up. As to the suggested tune, this scripture (or its opening line at least) has always seemed like something that needs to be chanted. For those churches for whom that's not readily doable, here is an alternative that should be accessible to most.

Child in the Temple

Child in the Temple, hearing and learning,

Asking his questions, living his call;

All there who heard him found him discerning, 

Thoughtful, amazing; so said they all.

 

Joseph and Mary, busy with travel,

Saw their son missing, not to be found!

Searching, their minds began to unravel

Till they found Jesus there safe and sound. 

 

“How could you do this? What were you thinking?

We were so worried, fearful for you?” 

But then his answer left their hearts sinking:

“This is my Father’s business I do.”

 

Babe in the manger, child in the Temple,

God on the cross, our Savior is he; 

Let us behold and joyously tremble

And show his greatness for all to see.

 

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, December 2021, after Luke 2:41-52

MUSIC: Tune BUNESSAN, Gaelic melody.

 

 

Following after an older hymn, “Child in the manger,” this one takes up the twelve-year-old Jesus’s experience staying behind in Jerusalem as his family returned home. The final stanza offers a reminder of who this child was and will be.