When God sent Philip

When God sent Philip to a road out in the wilderness,

He went, despite the work he had in this Samaritan town.

Are we so ready to move on, without great bitterness, 

When God calls us out from a place where we have settled down?

 

When Philip saw a chariot near and heard a prophet's words,

The Spirit sent him to join in and witness to the Way.

Are we prepared to join in as the Spirit undergirds

A seeker's search for healing hope for living out the day?

 

When Philip had baptized the man with gladness and with joy,

He found himself again removed to yet another place.

Are we so ready for this work, to serve and to enjoy?

Lord, make us witnesses to you in this and every place.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, April 2024, after Acts 8:26-40.

MUSIC: Tune KINGSFOLD, English Country Songs, 1893; 

            harmonization Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1906.

 

 

Philip's trail through Acts 8 is brief but meteoric; from Samaria to that wilderness road to Azotus, zip-zip-zip. Would we even be remotely ready for that kind of divine deployment? Philip just does the work he finds before him. May we, with the Spirit's help, be so steady.

When Peter and John at the Temple

When Peter and John at the Temple were held, 

The Spirit stayed with them and all fear dispelled. 

They knew even then that they were not alone,

But stood firm and fast upon God's cornerstone.

 

The Temple's own leaders did question them sore, 

"What power do you claim for this act we abhor?"

They answered "This power is in Jesus alone;

The one crucified is the true cornerstone."

 

The Temple officials warned them not to say 

That Jesus alone healed this man in this way.

But they would not answer to humans alone, 

But only to Jesus, the real cornerstone. 

 

Then Peter and John were dismissed from their sight,

Set free from to go forth into day's gladdening light. 

They knew deep inside they were never alone,

But stood firm in Jesus, the one cornerstone.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, April 2024, after Acts 4.

MUSIC: Tune ST. DENIO, Welsh folk melody.

 

 

After some time struggling with the Easter 4B reading from Acts 4, the idea of following up on the previous hymn for Easter 3B, from Acts 3, bringing back the tune used for that hymn as well, finally loosened the mind to make more or less a sequel hymn. 

Comes the darkness

Comes the darkness, comes the night, 
Comes the time for human rest. 
Daily rush is put to flight, 
Though sometimes our minds protest,
And such cares are put away
‘Til the breaking of the day.

Yet for some this is untrue;
Darkness brings no time for sleep.
Labor that must yet be done, 
Midnight work hours forced to keep:
Hear our prayers this eventide,
With these workers, Lord, abide.

Night for some can bring no peace, 
Due to tortures of the mind.
Darkness will not bring release;
Only torment they will find.
Jesus, bring rest to their souls, 
‘Gainst the struggling mind’s controls.

Loneliness, another foe
Keeping weary hearts awake. 
Partners pass and children grow;
Left alone, no rest to take. 
Holy Spirit, rest and stay;
Drive such loneliness away.

For these to whom rest’s denied, 
Guide them and protect them well. 
We who now seek slumber’s tide
Let this resting night excel, 
So that we, at morning’s light,
May serve those of sleepless night.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, April 2024.

MUSIC: TUNE REDHEAD 76, Richard Redhead, 1853.

 

 

In essence, a prayer for those who don't get to sleep at night. Partly inspired after the Baltimore bridge disaster, perhaps?

An eclipse memento: Look into the darkness

Look into the darkness, different frame of being,

Free from light's demand for seeing.

For these moments fleeting, sunlight is concealed now;

Science and learning have revealed how.

Even though this we know, it is still God's wonder; 

            daytime torn asunder.

 

Swift these moments passing that the darkness holds sway;

Soon returns the light of harsh day.

In these minutes fleeting let us wait with rapture,

And a spark of awe recapture.

As we go, this we know; God has made this dark space, 

            filled it with divine grace.

 

Still in this new darkness, bright corona shining,

Gives the moon a golden lining.

Brilliant circling sliver over, 'round, and under,

Gives the daytime dark its wonder; 

Like God's love from above, circling 'round us ever,

            grace's great endeavor.

 

With the moon withdrawing, see the day returning; 

Sunshine's brilliance brightly burning.

Still the moment lingers, awe's light spark still flickering,

Drowning out our strife and bickering.

Dark sublime, for a time, daylight's reign did sever; 

            our God reigns forever.

 

Darkness is no darkness to our God unwavering,

Even when our souls are quavering.

Light and dark God favors, both in turn and measure;

Dark and light are both God's pleasure.

For this time most sublime, let us praise our Maker,

            Saver, and Caretaker.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, April 2024; 5th verse after Psalm 139:11-12.

MUSIC: Tune ARNSBERG, Joachim Neander, 1680.

 

 

Written in anticipation of and reflection after the total eclipse of April 2024, while staying at Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center for "Fernclipse," an event with programs around that eclipse. The inspiration for the final stanza somehow came with the music of Samuel Sebastian Wesley's anthem "Thou Wilt Keep Him in Perfect Peace" and its bridge section suddenly blaring into my head for no apparent reason.

 

 

When Peter and John came to Temple

When Peter and John came to Temple one day,

A man who could not walk was there on the way.

Then Peter reached out to him, told him to rise,

And pulled him up, much to the man's great surprise.

 

The people all wondered to see this man walk,

And how this could happen was all of their talk.

They saw that he held close to Peter and John,

So Peter bore witness to God's only Son.

 

He spoke of their God and the Son God had sent,

How he was rejected, his life gravely spent;

How God raised him up and how faith in his name

Gave strength to this man walking to such acclaim.

 

Then Peter gave witness to God's true design,

How Jesus faced suffering and did not decline. 

Because one man stood up and walked by God's grace

So many received the good news in that place.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, March 2024, after Acts 3:1-19.

MUSIC: Tune ST. DENIO, Welsh folk melody. 

 

 

The reading for the second Sunday after Easter does not include the account of the healing in verses 1-11, but it seemed that the hymn would make better sense by including it. The through line runs from the healing of this man to the spread of the good news to many, although that part doesn't necessarily become clear until chapter 4 in Acts!

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.

See the stone rolled away (Easter Hymn)

See the stone rolled away on Easter morn, 

That day when death was slain, and hope was born.

Three followers had come at dawn’s first light, 

And what they saw and heard set them to fright.

 

See the young man in white set to one side; 

He said, “You seek one who was crucified;

But Jesus is not here; he has been raised!” 

And so the three were frightened and amazed.

 

“He goes ahead of you to Galilee; 

He’s waiting there for you to come and see.

Tell his disciples all, and Peter too, 

To follow there and hear his call to you.”

 

This is the calling still for us today: 

To follow Jesus on his saving way.

He bids us come, that new life he may give; 

So will we follow Jesus Christ and live?

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, April 2021, rev. March 2023, 2024; after Mark 16:1-7

MUSIC: Tune TOULON, Genevan Psalter, 1551.

This text has been through a few revisions; in this case the adaptation to a somewhat more accessible hymn tune necessitated a few changes here and there. I don't know of a lot of Easter-event hymns that take Mark's highly abbreviated account as their starting, so here's one that does, complete with open-ended narrative.

 

How can a resurrection come

How can a resurrection come when bodies do not heal?

A thousand cuts felt every day, and each one takes some hope away;

So grief and pain we feel.

 

Or nameless torments of the mind now drive us to the edge;

When sighs too deep for words to frame still leave us soaked in fear and shame,

How do we keep our pledge? 

 

How do we keep our promises to serve our God alone,

When every step becomes a fall, or moment's doubt casts deathly pall,

And hope is soon far gone?

 

Lord, show us where new life begins when mind or body fail!

O Resurrected One, draw near despite infirmity and fear!

Let hope at last prevail!

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, March 2024.

MUSIC: Tune REST, Frederick Charles Maker, 1887.

 

 

Not everyone is able to participate fully in the joy and celebration of days like Easter Sunday. Whether it be from physical illnesses or impediments, or due to injuries to the mind or the soul, the "alleluias" and songs of praise simply cannot rise with that kind of joy, no matter how earnestly desired they may be. If you are one of those people or have ever been one of those people (raises hand), this is for you. 

 

Prepare the way, O people

Prepare the way, O people! Your Christ is drawing near!

Cry out to this great city, so all can see and hear!

A borrowed colt he's riding, God's holy reign betiding.

Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna in the highest!

 

Spread out your coats, O people! Make clear your Teacher's way!

Make smooth the road with branches on this great joyous day!

Sing out and shout with gladness! This is no time for sadness!

Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna in the highest!

 

Blessed is the one, O people, the one who comes to save;

The one who comes in God's name, who saves us from the grave!

Here on this colt proceeding, even now for us he's pleading;

Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna in the highest!

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, March 2024, after Mark 11:1-11.

MUSIC: Tune BEREDEN VÄG FÖR HERRAN, Then Swenska Psalmboken, 1697; arr. American Lutheran Hymnal, 1930.

 

 

This might be a bad habit, but I have a tendency to find a hymn suited to a particular season or occasion and create a hymn in parallel to it but tied to a different season or occasion. Here the original, a good lively Advent hymn, provides the model for a Palm Sunday text, another occasion when "preparing the way" was the call of the day. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems like sometimes it might be a good thing to make connections across the different seasons of the liturgical year. (While the Mark account is used as the starting point fot this text, it might be non-specific enough to be sung on any Palm Sunday.

When Israel's people fell away

When Israel's people fell away, complaining and aggrieved,

They begged for Moses then to pray their suffering be relieved.

Like all the serpents on the ground whose poisonous bite did kill,

He made a serpent out of bronze according to God's will.

 

Then Moses placed that snake of bronze upon a pole on high,

So those who suffered serpent-bite could see it and not die.

As Moses lifted up that snake out in the wilderness,

So was the Son of Man raised up, the Son of Righteousness.

 

God loved this fallen world so much his only Son he gave,

So those who followed would not die, but they the Lord would save.

God did not send his Son to earth to punish or condemn,

But so the world in all its fullness might be saved through him.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, February 2024, after Numbers 21:4-9 and John 3:14-17.

MUSIC: Tune KINGSFOLD, English Country Songs, 1893; harm. Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1906.

 

 

So in considering the passage from John I wasn't optimistic about finding a way to a hymn text, but somehow the idea of dipping into the Numbers reading seemed to provide a "running start" to developing the fuller hymn. I never expected to find a way to set verse 16, but there it is. 

This is my Father's house

This is my Father's house, and not a marketplace!

These cows and sheep stand far too deep; this is a rank disgrace!

This is my Father's house, not moneychangers' grounds!

These cannot stay; clear all away 'til God's true grace abounds.

 

This is our Father's house, a place of earnest prayer; 

And those who truly seek our God are surely welcome there.

This is our Father's house! No more with worldly things.

Let sacred space be filled with grace as all God's family sings.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, February 2024, after John 2:13-22.

MUSIC: Tune TERRA BEATA, Franklin L. Sheppard, 1915.

 

 

Somehow, Jesus's exclamations about the corrupted Temple as "my Father's house" evoked this tune, after some struggle, and the text took off as the second stanza became one for the church today to sing. 

Three Ash Wednesday Hymns

Three possible hymn texts for Ash Wednesday. The first, from about a decade ago (!!!), not based on any particular scripture, has something of a childlike quality to it (and yes, a slant reference to a fictional boy wizard in that first stanza). The second includes one of the principal scriptures assigned to Ash Wednesday in particular set to a tune I can only imagine is familiar, even if my mind hears it a little differently than most churches will. The final one takes up another Ash Wednesday text with a little more resoluteness, and reminds me that Charles Gounod, the nineteenth-century French composer of operas and other classical works, actually did spend some time in England composing hymn tunes for English use. 

These ashes marked upon the brow in strokes both dark and fine--

No lightning bolt, no magic spell found in this cross of mine.

But what, then, does this marking do? These faces that I’ve seen

Marked with that sooty, smudgy cross; what do these ashes mean?

They tell me I’m a child of God, yet made of dust and clay,

And that in time this mortal form returns to dust some day.

And yet the cross reminds me, too, this life is not in vain;

That any day lived in my Lord is never loss, but gain.

Though years be short, and life be quick to flee our feeble hold,

Oh, let me live in God’s good will in years both young and old,

And when this mortal body takes its final, dusty rest,

My soul will not be without hope, but be forever blessed.

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, 2014
MUSIC: Tune: CAITHNESS, Scottish Psalter, 1635

You teach us, if in union with you we choose to live, 

In sweet and sure communion with all the love you give, 

Our gifts should not be posing or full of false display; 

But in your love disclosing you give us words to say.

 

To hallow and adore you and seek your reign to come,

You bid us pray, and then do for all, not only some; 

To seek you in a still space, a quiet room to pray – 

Not public noisy, loud place of vain, coarse show and play.

 

Teach us in time of fasting to lay earth’s pleasures down

With hope and smile yet lasting, not sore or gloomy frown.

Lead us to lay aside here those treasures we adore,

But cling to gifts you hold dear and give to make us more.

 

Wipe out our preening bluster, reject our prayers of pride; 

Refuse vain words we muster with no true faith inside.

Forgive our rude transgression, and lead our prayers to be

Full sure and true confession that only you we see.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, February 2021; after Matthew 6:1-21

MUSIC: Suggested tune PASSION CHORALE, Hans Leo Hassler, 1621. 

Rend your hearts and not your garments, let repentance never cease.

Fast with weeping and with mourning, let your cries to God increase.

Turn to God with all your heart, so that sin and wrong depart.

 

Let your heart be broken fully for the sin we all have done.

Swayed by fear and filled with hatred, webs of wrong that we have spun; 

Turn from such indulgence now! Our God longs to show us how.

 

Let your heart be broken also for the right we have not done;

Works of love and life-repairing that we still have not begun.

Let us turn to God aright and do justice in God’s sight.

 

Now return to God Almighty all of your allegiance due; 

Slow to anger, sure in loving, gracious, merciful, and true,

Turn to God with all your heart, so that sin and wrong depart.

 

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, March 2021; after Joel 2:12-13

MUSIC: Tune LUX PRIMA, Charles Gounod, 1872.

When Jesus told his followers

When Jesus told his followers the trials that were to come,

He spoke in truth, held nothing back, relentless as a drum.

But Peter would not hear this word, and his rebuke was strong;

Yet then his Teacher called him out, and he was named as wrong.

 

For those who would this Teacher claim, the path was stark and clear:

Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus dear.

For you who to your own life cling will lose it all the same,

But you who let your own life go a new life you will claim.

 

How will we live, what shall we do, in answer to this word?

Will we, like Peter, let our faith by human things be blurred?

Or will we lay aside such things of human-bound design

And follow as our Savior leads, and hold to things divine?

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, February 2024, after Mark 8:31-38.

MUSIC: Tune RESIGNATION, USA folk melody, Lewis's Beauties of Harmony, 1838.

 

 

Sometimes, it seems, we might need to be more diligent about understanding how some of the hard scriptures still apply to us. This text is an attempt to lean into that task. 

Then Jesus came from Nazareth

Then Jesus came from Nazareth, his home in Galilee,

And was baptized in Jordan's flow by the baptizer John.

On rising up from Jordan's depths his opening eyes did see

Torn-open skies, descending Spirit; God's beloved Son.

 

Immediately he was compelled into the wilderness,

By Satan tested forty days before his trial was done,

With wild beasts in remote terrain of danger and distress;

But angels came and ministered to God's beloved Son

 

Then Jesus, with his testing done, returned to Galilee,

And there began his holy task to spread to everyone

The gospel of God's kingdom drawing near for all to see.

And so began the saving work of God's beloved Son.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, February 2024, after Mark 1:9-15.

MUSIC: Tune KINGSFOLD, English Country Songs, 1893; harm. Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1906.

 

 

A text for the first Sunday of Lent in which the gospel of Mark, in its typical manner, makes quick work of the baptism and testing of Jesus and launches into his ministry with what might be in modern terms described as his "mission statement" or maybe "topic sentence." Mark does make quick work of things.

Out to a deserted place

Out to a deserted place, Jesus takes his leave to pray,

Seeking holy solitude at the close of frantic day.

 

When they came from synagogue, Simon's mother-in-law lay

Fever-bound in bed, until Jesus took it all away.

 

This news spread around, and so multitudes for healing came.

All the city gathered there; Jesus healed them all the same.

 

So to a deserted place Jesus takes his leave to pray,

Then to other towns they go, spreading gospel on the way.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, January 2024, after Mark 1:29-39.

MUSIC: Tune AUS DER TIEFE RUFE ICH, attr. Martin Herbst, 1676,

 

 

Back to lectionary readings, now for year B, present or anticipated. It feels like the gospel of Mark doesn't get much love hymn-wise, and if I say it's my favorite gospel (and I do) then it logically follows that I should try to do something about that lack of love.

Jesus came to tell a story (The Ballad of the Sower)

Jesus came to tell a story to a crowd one day,

                  with so many people waiting to hear what he'd say.

Told a story of a sower with his seed in hand; 

                  what he wanted them to know was where the seed did land.

Jesus told his stories; do we understand?

                  Jesus told his stories; will we ever learn to understand?

 

Seed that fell upon the pathway didn't last too long, 

                  for the birds came down to eat it and to sing their song.

Seed that fell upon the hard rock grew up way too fast; 

                  then the sun rose up and scorched it, and it could not last.

Jesus told his stories; do we understand?

                  Jesus told his stories; will we ever learn to understand?

 

Seed that fell into the briar patch never had a chance;

                  all the thorns grew up and choked it 'fore it could advance.

But the seed that fell on good soil grew into good grain,

                  multiplying and advancing, soaking up the rain.

Jesus told his stories; do we understand?

                  Jesus told his stories; will we ever learn to understand?

 

Jesus came and told his story so that we might know 

                  what it means to be so fruitful on the path we go.

Be the ones who hear the good word and accept it true

                  so it grows in us and shows us what to say and do.

Jesus told his stories; do we understand?

                  Jesus told his stories; will we ever learn to understand?

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, January 2024, after Mark 4:1-9.

MUSIC: Tune MIDNIGHT SPECIAL, US folk melody.

An experiment in taking old folk tunes and ballads as musical material for telling the parables of Jesus.