When home can be no more our home

When home can be no more our home,

        Follow the call of God.

No more a place of true shalom,

         Follow the call of God.

Refrain:

See Jesus go before us,

         Showing the call of God; 

And Holy Spirit helps us

         Follow the call of God.

 

When home our gifts will not receive,

         Follow the call of God.

When home rejects what we believe,

         Follow the call of God.

Refrain

 

Now follow in our Savior's lead,

         Follow the call of God.

Bear witness in both word and deed;

         Follow the call of God.

Refrain

 

We travel on the path of peace,

         Follow the call of God.

Where God's own kingdom shall increase.

         Follow the call of God.

Refrain

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, June 2024, after Mark 6:1-13.

MUSIC: Tune McAFEE, Cleland Boyd McAfee, 1901.

When dealing with this passage that includes Jesus's rejection in his hometown, it's wise to remember the earlier account of his family coming to "restrain" him earlier in this gospel. But this rejection didn't mean Jesus sat and sulked or anything like that; indeed, you might say he launched a big new initiative. For those of us who really can't go home, there's still work to do in God's family. Or something like that.

 

 

See two who came for healing

See two who come for healing to Jesus on this day; 

Each one with need most urgent, each in their different way.

Each felt there was no option, no other place to go;

But how he would bring healing they surely could not know.

 

A synagogue official to Jesus came to plead; 

His daughter now lay dying, so dreadful was her need.

The man did beg for Jesus - with pleas and not demands - 

To bring her health and healing, to come and lay his hands.

 

A woman with an issue of blood that would not heal

Would not think to disturb him with such a bold appeal;

She only thought to reach down and touch his garment's hem, 

And then to leave before his disciples might condemn.

 

These two who came for healing to Jesus on this day

Each left with what they sought here, each in their different way.

The daughter got up sprightly, the woman stood up tall,

All from the work of Jesus, who came to heal us all.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, June 2024, after Mark 5:21-43.

MUSIC: Tune AURELIA, Samuel Sebastian Wesley, 1864. 

 

 

Preserving the "Markan sandwich" of the original reading didn't really work out, but hopefully the healing accounts get their due and, as I generally hope for such hymns, something of the scripture and the sermon gets refreshed in the singing.

There is a fountain, new text

There is a fountain, born of love, from which God's mercy rains.

O lost and lonely, look above; be free of sorrow's chains.

Be free of sorrow's chains, be free of sorrow's chains.

O lost and lonely, look above; be free of sorrow's chains.

 

This fountain pours its healing on unjust and just the same; 

Lay down your vain and wounding pride; call on the holy name.

Call on the holy name, call on the holy name.

Lay down your vain and wounding pride; call on the holy name.

 

This fountain flows with healing grace to make the broken whole; 

Come to this fountain and receive rest for your weary soul.

Rest for your weary soul, rest for your weary soul.

Come to this fountain and receive rest for your weary soul.

 

Come to the fountain; let it wash your fear and guilt away; 

In Jesus Christ, God's only son, come find a brand-new day.

Come find a brand-new day, come find a brand-new day.

In Jesus Christ, God's only son, come find a brand-new day.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, June 2024.

MUSIC: Tune CLEANSING FOUNTAIN, Early American Melody.

Written at the request of a friend, for whom the tune is beautiful but the original text...less so.

When seed that is scattered, updated

When seed that is scattered is growing and blooming

While we are at rest or at work in the day – 

First stalk and then flower, full grain in due hour – 

We see how the kingdom moves out in this way.

 

When seed of such small size spreads out and finds nurture, 

Now growing and casting its shade far and wide,

We learn how the kingdom comes, fruitful and winsome,

With shelter for all of creation inside.

 

Now this is the kingdom of God in our living;

It flourishes even as we do not know.

Praise God, our Creator, whose giving is greater,

Whose kingdom gives courage to flourish and grow.

 

 

TEXT: Charies Spence Freeman, June 2021, after Mark 4:26-34.

MUSIC: Tune KREMSER, Neder-landisch Gedenck-Clanck; 1626; harm. Eduard Kremser, 1877.

 

 

The lectionary reading for Ordinary 11B offers up seed metaphors for our reflection. Somehow this time around the image of birds being able to take shelter in the shade of the mustard-seed shrub jumped out. (The words of each stanza may fit to the final phrase slightly differently than the usual texts paired with this tune.)