God, our Creator

God, our Creator, all of life creating,

You bless your people and our needs provide!

Yet we still groan, as if our lives were lacking;

In your abundance, put our fears aside.

 

God, our Creator, heaven declares your glory.

See how the sun shines out across the sky!

Yet we befoul and cloud its shine and splendor;

Show us anew your glory from on high.

 

God, our Creator, by your word creating,

In whom our hope is founded and made real,

Still we betray you, spoiling what you give us;

Set our minds right, restore us with your zeal.

 

God, our Creator, bountifully blessing,

Lavishly giving for our needs each day!

Still we complain that all is insufficient.

Teach us in love to seek your holy way.

 

God, our Creator, all you make we squander;

Heaven, earth, and seas we plunder and destroy.

Set us aright to live within creation

With adoration, wonder, hope, and joy.

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, July 2026.

MUSIC: Tune DONNE SECOURS, Genevan Psalter, 1551. 

 

 

 It hasn't even been two weeks but I already can't remember what prompted this one. Probably something at the Worship & Music Conference I had attended that week. Since I took it down on the Notes function on my phone, I clearly wasn't planning to write a hymn at that particular moment, but it happens that way sometimes. 

 

 

 

When creatures meant to roam the wild

When creatures meant to roam the wild

find freedom snatched away,

in cages locked or bound in chains

and suffering from our wounds and pains,

forgive us, God, we pray.

 

Stout lions, meant to roam in grasslands

free and unrestrained,

or tigers of the forest lands

are captured by foul human hands,

for human fun detained.

 

Sleek panthers, cougars, leopards, and

bobcats and cheetahs too,

were made by God for roaming free,

not held as "curiosity,"

bound in a "roadside zoo."

 

Those who exploit our human yearn

for entertaining sights

breed creatures such for human gaze

in painful and unnatural ways,

all for our vain delights.

 

For creatures bound in such conditions,

God, we humbly pray;

but even more, strike down our yearn

for painful fun, and let us learn

to hate such harmful play.

 

Teach us respect for all of life

in each and every way;

teach us to love them in their place,

not snatch them from their sacred space;

Good God, change us today.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, July 2026

MUSIC: Tune REST, Frederick Charles Maker, 1887

 

 

Prompted by a discussion at this morning's Routley Lecture at the PAM Worship & Music Conference, on creation (specifically "critters") in hymnody (short form: there's not much). I do have "All creatures of our God on high" on the record, but the discussion provoked another text, on a darker side of human fascination with wild cats.

 

 

  

 

O Lord of our ancestors

"O Lord of our ancestors, are you not God above?

Are we no more your people? Have you withdrawn your love?

Do you not rule the nations? Is your great power not true?

We know not what to do, Lord, but our eyes are on you."

 

"You gave your faithful people a sanctuary place,

A land where we could live safe and covered by your grace.

Now enemies surround us, their hate and bile they spew;

We know not what to do, Lord, but our eyes are on you."

 

That cry of ancient Judah we feel again today,

Beset by vain indifference, or hatred holding sway.

How do we stand against these, and yet to you stay true?

We know not what to do, Lord, but our eyes are on you.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, July 2026, from 2 Chronicles 20:5-12

MUSIC: Tune PASSION CHORALE, Hans Leo Hassler 1601;

                  harmonization Johann Sebastian Bach, 1729.

 

 

After a sermon heard at the Presbyterian Association of Musicians' Worship & Music Conference, Montreat Conference Center on July 1, 2026 (preached by Brian Blount, president emeritus of Union Presbyterian Seminary). Yes, the sermon was on 2 Chronicles 20.

 

 

 

 

Let our hearts be broken

Let our hearts be broken, let our souls be torn;

For the chaos 'round us, let us weep and mourn.

Violence and hatred, practiced in your name?

Your true gospel twisted into fear and shame?

 

How have we stood silent for so many years

While this anti-gospel stoked up angry fears?

Why did we not speak out until so, so late?

When the lie was shouted, why did we still wait?

 

Now our call to answer will no longer wait:

Speaking truth to falsehood, speaking love to hate;

Ev'n amidst such violence, injuries and pains,

Bearing witness only to the Christ who reigns.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, June 2026.

MUSIC: Tune KING'S WESTON, Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1925;

            other possible tune WYE VALLEY, James Mountain, 1876.

 

 

One of those inevitable attempts to express in a hymn some kind of response to <gestures around wildly> all this, especially when you realize you should have been speaking up long, long ago...

 

 

 

Journey From the Mind to the Heart

There is a journey facing us all,

Some kind of passion, maybe a call.

Some never make it, some come apart,

Journeying from the head to the heart.

 

Community is so hard to teach,

Ev'n with so many well within reach.

True fellowship, though, is hard to find;

Is there no path between heart and mind?

 

Pity the mind so learned and trained,

Disciplined knowledge fully maintained,

Yet with no core, no link to the heart?

Knowledge for hire; the soul has no part.

 

Where is compassion, decency, joy?

What of reflection? Is this a ploy?

Does honesty live in such a mind

When to the heart's core there is no bind?

 

What do you know, beyond any doubt?

Is there a purpose you are about?

Is there an insight vital to you,

Something behind what you say and do?

 

There is a journey facing us all,

Journey that drives our passion and call.

Never grow weary, strong from the start,

Journeying from the head to the heart.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, May 2026, after the 2026 Sprunt Lectures, Union Presbyterian Seminary, Richmond, VA.

MUSIC: Tune ADELAIDE, George C. Stebbins, 1907.

 

 

This is probably not a general interest hymn. I wrote it after attending the aforementioned lectures given at my seminary alma mater by Dr. Gregory Ellison of Candler School of Theology, Emory University, which I attended in hope of getting some handle on the teaching and thinking of Howard Thurman. (My main conclusion is that there is no such as "getting a handle on" anything about Howard Thurman. But I digress.)  As I am increasingly becoming aware, besides being written for worship or devotion or other things, at least some of the hymns I write are just about processing things I have seen and heard. This is one of those. If anybody else who was there finds it useful, here you are. 

 

 

 

 

When they saw their Teacher lifted

When they saw their Teacher lifted far above all human sight,

Still they stood, still gazing upward, filled with wonder and with fright.

"Alleluia, alleluia" on their lips did not seem right.

 

Then two men were standing by them, robed in white; they asked them this:

"Why do you stand gazing upward? What do you think is amiss?

Alleluia, alleluia! Christ will come back just like this!"

 

So they turned and headed homeward to Jerusalem to stay;

In the upper room they gathered there to meditate and pray,

Alleluia, alleluia! Waiting, watching for that day.

 

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, May 2026, after Acts 1:9-14.

MUSIC: Suggested tune LAUDA ANIMA (Andrews), Mark Andrews, 1930.

                Given tune LAUDA ANIMA, John Goss, 1869.

 

 

 

I have written two hymn texts for Ascension, whatever day it might be observed. This one is Ascension-ish, but is more strictly from the reading for the seventh Sunday of Easter, year A. As for the suggested tune, it's one I like a lot and wish would be used more often, but the more common tune is given here. I will make a version to the Andrews tune as soon as I have time.

 

 

 

The God who made the world

The God who made the world and everything therein,

Who is the Lord of heaven and earth since all time did begin;

 

This God lives not in shrines built up by human hands;

The One who gives us life and breath beyond such walls expands.

 

The nations all God made to live across the earth,

And set their times and places, too, so they might seek God's worth.

 

In God we live and move and have our being all;

For we are God's own offspring, too; so let us on God call.

 

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, April 2026, after Acts 17:24-28

MUSIC: Suggested tune ST. BRIDE, Samuel Howard, 1762.

 

 

A text drawn from Paul's speech at the Areopagus is the basis for this fairly simple hymn, hopefully suitable for Easter 6A. It should be fairly adaptable to other short-meter tunes. 

 

 

 

  

The stones that struck the deacon down

The stones that struck the deacon down

         came not from soldiers' hands,

For neither law nor government

         did issue such commands.

No, those who seized and dragged him out

         to crush his life away

Are given no name or title here;

         the scripture calls them "they".

 

How often since, in centuries gone,

         have deeds of violence

Been done by those unnamed, unknown;

         the darkness their defense.

Our history hides in darkened doors

         while we still look away

While nameless, faceless, masked-up hate

         is killing still today.

 

Enslaving barons stealing lives

         across the distant seas

To hold in chains, to whip and shame

         and bring down to their knees;

Indigenous children taken, too,

         from family and from names;

And garment girls locked in the shop

         to perish in its flames.

 

No, Stephen likely was not first

         and certainly not last

To be struck down by mindless rage

         while we still stand aghast.

Lord, give us righteous anger now

         to make such violence cease,

And kneel before your holy throne

         and yield before your peace.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, April 2026, after Acts 7:55-60.

MUSIC: Tune RESIGNATION, USA folk melody, Lewis's Beauties of Harmony, 1828.

 

 

References in verse 3: kidnapping, trafficking, and enslaving Africans in North America; kidnapping of Indigenous children and inserting them into "Indian schools" to strip away all Indian-ness; the death of over one hundred workers at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory by fire with the factory doors locked.

 

 

  

Now Christ's peace be with you

Refrain:

Now Christ's peace be with you,

And again Christ's peace be with you;

As the Father sent Jesus,

Even now, know that he sends you,

Now Christ's peace be with you.

 

Let the Holy Spirit come

Into all your soul and being.

If their sins you're forgiving,

They can know their sins forgiven.

 

Refrain

 

Is it only when you see

That your heart becomes believing?

Who believes, though not seeing,

Truest blessings are receiving.

 

Refrain

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, March 2026, after John 20:19-31.

MUSIC: Tune WILD MOUNTAIN THYME, Irish melody (arrangements vary).

The "doubting Thomas" account in John 20 has never cooperated well with efforts at making a hymn. In this case taking some of Jesus's words to the disciples and then to Thomas offered a route to what might serve as a hymn of instruction, in a way.

 

 

 

Joy to the World! Christ Lives Again!

Joy to the world, Christ lives again!

Let earth rejoice and sing!

No more enclosed in cold, dark grave,

Let Christ’s new reign begin.

 

Joy to the earth, new life is here!

Rejoice, give thanks, and sing!

He lives to bring us to our God

And draw salvation near.

 

Sin reigns no more; Christ sets us free!

Lift up your voice and sing!

His life, once gone, now never ends;

This is our life to be!

 

Christ lives to reign in truth and grace;

Now let all peoples sing!

His mercy and his justice sure

Shall reign in every place.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, March 2026 MUSIC:

Tune ANTIOCH, attr. G.F. Handel, 1742; Art. Lowell Mason, 1836

 

 

Probably the most foolish thing I have done in the 6 1/2 year project of trying to be a hymn writer. Yes, it's that tune. Yes, it starts with those words. And it's an Easter hymn. 

 

 

  

Rise Up

Rise up, old bones, return to life,
Take sinew, flesh, and breath;
Give witness to the power of God,
A power that overcomes death,
A power that overcomes death.

Rise up, dear friend, return to life,
No longer in the grave;
Give witness to the love of God
That drives a Savior to save,
That drives a Savior to save.

Rise up, old church, return to life,
No longer drowned in fear;
Give witness to the word of God
The world refuses to hear, etc.

Rise up, my heart, return to life,
No longer bound in sin;
Give witness to the grace of God
And let a new life begin, etc.

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, April 2014; MUSIC Tune DOVE OF PEACE, American folk melody 

 

Suitable for Lent 5A, both the dry bones and Lazarus represented. 

 

  

LIve as children of light

Refrain:

 

Live as children of light -

Live no longer in the darkness.

Turn away from the night;

Be no longer cold and heartless.

Live as children of night.

 

Seek to find out how to live

As is pleasing to our Savior;

Seek your whole life to give,

Both in word and in behavior.

 

Refrain

 

Shine a light on shameful deeds,

Things too dark to say or to do.

Sleeper, wake from the dead,

And our Christ will shine upon you.

 

Refrain

 

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, March 2026, after Ephesians 5:18-24

MUSIC: Tune WILD MOUNTAIN THYME, Irish melody

 

 

I floundered badly trying to develop a hymn text on the gospel reading for Lent 4A, from John 9. The epistle reading was far kinder to me, as epistle readings often are. The choice of an Irish melody so close to St. Patrick's Day (which is a two-week holiday for someone who grew up in Dublin, GA) was not intentional; it's just a really good tune.