Holy and beloved

Holy and beloved, chosen ones of God:

Kindness and compassion and humility,

Also patience, meekness; so to serve your God,

Clothe yourselves in these things for the world to see.

 

Bear with one another; take this call to heart:

As our Lord forgives you, so you must forgive.

So now clothe yourselves in love and do your part

That in joyful harmony we all might live.

 

Let the word of Christ dwell in you heart and soul, 

As his peace lives in you, showing grace to all. 

So you teach other, striving towards the goal, 

Living in God's wisdom as our Lord does call.

 

Singing psalms and hymns and spirit-songs as well, 

All with gratitude and praise for every day,

In the name of Jesus let our lives now tell

In word and in deed how we will seek God's way.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, June 2025, after Colossians 3:12-17.

MUSIC: Tune KING'S WESTON, Ralph Vaughan Williams, 2025.

 

 

First of all, I've wanted to set this passage (with its "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs" hook having been in my head for many years). This week being at the Worship & Music Conference at Montreat, with this larger passage as the "theme scripture," provided extra emphasis. I don't know what brought this tune to my mind, but it was the key that unlocked things. I'll probably need to do some fixing up (and definitely learn some better notation software), but at least it's here and ready to be fixed. (Oh, and this passage really does show up in the RCL ... for the first Sunday after Christmas, year C.) 

Stand down, O "men of God"

Stand down, O “men of God,”

To war is not your call;

Brothers in Christ, this is your work:

To love and to serve all. 

 

Stand down, O “men of God,”

No more of lesser things.

Live as our Jesus showed us how

So his true witness sings.

 

Stand down, O “men of God,”

Your work is not to hate;

This does not glorify our God

Whose love for all is great.

 

Stand down, O “men of God,”

Don’t lord it over all;

Women and men are both alike 

Ordained in Jesus’s call. 

 

Stand down, O “men of God,”

Alone is not your call;

To serve together is your work,

Brothers and sisters all.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, February 2025,

MUSIC: Tune ST. THOMAS, Aaron Williams, 1763.

 

Not a hymn for a worship service, at least not one I can immediately imagine. More like a teaching hymn? Self-instruction? Chastisement? I don't know, but I couldn't stop myself from writing it. 

Our Christ is not a weapon

Our Christ is not a weapon

For spewing hate and fear.

His name is not for smashing 

Those whom the Lord holds dear.

Christ's enemies may hasten

To injure whom they please,

But those who follow truly

Will love "the least of these."

 

Internments or invasions,

Lies meant to harm or kill,

Or massive deportations

With hatred raging still; 

Those who commit such violence

May reap great power and fame,

But in truth cannot ever

Do these in Jesus's name.

 

The work of Christ can only

Be done in holy love,

Relentless and unyielding

Like that of God above.

Our Christ is not a weapon

For spewing hate and fear;

Let such lies be forever

Denounced for all to hear.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, February 2025.

MUSIC: Suggested tune VALET WILL ICH DER GEBEN, Melchior Teschner, 1614; harm. William Henry Monk, 1861.

Something had to be said.

How will I show my faith to you?

How will I show my faith to you?

How will you know who rules my heart?

I pray my deeds will show me true

And thus show my faith's better part.

 

How will I show my faith to you?

How will you know my faith is real?

My words alone, they cannot do

What this world needs to grow and heal.

 

How will I show my faith to you?

How will you know whose child I am?

I pray my God will give me tasks 

That show my faith is not a sham.

 

How will the world know faith is real,

Not mere belief, self-righteous claim?

When church acts out its works of love

To high and lowly all the same.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, August 2024, after James 2:18.

MUSIC: Tune GERMANY, Gardiner's Sacred Melodies, 1815.

 

 

For this verse-right-after-a-lectionary-reading text, the best approach seemed to be to bring some humility to the author's brash claim ("I will show you my faith by my works"), humility that had better be present when we make such a claim (as well as a lot of prayer). 

As we go now from this table

As we go now from this table

Having shared your holy meal,

May our lives be made your witness,

Showing your good news is real. 

As we go out, still we carry

Sacrament as sign and seal.

 

We are challenged to remember,

Through the humble bread we broke,

All your deeds and all your living,

All the sacred words you spoke.

May your call be marked upon us

Like a painter's strong brush stroke.

 

Also marked upon your memory

Is the cup we poured and shared. 

All your sorrows and your sufferings,

All the ways in which you cared;

Let the cup help us remember, 

Let us not be unprepared.

 

As we sing this song of parting

Like you sang with all your friends,

May we know there will be one day

Your new song that never ends.

Till that day may our song witness

To your love that heals and mends.

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, August 2024.

MUSIC: Tune TRINITY, Peter Cutts, 1983. Copyright 1983 Hope Publishing Company.

 

 

In thinking about the sacrament and the songs that go with it, it struck me that most of them seem made to come before the meal, and then a few that proceed all the way through it; I couldn't think of many that followed after the sacrament as a kind of parting hymn of the table. It seemed like a hymn that reminds us of what we take with us from the sacrament could be useful. And yes, with World Communion Sunday not too far off, the sacrament was on my mind perhaps a little extra.

On a separate note, as much as I try to avoid using hymn tunes under copyright, I think this is the third or fourth hymn text of mine that has attached itself to this tune, which I have not even had opportunity to sing in worship very often. Honestly, my right hand does not know what my left hand is doing...

 

Speak the truth to one another

Speak the truth to one another; let no falsehood be called true,

For we all in Christ our brother are one family made anew. 

Alleluia, Alleluia; Show this love in all you do.

 

Let your words speak not of evil; let them build up and make whole;

Speak for grace and not upheaval, bringing comfort to the soul.

Alleluia, Alleluia; Let this be your only goal.

 

Live in love, as Christ did love us, gave himself that we might live.

Imitate what he has shown us; like God's children let us give.

Alleluia, Alleluia; As God's children, we forgive.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, July 2024, after Ephesians 4:25-5:2.

MUSIC: Suggested tune UNION SEMINARY, Harold Friedell, 1957. 

       Copyright 1957, ren. H.W. Gray (admin. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc.)

 

 

I don't typically do this (in fact I try to avoid it), but the creative impulse (which is what I have instead of a creative process) seized on this copyrighted tune and spun out not just one, but three beginnings of verses. Hopefully the tune, which is a gorgeous tune, will be familiar enough for at least some churches. (Yes, the tune is copyrighted; proceed accordingly with your streaming licenses and such. I hope this small snippet might refresh some folks's memories of this tune and yet not violate anybody's copyright stuff.)

Lead lives worthy of your calling

Lead lives worthy of your calling; 

         Live in humble gentleness.

Live with love for one another,

         Slow to anger, swift to bless.

Strive for unity in Spirit,

         Joined in bonds of sacred peace.

Know the one hope of your calling,

         Hope that will not ever cease.

 

For we live in grace first given

         In the gifts of God alone,

Gifts Christ gave to build the body – 

         Gifts of grace we do not own.

Gifts of teaching and proclaiming,

         Gifts of challenge and of care;

All these gifts our Christ has given

         To his people everywhere.

 

So we live in sacred body,

         Speaking truth in holy love,

Growing always in our Savior,

         Into Christ our Head above.

Let us all praise our Creator;

         Let us praise our Savior true;

Let us praise the Holy Spirit

         In all things we say and do.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, June 2021, after Ephesians 4:1-16.

MUSIC: Tune HOLY MANNA, William Moore's Columbian Harmony, 1825

 

 

Born of a liturgy writing workshop at the 2021 Montreat Music & Worship conference on the epistle reading for Ordinary 18B. What can I say? Hymns are liturgy, as far as I’m concerned. Now (three years later), it has a nice stable tune as well.

 

Live in the love of Jesus

Live in the love of Jesus; be rooted in his love! 

Take strength in your whole being with power from above. 

With riches of God’s glory, with Holy Spirit’s grace,

Live out the love of Jesus in this and every place.

 

Live in the love of Jesus; be grounded in his love!

Know Christ in your whole being with power from above.

Let Christ’s own holy presence through yearning faith draw near,

And fill you with his deep love, the love that casts out fear.

 

Live in the love of Jesus; live ready for his love!

Know deep in your own being this power from above. 

This love beyond all knowing, God’s fullness holding sway;

Live out the love of Jesus in this and every day.

 

 

Text: Charles Spence Freeman, July 2021 (after Ephesians 3:14-21)

Music: Tune WEBB, George J. Webb, 1837.

 

 

I have sometimes compared my writing process to cooking in a crock pot, one that involves getting all the ingredients together and giving them plenty of time to cook together. In this case, the cooking period more resembled that of a barbecue pit (where “low and slow” is key) than a crock pot. As with my cooking experiences with slow smoking, this text only came together after I had largely given up.

 

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.

The spark is in living

The spark is in living, receiving and giving,

A life lived together in time and in place. 

No longer divided, with true care provided, 

This spark brings new light to the whole human race.

Let each day now teach us (let no one deceive us) 

For striving and winning to no more resign,

But in daily journey, not contest or tourney,

We find the true measure of God's own design.

 

For wins do not make us, nor will failure break us,

But in daily life is where our God draws near. 

Not mountaintop treasure nor valley of pleasure,

But in each day's working the Spirit is here.

No matter how lowly, each day bears the holy,

And everyday life bears the spark of God's grace; 

That spark waits in living, receiving and giving,

In lives lived together in this time and place.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, January 2024.

MUSIC: Tune ASH GROVE, Welsh folk melody.

 

 

The inspiration for this one came while watching a movie. That's new. Otherwise, a reminder (to myself as much as anyone) not to get hung up on constantly seeking mountaintop experiences, lest you miss the divine grace of the everyday.

The nations will gather

The nations will gather when the Son of Man comes, 

From high mighty places, from shelters and slums. 

The Son will then part them on his left and his right, 

They will all stand before him in his endless sight.

 

To those on the right he will call them to come,

"O blest of my Father, come all, not just some!

You fed me and gave me drink to me, welcomed me in! 

The kingdom is for you now; let new life begin!"

 

But those on the left now found the opposite true:

"Get out of my sight now, for you did not do

What those on my right did when you saw me in need!

Begone, you unrepentant in your selfish greed."

 

When do we see Jesus bound in hunger or thirst?

No clothing nor shelter and suffering the worst?

Our Christ bids us listen and he tells us to see:

"What you do unto those is what you do to me."

 

How then shall we live now and what then shall we do? 

Make hunger a relic and homelessness too; 

Care for the imprisoned and the sick whom we see, 

In Christ's own holy name for all eternity.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, November 2023, after Matthew 25:31-46.

MUSIC: Tune COLUMCILLE, Irish melody. (See Glory to God #101.)

 

 

The third of the Matthew 25 parables is in place, though (as with any of these hymns) revision is somewhere between possible and likely. It's a loaded parable, and some streamlining seemed to help the hymn live. This tune was not one with which I was familiar, but it shares a propulsive quality with a number of traditional tunes that will hopefully help keep any singing of this test moving and energetic.  

God of salvation

God of salvation, make us to be

Witnesses for you, saved and set free.

Help us be faithful, O God of love; 

Fit us for service like hand and glove.

We are your children all over the earth,

Made in your image and filled with your worth!

God of salvation, make us to be

Witnesses for you, saved and set free.

 

This is our mission, this is our care:

Widow and orphan having their share,

Lowly uplifted, hungry ones fed,

All to have shelter, roof overhead.

We are your children all over the earth,

Made in your image and filled with your worth!

God of salvation, make us to be

Witnesses for you, saved and set free.

 

As scripture tells us in words so true,

How we treat these is how we treat you.

Sharing the gifts you faithfully give:

May this be always how we will live.

We are your children all over the earth,

Made in your image and filled with your worth!

God of salvation, make us to be

Witnesses for you, saved and set free.

 

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, June 2023.

MUSIC: Tune MFURAHINI, HALELUYA, Tanzanian melody.

 

 

Not all of my hymns are written with any great lofty spiritual motivation. Sometimes I just manufacture a challenge for myself. In this case, it was pointed out in one of my classes today that "love," an obvious candidate for a lot of hymn texts, didn't have a great set of rhyming words once you got beyond "above" and "dove." Of course, I had to come up with a text that found a different rhyming word. *Of course* I did. Nonetheless, with a little touching up here and there this could be a useful hymn, and at minimum getting acquainted with this tune is a definite win.