The steadfast love of God

The steadfast love of God will never cease nor fail; 

The mercies of the Lord are sure and will prevail.

Remember love! Remember and take hope in God's unfailing love!

 

God's faithfulness is great, God's mercies ever new; 

Our Lord will our salvation be; this hope is true. 

Remember love! Remember and take hope in God's unfailing love!

 

The Lord is surely good to those who seek and wait;

For those who wait in quiet hope God's love is great.

Remember love! Remember and take hope in God's unfailing love!

 

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, September 2022, after Lamentations 3:21-26.

MUSIC: Tune DARWALL'S 148TH, John Darwall, 1770.

 

 

When in a dry spell, go find a scripture upon which to meditate. That seems to work here. Obscure lectionary readings keep on giving.

The Rich Man and Lazarus

The rich man feasting every day, all dressed in robes so fine;

Poor Lazarus suffering at the gate, for food scraps he did pine. 

When Lazarus died, the angels came to bear him all away; 

The rich man died and he sank down to fiery, bleak decay.

 

The rich man cried out in distress for Lazarus then to come

And dip cool water on his tongue, his awful pain to numb.

"For all the pleasure of your life, this poor man suffered more; 

Now he enjoys heaven here above while you know suffering sore."

 

The man then begged for Lazarus's flight to warn his brothers dear; 

"If they'll not hear the prophet's word, no messenger they'll fear." 

Let riches not your soul deceive, nor let them claim your heart,

But let your neighbor share your goods, God's blessing to impart.

 

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, August 2022, after Luke 16:19-31.

MUSIC: Tune NOEL, English melody, arr. Arthur Sullivan, 1874.

 

 

This text first started its life paired to another tune, but ultimately that tune needed a different kind of text. Fortunately the meter used here was a flexible one for tune matching. 

 

A Vocation Song

What is a call? What does it mean?

            To take new roads, but sight unseen?

To find a path new and unknown,

            and know it's God's, and not my own?

 

To understand, we all should ask:

            Is there a joy in this new task?

Does this bring gladness to the soul?

            Can we rejoice to meet this goal?

 

But also ask ere we proceed:

            Does this help meet the world's great need? 

Can those who suffer want or pain 

            yet be made new and whole again?

 

We are not called to endless grief,

            nor only bliss beyond belief; 

Our call is where our joy complete

            and all the world's deep hunger meet.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, August 2022, after words

            by Frederick Buechner

MUSIC: Suggested tune O WALY WALY, English folk melody

 

 

I would be among those deeply affected by the recent death of novelist/essayist/Presbyterian pastor Frederick Buechner. I have most of this books and have probably quoted his works more in my sermons than any source other than scripture. It's probably not an accident that my writing has been stuck since his death was reported. One of his more famous sayings provided, after some extended reflection/wrestling, the text here. It's set to a familiar hymn tune because that's how I work, but my guess is that this is much more song than hymn.

 

God, grant us the contentment (alternate tune)

God, grant us the contentment

            Of knowing what we need,

Not wanting after riches

            That cause the soul to bleed.

Deliver us from evil

            That comes of loving wealth,

But hold us in your true love,

            Your life and breath and health.

 

Give us the grace, our dear Lord,

            To seek your gift of love;

To choose that which is faithful

            And peace-like as the dove.

With righteousness and goodness

            And gentleness to give,

O God of all our living,

            Hold us and help us live.

 

For we who know abundance,

            Let us live not in pride,

But only in your goodness,

            Lord, teach us to abide.

Keep us from vain desiring

            That leads to pain and strife,

But give to us your best gift:

            Life that is truly life.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, 2019, after 1 Timothy 6:6-19.

MUSIC: Tune PASSION CHORALE, Hans Leo Hassler, 1621; harm. J.S. Bach, 1729.

So, about three years ago I came up with this text on the indicated reading from 1 Timothy even though I wasn't actually preaching from it at the time. So I let it sit, and for the fall I decided to get into these difficult little epistles for preaching material for the first time. I had originally set the text to the SALLEY GARDENS tune, but the version in our hymnal is not accessible with the copyright licensing we have, so I needed another. Once I decided to adapt Martin Luther's supposed line and say "Why should Good Friday have all the good tunes?", I was set. 

Listen to the silence

Listen to the silence; what have we been missing? 

Are we now its truth dismissing?

Leave the world's distraction, words that preen and flatter,

Idle noise and empty chatter. 

Focus on God alone and on holy wonder,

            Not what draws us under.

 

Mighty wind was roaring, earthquake and then fire,

Sounds that fear and awe inspire.

Then the silent stillness, God's own Self revealing,

Broke through noise and fire concealing.

So might we learn to see in the peaceful, mute calm,

            God's own healing and balm.

 

Refuge in the quiet from the noise assailing,

Holy Spirit now unveiling;

Even from our singing praise and exaltation, 

Make a space for sound's cessation.

Strive to hear, loud and clear, God's own holy being

            In the silence freeing.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, July 2022 (with reference to 1 Kings 19:11-13).

MUSIC; Tune ARNSBERG, Joachim Neander, 1680.

  

 

This text started coming at around the midpoint of the trip home after an amazing week at the centennial anniversary conference of the Hymn Society of the United States and Canada. It was one of the best things I've done in a very long time, but even after the best kinds of such gatherings, I need quiet. If that is how you are too, enjoy this hymn. (Quirky note: for me that first line comes from a Bruce Cockburn song.)

Worlds of song

Worlds of song are called to life,

Joined in prayer and praise.

Grace is sung around the world,

Sung in many ways.

Yet some lift up cries of pain,

Canticles of need; 

For such longing, may our song

Plant a holy seed. 

 

Songs of praise are known to all

Churches everywhere,

Praise and glory on our lips

In the songs we share.

Yet for those with broken hearts,

Who will sing their song?

Dare we lift our voice for

Sufferers of wrong?

 

As our voices, lifted high,

Loud hosannas raise,

Singing glory to our God

And to Jesus praise, 

What of those whose hearts are lost,

Broken by our greed?

Is there space to sing of grief

With the ones in need?

 

Midst our adulation singing,

Midst our songs of joy,

Can we see that how we live 

Has power to destroy?

Will we change our wasteful lives

And destructive speech?

May we finally, in our song,

Let the suffering teach.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, July 2022

MUSIC: Tune TOKYO, Japanese gagaku mode, Isao Koizumi, 1958.

 

Inspired by experiences at the centennial anniversary conference of the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada, which I attended July 17-21, 2022. In particular hearing the words of a cohort of hymn writers and scholars from Japan reflecting on the challenges of creating hymns for their church stood out, and also likely set off this tune in my head. (Their work was encapsulated in the collection pictured below. Full disclosure: I had the extreme pleasure and privilege to develop three of the translations/paraphrases included in this collection for the conference, so maybe the seed has been in my brain longer than I know.)

NOTE: since the copyright status of this tune isn't entirely clear - it seems to be copyrighted? - it is not included here; it can be found in Glory to God: The Presbyterian Hymnal (#311 and #813) and twenty-something other hymnals as well.

 

This one thing only, updated

This one thing only, loving God, 

            plant firmly in my heart; 

Amidst our work, to hear your word 

            and choose the better part;

 

Lord, show us when to labor on 

            and when to stop and rest,

To hear your voice and, so restored, 

            to serve you at our best.

 

O give this gift, our loving God, 

            and this one grace please give:

To know one thing above all else 

            and in this one thing live.

 

 

Text: Charles Spence Freeman, Summer 2013 (after Luke 10:38-42), ed. 2019

Music: Suggested tune McKEE, African American spiritual; Jubliee Songs, 1884; adapt. Harry T. Burleigh, 1940.

 

 

One of my oldest hymns. During my parish internship in seminary I needed a hymn on the visit of Jesus to Martha and Mary, and nothing in the hymnal satisfied. So I wrote one. Sounds so simple, huh? While such things happened a few times then, there was no indication at that time that such practice would become quite what is has. (Plus, now I've gotten enough of a grip to create a basic four-part version of the music.)