Christ died for our sins

Christ died for our sins, as scripture has said,

Was buried but then was raised from the dead. 

Appeared to disciples, then five hundred more;

And so came this witness now and evermore.

 

Now siblings in Christ, keep this news at hand,

Good news you received in which you now stand. 

Hold fast to this message that you now believe, 

Which through God's own messengers you did receive.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, January 2025, after 1 Corinthians 15:1-11.

MUSIC: Tune LYONS, Joseph Martin Kraus, 1784; alt.

 

 

In the case of this text a bit of slimming down and focusing seemed necessary to keep the text from becoming unwieldy and unworkable. The tune has its own pretty fascinating story to it, about how long its composer took to be recognized and credited for it. 

Now without love

Now without love, my words are nothing

But clanging cymbal, noisy gong.

If, with no love, I speak great mysteries

And teach of faith, my words are wrong.

If without love I give up all things,

Nothing I gain here or above;

Faith, hope, and love, these three abiding - 

But still the greatest one is love.

 

Now love lives patiently and kindly,

Not envious, arrogant or rude. 

In truth all love is found rejoicing,

But doing wrong is sore eschewed.

Love bears, believes, and hopes through all times,

Endures with grace given from above;

Faith, hope, and love, these three abiding - 

But still the greatest one is love.

 

Prophetic words are not forever,

And tongues also will one day cease.

Now even knowledge is but passing.

Love never ends and will increase.

For now we see, but only dimly;

We will see fully from above.

Faith, hope, and love, these three abiding - 

But still the greatest one is love.

 

I was a child, my thoughts were childlike;

As I grew up that fell away. 

Our sight is dim, as in a mirror;

We will see face-to-face one day.

When that day come, we will see fully

As we are known by God above.

Faith, hope, and love, these three abiding - 

But still the greatest one is love.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, January 2025, after 1 Corinthians 13.

MUSIC: Tune WAYFARING STRANGER, US folk melody.

A continuation of the set of hymns for the 1 Corinthians readings in the RCL for this season.

One body, one Spirit, united in love

One body, one Spirit, united in love,

And joined for the service of our God above;

But many and varied the parts that are found

All joined in one body, by one Spirit bound.

 

Each part of this body is given in God's name;

Each gift is distinctive, no two are the same.

No part is enough if it functions alone,

But all joined together, God's purpose is shown.

 

This body of Christ, by the Spirit alive,

Needs all of these parts for God's mission to thrive.

No parts are alike, no two gifts are the same, 

But all work together in God's holy name.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, January 2025, after 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 (Epiphany 3C)

MUSIC: Tune ST. DENIO, Welsh folk melody; arr. Caniadau y Cyssegr, 1839.

Continuing with the post-Epiphany cycle of lectionary readings from 1 Corinthians. Also very much continuing with the theme of "Gifts of the Spirit," the previous hymn in this developing set.

Gifts of the Spirit

Gifts of the Spirit God gives all around,

So that God's witness may sound and resound.

Many and varied the gifts God will give;

All are from God for the lives that we live.

 

One receives wisdom for our souls to heed;

One receives knowledge for our minds to read.

Some faith, some healing, some gift to discern;

All gifts God-given to each one in turn.

 

All gifts are given for our common good,

So we bear witness the way that we should. 

So many gifts, from one Spirit the same; 

Praise to the Spirit who moves in God's name.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, January 2025, after 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (Epiphany 2C)
MUSIC: Tune SLANE, Irish ballad.

 

 

Hopefully the beginning of a series of hymns on the epistle readings from 1 Corinthians that follow Epiphany in year C. 

In caves of hopelessness

In caves of hopelessness drawn close

Like uninvited fear,

We struggle with bleak emptiness 

And cannot sense you near.

 

Yet in a moment unforeseen

Your wonders new unfold!

Even in the shadows, in the depths,

Your grace flows manifold.

 

From troughs of flailing and despair

When we must let all go

Comes waves of new embodiment

When God's true path we know.

 

Revive us now, O God of grace;

Restore each withered soul.

From depths and voids of bleak despair

Lift us and make us whole.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, December 2024.

MUSIC: Tune CAITHNESS, Scottish Psalter, 1635; harm. The English Hymnal, 1906, alt.

I don't even know if I can make a useful comment on this. It's been like pulling teeth over a month and a half to get this to a semi-finished place, but apparently I wasn't going to be able to do anything else until this was done. 

The grace of God appeared

The grace of God appeared: 

Salvation to us all!

It calls us to live in this age

With godly self-control.

 

The grace of God appeared,

And trains us now to live 

Against the passions of this world,

This grace that God does give.

 

The grace of God appeared; 

In blessed hope we wait

To see the coming of the Christ

Whose glory is so great.

 

The grace of God appeared,

Who gave himself for all; 

He calls us all to God's own work,

To claim God's holy call.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, November 2024, after Titus 2:11-14.

MUSIC: Tune FESTAL SONG, William H. Walter, 1872.

 

 

This might be even more futile than "Come, you faithful ones, rejoicing" for Christmas Eve; here is a text based on a reading from the RCL. Specifically, it's from the Christmas Eve *epistle reading,*, possibly the loneliest text in the RCL. Nonetheless, here it is.

A little apocalypse song (Luke's version)

When our handmade temples have been thrown down,

Not a stone has been left on stone;

When the force of wrong comes to squelch the song

That is all we have ever known;

When wars abound, rumors all around,

And our hearts are bereft and numb,

Don't give in to lies, but look to the skies

For the Son of Man to come.

 

Refrain:

The heavenly signs that will mark the times

Are for all and not just for some;

So raise up your eyes, looking to the skies

For the Son of Man to come.

 

When the false one comes, saying "I am he!", 

Leading millions to go astray,

Let your minds get wise to the blasphemous lies

And hold on to the narrow way.

The prophets false with their vain assaults,

They will fail, so do not succumb!

You will stand up straight as you watch and wait

For the Son of Man to come.

 

Refrain

 

When the fig tree blooms with its leaves of green

Then you know summer's almost here;

When you see these signs, hold this in your minds 

That the reign of our God draws near. 

Be on your guard, though the times are hard,

To injustice do not be numb; 

Be alert always till the final days

When the Son of Man will come!

 

Refrain

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, November 2024, after Luke 21

MUSIC: Tune STAR OF THE COUNTY DOWN, Irish melody.

 

For a couple of weeks I've been convinced I would never write another hymn, and I wasn't sure I wanted to. I needed to test myself, and the portion of Luke's "little apocalypse" (as opposed to Mark's) that comes along for Advent 1C somehow became the challenge that drew me out. (The tune is public domain but the arrangement from which I am working is copyright, so I'm being especially cautious here and only giving an incipit.)  I don't expect for this ever to be sung, but maybe it broke the funk.