From the Light of days remembered
Burns a beacon bright and clear,
Guiding hands and hearts and spirits
Into faith set free from fear.
When the fire of commitment sets our mind and soul ablaze
When our hunger and our passion meet to call us on our way;
When we live with deep assurance of the flame that burns within,
Then our promise finds fulfilment and our future can begin.
From the stories of our living
Rings a song both brave and free,
Calling pilgrims still to witness
To the life of liberty.
When the fire of commitment...
From the dreams of youthful vision
Comes a new prophetic voice,
Which demands a deeper justice
Built by our courageous choice.
When the fire of commitment...
The next hymn is number 21 in Sing Your Faith, again with the support of a choir, written by Shirley Erena Murray with a Lewis Folk Melody.
Come and find the quiet centre
In the crowded life we lead,
Find the room for hope to enter,
Find the space where we are freed:
Clear the chaos and the clutter,
Clear our eyes, that we can see
All the things that really matter,
Be at peace and simply be.
Silence is a friend who claims us,
Cools the heat and slows the pace;
God it is who speaks and names us,
Knows our being, touches base,
Making space within our thinking,
Lifting shades to show the sun,
Raising courage when we're shrinking,
Finding scope for faith begun.
In the Spirit let us travel,
Open to each other's pain;
Let our lives and fears unravel,
Celebrate the space we gain:
There's a place for deepest dreaming,
There's a time for heart to care;
In the Spirit's lively scheming
There is always room to spare.
Update: due to time checking this hymn has been removed. Like a previous hymn, the author of the words of the next hymn number 73 was also involved in the tune. Karen MacKay took part in both, although Jerome Kyles arranged the tune. Again it is choir assisted and is called 'If Every Woman in the World'.
If ev'ry woman in the world had her mind set on freedom,
If eve'ry woman in the world dreamed a sweet dream of peace,
If ev'ry woman of ev'ry nation' young and old,
Each generation held her hands out -
In the name of love there would be no more war.
If ev'ry man in the world had his mind set on freedom,
If eve'ry brother stood with brother as a witness for peace,
If ev'ry man of ev'ry nation' young and old,
Each generation held her hands out -
In the name of love there would be no more war.
If ev'ry leader in the world shared a vision of freedom,
If eve'ry leader in the world shared a sweet dream of peace,
If ev'ry leader of ev'ry nation' worked for justice
And liberation holding hands out -
In the name of love there would be no more war.
If ev'ry nation in the world set a true course for freedom,
If eve'ry nation raised its children in a culture of peace,
If all our sons and all our daughters reached in friendship
Across the waters refusing
To be enemies there would be no more war.
So it is hymn number 28 'Dear Weaver of our Lives' Design', written by Nancy Dorian and music by Nikolaus Herman arranged by J. S. Bach. I transcribed it with a music score writing and instrument impersonating software.
Dear weaver of our lives' design
Whose patterns all obey,
With skillful fingers gently guide
The sturdy threads that will survive
The tangle of our days.
Take up the fabric of our lives
With hands that gently hold;
Bind in the ragged edge that care
Would sunder and that pain would tear,
And mend our rav'ling souls.
Let eyes that in the plainest cloth
A hidden beauty see;
Discern in us our richest hues,
Show us the patterns we may use
To set our spirits free.
The final hymn is number 96 and is choir assisted again, called Lord of Our Growing Years to the well known tune of Little Cornard by Martine Fallas Shaw with these words by David Mowbray.
Lord of our growing years,
With us from infancy,
Laughter and quick dried tears,
Freshness and energy:
Your grace surrounds us all our days,
For all your gifts we bring our praise.
Lord of the strongest years,
Stretching our youthful powers,
Lovers and pioneers
When all the world seems ours;
Your grace surrounds us all our days,
For all your gifts we bring our praise.
Lord of our middle years,
Giver of steadfastness,
Courage that perseveres
When there is small success:
Your grace surrounds us all our days,
For all your gifts we bring our praise.
Lord of our older years,
Steep though the road may be,
Rid us of foolish fears,
Bring us serenity;
Your grace surrounds us all our days,
For all your gifts we bring our praise.
Lord of our closing years,
Always your promise stands;
Hold us, when death appears,
Safely within your hands.
Your grace surrounds us all our days,
For all your gifts we bring our praise.
Some of these hymns are more humanistic, some more theistic, but even the theistic ones use God language with an analogical meaning. Their choice is determined by the theme.
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