Tonight we had our planning meeting for the 'Churches Nearly Together' carol outreach event; in the words of Meatloaf 'two out of three ain't bad.' Meths & Baps - sounds like an interesting form of Communion, don't you think?
Anyway, as sparklers sparkled and bangers banged we played that joyous game of 'which Christmas carols can we actually stand to sing' for the upcoming full house event. Not everything we chose was to my delight, but my all time favourite was chosen by someone else and we have a very different "feel" from last year, which I think is good.
We will be introducing a 'new' carol which is written by Candlecentre juxta Dibley's very own hymnwriter Martin Leckebusch, born in the excellent year of 1962, not that I'm biased, but SOF tells me this fact...
It's a great hymn, sung to 'Epiphany Hymn' (Brightest and Best), and I think our oldies will probably enjoy it, alongside faithful friends like 'Hark! the herald angels' (Wesley, for anyone whose checking I've got one in) and 'As with gladness' (to annoy me because I can't work out how to inclusivise it!). Anyway, enjoy this well written work...
Come, see the Lord in His breathtaking splendour:
Gaze at His majesty - bow and adore!
Enter His presence with wonder and worship -
He is the King and enthroned evermore.He is the Word who was sent by the Father,
Born as a baby, a child of our race:
God here among us, revealed as a servant,
Walking the pathway of truth and of grace.
He is the Lamb who was slain to redeem us -
There at the cross His appearance was marred;
Though He emerged from the grave as the victor,
Still from the nails and the spear He is scarred.
He is the Lord who ascended in triumph -
Ever the sound of His praises shall ring!
Hail Him the First and the Last, the Almighty:
Jesus, our Prophet, our Priest and our King.
Come, see the Lord in His breathtaking splendour:
Gaze at His majesty - bow and adore!
Come and acknowledge Him Saviour and Sovereign:
Jesus our King is enthroned evermore.
Martin Leckebusch (c) Kevin Mayhew
Comments
Hi, I really like the song especially as it goes through Christ's death and resurrection so putting the incarnation into context. Also the first and last line repeated to emphasise the praise and worship due to Christ. I especially like the phrase 'breathtaking splendor.' I'm sure young and old will enjoy singing it!
I have used this hymn a number of times as an introduction to communion as it wonderfully summarises the whole Christ-event. It works well with the tune as well.
I think it will work well at a carol service or on Christmas morning.
Do you have the full copyright information on this? I'd like to use it this Christmas and I don't think it will be in any of my books.
Andy (J) and anyone else who is interested...
It is in SoF and copyright details given are Martin E. Leckebusch Copyright © 2000 Kevin Mayhew Ltd
Martin calls by here (i.e. this blog) from time to time and has lots of superb stuff published by Kevin Mayhew, so maybe he might like to drop the odd plug for an appropriate collection of his work...?
PS to Martin if he's reading - as S T wasn't at last night's meeting I was the only one present who knew who you were - sorry!
At risk of getting sued for too much quoting, here is another of Martin's great hymns...
At this table we remember
How and where our faith began:
In the pain of crucifixion
Suffered by the Son of Man.
Looking up in adoration
Faith is conscious - He is here!
Christ is present with His people,
His the call that draws us near.
Heart and mind we each examine:
If with honesty we face
All our doubt, our fear and failure,
Then we can receive His grace.
Peace we share with one another:
As from face to face we turn
In our brothers and our sisters
Jesus' body we discern.
Bread and wine are set before us;
As we eat, we look ahead:
We shall dine with Christ in heaven
Where the kingdom feast is spread.
Nourished by the bread of heaven,
Faith and strength and courage grow -
So to witness, serve and suffer,
Out into the world we go.
Martin E. Leckebusch
Copyright © 2000 Kevin Mayhew Ltd
(Martin we'll send you an orange at Christmas, as they say in Northampton, or did 30 years ago)
I recently bought a copy of Martin's '150 metrical psalms for singing to well-known hymn tunes.' We've used one on a Sunday and it went pretty well.
Hopefully, it's OK to post another of Martin's hymns, but I'm wondering about using this on Sunday (using the tune Blessed Assurance which I think fits, although I am not a musician so welcome comments)
God is our refuge, God is our strength-
in our distress his presence is near;
so though the earth quake under our feet,
safe is his keeping, what shall we fear?
refrain:
Constantly with us, faithful and strong-
God is our shield, our hope and our song.
Be still and know that he is the Lord,
ever revered and ever adored!
There is a city founded by God,
filled with his glory, held in his care;
nations may fall and kingdoms collapse-
still it remains, that city we share:
Come, see his works, his marvellous deeds,
bringing to nought the power of the sword.
He is exalted over the earth-
humbly confess that he is the Lord:
Martin E Leckebusch (born 1962)
Er ... I'm deeply honoured! Many thanks to all of you for the encouragements here. Hymnwriting is one of those things which is very like casting one's bread on the waters and sometimes many, many days can go by with no sign of even a damp crust returning - to find that these texts have actually been used, been enjoyed and helped people to worship is uncannily uplifting.
If anyone does have an appetite for more, then the aforementioned Mr Mayhew has indeed published plenty: "More than Words" (144 hymn texts, 2000) and "The Psalms: 150 metrical psalms for singing to well-known hymn tunes" (2006) are both available from www.kevinmayhewltd.com . (There are also a couple of other items, "Songs of God's People" volumes 1 & 2, for those who would like to see half the Psalm-based texts with newly-commissioned tunes; but all the Psalm-based words are in "The Psalms".
By the way ... "God is our refuge" should indeed work well to "Blessed assurance" though I'd be glad of confirmation of this(!); if you do use any of these texts and have a CCLI licence, they are covered by that scheme; and 1962 was certainly as good a year as many ...
In the meantime, I'm more than happy to enter into dialogue on the subject of hymns with anyone who's interested. Now, for the "useful music website" thread ...
Blessings on you.
M.
Keep casting your bread, Martin. There appear to be plenty of hungry ducks! :-)