This Sunday our music will reflect our praise and affection for Jesus. Our Gospel reading in Mark 6 describes how popular Jesus was becoming with great crowds approaching him for healing. Our Processional hymn will be Christ is the world’s true light. It was written by George W Briggs (1875-1959) who was a Canon of Worcester Cathedral and a distinguished British hymn and prayer writer. He was the author of one of the prayers used at the time of the famous meeting of Churchill and Roosevelt on H.M.S. Prince of Wales in 1941 when the Atlantic Charter was framed. (Ten New Hymns on the Bible, 1952, Hymnary.org) The tune, St. Joan, was composed by Percy E.B. Coller for The Hymnal 1940. Coller must have enjoyed the companionship of a saintly wife because he named the tune in her honor. (Psalter Hymnal Handbook, 1988, Hymnary.org)
Our Sequence hymn is one we haven’t sung previously, Lord Christ, the people flocked to you. It was written by Herman G Stuempfle (1923-2007), who was the President of the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg, PA. Rev. Stuempfle was a most honored and respected hymn writer who wrote many hymns in words that contemporary congregants could easily relate to. He also took an active stance on social issues, participating in the creation of day care centers, serving on the Gettysburg interchurch social action committee, helping to create prison ministries and a homeless shelter, and tutoring young people in the afterschool program of Christ Lutheran Church. (from his obituary in Evening Sun March 16, 2007) This hymn describes Jesus’ encounter with the crowd and how he was able to bless and nurture them just as he does for us today. It is set to the American folk tune Resignation which we usually use for the hymn My Shepherd will supply my need. (Hymnary.org)
This past week St Martin’s welcomed our children to Vacation Bible School on Monday through Thursday. Each day, the children learned about the parables of Jesus and we sang and played instruments to songs about Jesus. This Sunday, we will share some of our music with the congregation, and ask you to participate! We learned a new song based on Psalm 122 and written by Gwendolyn Emery-Owings called I Was Glad. I was glad when they said unto me, let us go to the house of the Lord. As father and mother, sister and brother, come to worship, all together. As father and mother, sister and brother, sing God's praises all together. As father and mother, sister and brother, join at the table all together. I was glad when they said unto me, let us go to the house of the Lord. Gwen is a native of Kentucky and has been working with and composing for children’s choirs for most of her life. (2009 St James Music Press) We will ring our colorful bells while leading you in our song. Somemore of the Jesus songs that we sang and played instruments to were: Follow, Follow Jesus, come let’s follow Jesus everywhere we go; Jesus’ Hands were Kind Hands, doing good to all, healing pain and sickness, blessing children small; Jesus loves the little ones like me, me, me, little ones like me--sat upon his knee; Jesus is a Friend, he’s a friend next to you, so sing halalalalalalalaleluia! The children also are looking forward to sharing their music in Chapel Choir this fall when Children’s Church resumes.
Our final hymn will be a Spiritual that the children in Chapel Choir have often sung, Jesus in the Morning. We will invite the congregation to sing this hymn with us as we use motions to interpret the words. Everyone can join in the JOY of singing together!