To help in preparation for the Lambeth Conference of 2008, hymns were asked for. The context of the conference was extremely painful, and there were fears that the Anglican Communion might break apart. This hymn was my submission. To shape the text, Read More …
* When the Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland planned to hold a festival in St Martin’s Dorking (where I was a chorister), I wrote these words to be sung to ABINGER, by local resident Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958), hoping that Read More …
* This hymn is inspired by the story of God’s calling and commissioning Moses at the burning bush. A man of blood, a man of zeal.midi When I worked on a French building site in 1958, MARJOLAINE was a recently best-selling Read More …
*** This hymn, an unfolding of Romans 8.22-30, was written to be sung as a four-part round, with the singers surrounding the congregation so as to help them join in.. It can be accompanied by up to four descanting instruments (eg violin, Read More …
*** Facing up to inconvenient and unpalatable truths provides the background for this hymn. If Jeremiah featured in the Christian Calendar of Saints, this hymn could be sung on his feast-day. Sovereign of each unfolding hour.midi COMMENTARY A fully-formed hymn, it is often Read More …
* This hymn is written in conscious imitation of and in homage to Erik Routley’s ‘All who love and serve your city’, with Peter Cutts’ music in mind. You who love and serve creation.midi COMMENTARY This hymn is based in 1 Thessalonians Read More …
*** Two Bible stories provide the background to this hymn: the choice of David (the eighth choice) to be king, in 1 Samuel 16.1-13; and, by spreading mud in his eyes, Jesus’ giving sight to a man born blind, in John Read More …
* This hymn celebrates the Feast of the Ascension of Christ. It extemporizes on the verse … far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but Read More …
*** This hymn registers a suspicion of doubt behind John the Baptist’s question to Jesus: “You cannot really be the One who is to come, can you?” In singing, it would be fitting to sound a sense of awe in Read More …
* This was written in response to a call in Southampton for texts to the tune of John Brown’s Body. Love has drawn a line.midi