Christ Episcopal Church, Macon, Georgia, April 3, 2011:  The Right Reverend Keith Whitmore, Assistant Bishop of Georgia, Giving the Benediction

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Hymn Source #1 = The Parish School Hymnal (1926), of the United Lutheran Church in America

Hymn Source #2 = The Hymnal (1941), of the Evangelical and Reformed Church

This hymn goes by different titles in various hymnals.  An alternative title is “O Thou Who Makest Souls to Shine.”  The number of stanzas, as well as the first stanza, vary according to hymnal, also.

Words by John Armstrong (1813-1856), poet, priest, and Anglican Bishop of Grahamstown, South Africa (1853-1856)

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O Thou who makest souls to shine

With light from brighter worlds above,

Now send Thy glistening dew divine

On all who seek a Saviour’s love.

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O Lord, thy benediction give

On all who teach, on all who learn,

That so Thy Church may holier live,

And ev’ry lamp more brightly burn.

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Give those that teach pure hearts and wise,

Faith, hope, and love, all warmed by prayer:

Themselves first training for the skies,

They best will raise their people there.

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Give those that learn the willing ear,

The spirit meek, the guileless mind;

Such gifts will make the lowliest here

Far better than a kingdom find.

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O bless the shepherd, bless the sheep,

That guide and guided both be one,

One in the faithful watch they keep,

One in the joy of work well done.

Rays of Light

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = The Parish School Hymnal (1926), of the United Lutheran Church in America

Words by George Edward Lynch Cotton (1813-1866), Anglican Bishop of Calcutta (1858-1866), who drowned in the Ganges River after consecrating a cemetery

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1.  We thank thee, Lord, for this fair earth,

The glitt’ring sky, the silver sea;

For all their beauty, all their worth,

Their light and glory, come from Thee.

2.  Thine are the flow’rs that clothe the ground,

The trees that wave their arms above,

The hills that gird our dwellings ’round,

As Thou dost gird Thine own with love.

3.  Yet teach us still how far more fair,

More glorious, Father, in Thy sight,

In one pure deed, one holy prayer,

One heart that owns Thy Spirit’s might.

4.  So while we gaze with thoughtful eye

On all the gifts Thy love has given,

Help us in Thee to live and die,

By Thee to rise from earth to heaven.

The Big Dipper

Image Source = Wikipedia

Hymn Source = The Parish School Hymnal (1926), of the United Lutheran Church in America

Words by Mary A. Lathbury (1841-1913), in 1877

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1.  Day is dying in the west;

Heaven is touching earth with rest;

Wait and worship while the night

Sets her evening lamps alight

Through all the sky.

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts!

Heaven and earth are full of Thee!

Heaven and earth are praising Thee,

O Lord most high!

2.  Lord of life, beneath the dome

Of the Universe, Thy home,

Gather us who seek Thy face

To the fold of Thy embrace,

For Thou are nigh.

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts!

Heaven and earth are full of Thee!

Heaven and earth are praising Thee,

O Lord most high!

The Constellation Orion, At Which I Have Been Staring Off and On for Years

Image Source = Mouser

Original Latin words from the 600s C.E.; an English composite translation dated to 1890

Hymn Source = The Parish School Hymnal (1926), of the United Lutheran Church in America

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1.  O light, O Trinity most blest!

True God, supreme and ever best;

As now the sun of day departs,

Outpour Thy beams upon our hearts.

2.  To Thee at morn our hymns we raise,

At evening offer prayer and praise;

And Thou our glorious theme shalt be

Now and through all eternity.

3.  As darkness deepens, Lord, do Thou

A night of quiet rest bestow;

From all our sins grant us release,

And bless us with Thy perfect peace.

Uncut Grass

Image Source = Jeremy C. Schultz

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Uncut_grass.JPG)

Hymn Source = Chalice Hymnal (1995), of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Words by John M. C. Crum (1872-1958), a priest of The Church of England

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1.  Now the green blade rises from the buried grain,

wheat that in dark earth many days has lain;

love lives again, that with the dead has been;

Love is come again like wheat arising green.

2.  In the grave they laid the love by hatred slain,

thinking that Jesus would not wake again,

laid in the earth like grain that sleeps unseen;

Love is come again like wheat arising green.

3.  Christ came forth at Easter, like the risen grain,

who that for three days in the grave had lain;

raised from the dead, the risen Christ is seen;

Love is come again like wheat arising green.

4.  When our hearts are wintry, grieving, or in pain,

your touch can call us back to life again,

fields of our hearts that dead and bare have been;

Love is come again like wheat arising green.

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/first-day-of-easter-easter-sunday-year-b-principal-service/

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/great-vigil-of-easter-year-a/

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/first-day-of-easter-easter-sunday-year-a-principal-service/

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/first-day-of-easter-easter-sunday-years-a-b-and-c-evening-service/

Trinity Episcopal Church, Statesboro, Georgia, where I was a member 2001-2003, when I attended Georgia Southern University

Image Source = Parish Website

Hymn Source = The Hymnal (1895), Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.

Words (published in 1872) by Elizabeth C. Clephane (1830-1869)

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1.  Beneath the cross of Jesus

I fain would take my stand–

The shadow of a mighty Rock

Within a weary land;

A home within the wilderness,

A rest upon the way,

From the burning of the noontide heat,

And the burden of the day.

2.  Upon the cross of Jesus

Mine eyes at times can see

The very dying form of One

Who suffered there for me:

And from my stricken heart with tears

Two wonders I confess–

The wonders of redeeming love

And my unworthiness.

3.  I take, O Cross, thy shadow

For my abiding place:

I ask no other sunshine than

The sunshine of His face;

Content to let the world go by,

To know no gain nor loss;

My sinful self my only shame,

My glory all, the cross.

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/thirty-ninth-day-of-lent-good-friday/

Battle

Image Source = Wikipedia

or

Burnt Cross at Coventry Cathedral, England

Image Source = sannse

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coventry_Cathedral_burnt_cross.jpg)

The second is preferable to the first.

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Prayer Source = Lutheran Service Book (2006), of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod

The command of our Lord and Savior to love our enemies is a difficult one to keep.  I have struggled with it in circumstances far less dire than his.  Yet this imperative remains with me, reminding me of how far I fall short.  Like the Apostle Paul, I do what I know I should not do and do not do the things I know I ought to do.  Fortunately, there is abundant grace.  Anyhow, this prayer seems especially appropriate in early Easter Week, just a few days removed from Good Friday.–KRT

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Almighty, everlasting God,

through Your only Son, our blessed Lord,

You commanded us to love our enemies,

to do good to those who hate us,

and to pray for those who persecute us.

Therefore, we earnestly implore You

that by Your gracious working

our enemies may be led to true repentance,

may have the same love toward us as we have toward them,

and may be of one accord and one mind and heart

with us and with Your whole Church;

through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen.

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/thirty-ninth-day-of-lent-good-friday/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2012/07/21/proper-9-year-c/

Resurrection Icon

Image Source = Wikipedia

Hymn Source = The Hymnal 1982, of The Episcopal Church

Words by Charles Wesley (1707-1788), a priest of The Church of England

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1.  Come away to the skies,

my beloved, arise

and rejoice in the day thou wast born;

on this festival day,

come exulting away,

and with singing to Zion return.

2.  Now with singing and praise,

let us spend all the days,

by our heavenly Father bestowed,

while his grace we receive

from his bounty, and live

to the honor and glory of God.

3.  For the glory we were

first created to share,

both the nature

and kingdom divine!

Now created again

that our lives may remain,

throughout time and eternity thine.

4.  We with thanks do approve

the design of that love

which hath joined us to Jesus’ Name;

so united in heart,

let us nevermore part,

till we meet at the feast of the Lamb.

5.  Hallelujah we sing,

to our Father and King,

and his rapturous praises, repeat:

to the Lamb that was slain,

hallulujah again,

sing, all heaven, and fall at his feet.

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/great-vigil-of-easter-year-a/

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/first-day-of-easter-easter-sunday-year-a-principal-service/

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/first-day-of-easter-easter-sunday-years-a-b-and-c-evening-service/

Harrowing of Hell Mosaic

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = The Hymnal 1916 (1918), The Episcopal Church

Original words in Latin; English translation by Francis Pott (1832-1909), a priest of The Church of England

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Antiphon:

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

1.  The strife is o’er, the battle done,

The victory of life is won;

The song of triumph has begun.

Alleluia!

2.  The powers of death have done their worst,

But Christ their legions hath dispersed:

Let shout of holy joy outburst.

Alleluia!

3.  The three sad days are quickly sped,

He rises glorious from the dead:

All glory to our risen Head!

Alleluia!

4.  He closed the yawning gates of hell,

The bars from heavens high portals fell;

Let hymns of praise his triumphs tell!

Alleluia!

5.  Lord! by the stripes which wounded thee,

From death’s dread sting thy servants free,

That we may live and sing to thee.

Antiphon:

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/first-day-of-easter-easter-sunday-year-b-principal-service/

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/great-vigil-of-easter-year-a/

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/first-day-of-easter-easter-sunday-year-a-principal-service/

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/first-day-of-easter-easter-sunday-years-a-b-and-c-evening-service/

Resurrection Window

Image Source = Wikipedia

Hymn Source = The Hymnal 1982, of The Episcopal Church

Words by Cyril A. Alington (1872-1955), Dean of Durham (1933-1951); and Norman Mealy (1923-1987), an Episcopal Church musical liturgist

I have corrected the first line to make it what Alington wrote.

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1.  Good Christian men, rejoice and sing!

Now is the triumph of our King!

To all the world glad news we bring:

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

2.  The Lord of life is risen today!

Sing songs of praise along his way;

let all the earth rejoice and say:

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

3.  Praise we in songs of victory

that love, that life which cannot die,

and sing with hearts uplifted high:

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

4.  Your Name we bless, O risen Lord,

and sing today with one accord

the life laid down, the life restored:

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

5.  To God the Father, God the Son,

to God the Spirit, always One,

we sing for life in us begun:

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!