Archive for the ‘Church Militant/Kingdom of God’ Category
Above: A World Map from 1570
Image in the Public Domain
Text (1928) by Frank Mason North (1850-1935)
Hymn Source = The Methodist Hymnal (1935), Methodist Episcopal Church; Methodist Episcopal Church, South; and Methodist Protestant Church
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O Master of the waking world,
Who hast the nations in Thy heart–
The heart that bled and broke to send
God’s love to earth’s remotest part:
Show us anew in Calvary
The wondrous power that makes men free.
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On every side the walls are down,
The gates swing wide to every land,
The restless tribes and races feel
The pressure of Thy pierced hand;
The way is in the sea and air,
Thy world is open everywhere.
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We hear the throb of surging life,
The clank of chains, the curse of greed,
The moan of pain, the futile cries
Of superstition’s cruel creed;
The peoples hunger for Thee, Lord,
The isles are waiting for Thy word.
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Thy witness in the souls of men,
Thy Spirit’s ceaseless, brooding power,
In lands where shadows hide the light,
Await a new creative hour:
O mighty God, set us aflame
To show the glory of Thy Name.
Loving God, we remember the enduring and faithful witness of N.
and of all others who have steadfastly refused to condone or commit violence during times of war,
and who have become martyrs rather than betray their principles.
In our own day, we pray for those who continue to suffer for this reason,
and for those who persecute them.
May oppressors recognize the errors of their ways and cease to oppress.
May mutual respect and forbearance triumph over intolerance, anger, and hatred.
May divine love prevail.
In the Name of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Jeremiah 38:1-13
Psalm 141
Revelation 7:9-17
Luke 6:20-26
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MAY 7, 2019 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT DOMITIAN OF HUY, ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP
THE FEAST OF HARRIET STARR CANNON, FOUNDRESS OF THE COMMUNITY OF SAINT MARY
THE FEAST OF JOSEPH ARMITAGE ROBINSON, ANGLICAN DEAN, SCHOLAR, AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINT ROSA VENERINI, FOUNDRESS OF THE VENERINI SISTERS; MENTOR OF SAINT LUCIA FILIPPINI, FOUNDRESS OF THE RELIGIOUS TEACHERS FILIPPINI
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Above: Riverside Church and Grant’s Tomb, New York, New York
Image in the Public Domain
Hymn (1930) by Harry Emerson Fosdick (1878-1969), for the opening of the Riverside Church, New York, New York, in 1930
Hymn Sources = The Hymnal (1941), Evangelical and Reformed Church; Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (1969), Moravian Church in America
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God of grace and God of glory,
On Thy people pour Thy power;
Crown Thine ancient church’s story;
Bring her bud to glorious flower.
Grant us wisdom, Grant us courage,
For the facing of this hour,
For the facing of this hour.
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Lo! the hosts of evil round us
Scorn Thy Christ, assail his ways!
From the fears that long have bound us
Free our hearts to faith and praise:
Grant us wisdom, Grant us courage,
For the living of these days,
For the living of these days.
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Cure Thy children’s warring madness,
Bend our pride to Thy control;
Shame our wanton, selfish gladness,
Rich in things and poor in soul.
Grant us wisdom, Grant us courage,
Lest we miss Thy kingdom’s goal,
Lest we miss Thy kingdom’s goal.
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Set our feet on lofty places;
Gird our lives that they may be
Armored with all Christlike graces
In the fight to set men free.
Grant us wisdom, Grant us courage,
That we fail not man nor Thee!
That we fail not man nor Thee!
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Save us from weak resignation
To the evils we deplore;
Let the search for Thy salvation
Be our glory evermore.
Grant us wisdom, Grant us courage
Serving Thee Whom we adore,
Serving Thee Whom we adore.
Above: Apotheosis of War, by Vasily Vereshchagin
Image in the Public Domain
Hymn Source = The Hymnbook of the Anglican Church of Canada and the United Church of Canada (1971)
Text (1937, 1939) by Robert Balgarnie Young (R. B. Y.) Scott (1899-1987)
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O day of God, draw nigh
in beauty and in power;
come with thy timeless judgement
now to match our present hour.
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Bring to our troubled minds,
uncertain and afraid,
the quiet of a steadfast faith,
calm of a call obeyed.
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Bring justice to our land,
that all may dwell secure,
and finely build for days to come
foundations that endure.
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Bring to our world of strife
thy sovereign word of peace,
that war may haunt the earth no more
and desolation cease.
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O day of God, draw nigh,
as at creation’s birth;
let there be light again, and set
thy judgements in the earth.
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Above: Landscape with the Parable of the Sower, by Pieter Brueghel the Elder
Image in the Public Domain
Text (1897) by Washington Gladden (1836-1918)
Hymn Source = The Pilgrim Hymnal (1904), National Council of Congregational Churches in the United States
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Behold a Sower! from afar
He goeth forth with might;
The rolling years his furrows are,
His seed the growing light;
For all the just his word is sown,
It springeth up alway;
The tender blade is hope’s dawn,
The harvest, love’s new day.
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O Lord of life, to thee we lift
Our hearts in praise for those,
Thy prophets, who have shown thy gift
Of grace that ever grows,
Of truth that spreads from shore to shore,
Of wisdom’s widening ray,
Of light that shineth more and more
Unto thy perfect day.
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Shine forth, O Light, that we may see,
With hearts all unafraid,
The meaning and the mystery
Of things that thou hast made:
Shine forth, and let the darkling past
Beneath thy beam grow bright;
Shine forth, and touch the future vast
With thine untroubled light.
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Light up thy Word; the fettered page
From killing bondage free;
Light up our way; lead forth this age
In love’s large liberty!
O Light of light! within us dwell,
Through us thy radiance pour,
That word and life thy truths may tell,
And praise thee evermore.
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Above: Donations for Decatur Emergency Assistance Ministry, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Decatur, Georgia, June 11, 2017
Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta
Text (1812) by James Montgomery (1771-1854)
Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (Unitas Fratrum) (1923), Moravian Church in America
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Jesus, our best beloved Friend,
Draw out our souls in pure desire;
Jesus, in love to us descend,
Baptize us with Thy Spirit’s fire.
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On Thy redeeming Name we call,
Poor and unworthy though we be;
Pardon and sanctify us all;
Let each Thy full salvation see.
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Our souls and bodies we resign,
To fear and follow Thy commands;
O take our hearts, our hearts are Thine,
Accept the service of our hands.
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Firm, faithful, watching unto prayer;
May we Thy blessed will obey;
Toil in Thy vineyard here, and bear
The heat and burden of the day.
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Yet, Lord, for us a resting-place
In heaven, at Thy right hand prepare;
And till we see Thee face to face,
Be all or conversation there.
Above: St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Milledgeville, Georgia, May 7, 2017
Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta
Text (1833) by James Montgomery (1771-1854)
Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (1969), Moravian Church in America
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God is in His holy temple;
All the earth keep silence here!
Worship Him in truth and spirit,
Reverence Him with godly fear!
Holy, holy,
Lord of hosts, our Lord, appear.
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God in Christ reveals His presence,
Throned upon the mercy-seat;
Saints, rejoice; and sinners, tremble;
Each prepare his God to meet;
Lowly, lowly,
Bow adoring at His feet.
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Hail Him here with songs of praises;
Him with prayers of faith surround;
Hearken to His glorious Gospel,
While the preacher’s lips expound;
Blessed, blessed,
They who know the joyful sound!
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Though the heaven and heaven of heavens,
O Thou Great Unsearchable,
Are too mean to comprehend Thee,
Thou with man art pleased to dwell;
Welcome, welcome,
God with us, Immanuel!
