Above:  All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Atlanta, Georgia, May 5, 2016

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Original German Text by Count Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf (1700-1760)

Stanza #1 (1734)

Stanzas #2-4 (1741)

English Translation (1789)

Hymn Sources = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (Unitas Fratrum) (1923) and Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (1969)

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Lord Jesus, for our call of grace,

To praise Thy Name in fellowship

We humbly meet before Thy face,

And in Thy presence lovefeast keep.

Shed in our hearts Thy love abroad,

Thy Spirit’s unction now impart;

Grant we may all, O Lamb of God,

In Thee be truly one in heart.

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Welcome among Thy flock of grace

With joyful acclamation,

Thou, Whom our Shepherd we confess:

Come, feed Thy congregation.

We own the doctrine of Thy Cross

To be our sole foundation;

Accept from every one of us

The deepest adoration.

+++++

Lord Jesus, to our hearts reveal

Thy grace and love unceasing;

Thy hand, once pierced with the nail,

Bestow on us a blessing;

That hand which to Thy family,

With tender love’s affection,

Ere Thou ascendest up on high,

Imparted benediction.

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O Thou, the Church’s Head and Lord,

Who as a Shepherd leadest

Thy flock, and richly with Thy word

And sacrament us feedest:

What shall we say?  lost in amaze,

Our hearts bow down before Thee;

For none sufficiently can praise,

Love, honor or adore Thee.

Above:  Ordination of Priests, the Cathedral of St. Philip, Atlanta, Georgia, June 25, 2016

Image Source = Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Original German Text by Johannes de Watteville (1718-1788)

English Translation (1789)

Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (1969)

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Lord Jesus, with Thy presence bless,

By land and sea, Thy witnesses;

In every danger them defend,

In every trial prove their friend.

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O may Thy Word in Christendom

Be blest and may Thy Kingdom come;

And may Thy servants joyful bring

New spoils, each day, to Thee, their King.

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Thy thoughts of peace o’er us fulfill,

Incline our hearts to do Thy will,

Thy Gospel make more fully known,

May all the world Thy goodness own.

Above:  Title Page of My Copy of the Douay-Rheims Version of the Bible

Scan by Kenneth Randolph Taylor

Original German Text (1566) by Petrus Herbert (1530-1571)

English Translation (1876) by Louis F. Kampmann (1817-1884)

Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (1969), Moravian Church in America

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The Word of God, which ne’er shall cease,

Proclaims free pardon, grace, and peace,

Salvation shows in Christ alone,

The perfect will of God makes known.

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This holy Word exposes sin,

Convinces us that we’re unclean,

Points out the wretched, ruined state

Of all mankind, both small and great.

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It then reveals God’s boundless grace,

Which justifies our sinful race,

And gives eternal life to all

Who will accept the gospel call.

+++++

It gently heals the broken heart

And heavenly riches doth impart,

Unfolds redemption’s wondrous plan

Through Christ’s atoning death for man.

+++++

O God, in Whom our trust we place,

We thank Thee for Thy word of grace;

Help us its precepts to obey

Till we shall live in endless day.

Above:  Diocesan Confirmation, the Cathedral of St. Philip, Atlanta, Georgia, April 10, 2016

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

German Text (1753) by Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf (1700-1760)

English Translation (1801, altered) by Lewis Renatus West (1753-1826)

Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (1969), Moravian Church in America

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Be present with Thy servants, Lord,

We look to Thee with one accord;

Refresh and strengthen us anew,

And bless what in Thy name we do.

+++++

O teach us all Thy perfect will

To understand and to fulfill:

When human insight fails, give light;

This will direct our steps aright.

+++++

The Lord’s joy be our strength and stay

In our employ from day to day;

Our thoughts and our activity

Through Jesus’ merits hallowed be.

Above:  Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit, Cumming, Georgia, Pentecost Sunday, May 24, 2015

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (1969)

Text (1930) by Henry Elias Fries (1857-1949)

Henry Elias Fries composed the text on the afternoon of Pentecost Sunday, 1930, a few hours after the inspiring sermon of the Reverend Herbert J. Johnson, pastor of Fries Memorial Moravian Church, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  Fries shared the text with Johnson early that evening.  The minister requested that the author sing the hymn for the congregation at the evening service.  Fries did so, performing it to the tune MORECAMBE, with his wife, Rosa Elvira Mickey Fries (1860-1938), a longtime musician in the congregation, accompanying him.  A week later she composed a tune, PENTECOSTAL HYMN, for the text.  The pairing of the text with that hymn with that tune has been reality in Moravian hymnals since at least the Moravian Youth Hymnal (1942).

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Come now, O Lord, and teach us how to pray.

Teach us to ask ourselves from day to day

If we are Thine and Thine alone will be

Through earthly days and through eternity.

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Come now, O Lord, and search our inmost thought,

Ask if we love and serve Thee as we ought.

Do we attempt to do Thy holy will?

Does constant love for Thee our bosoms fill?

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Come now, O Lord, and from Thy bounteous store,

Teach lukewarm hearts to love Thee more and more,

And many sinners now from Thee astray

Do Thou convert and strengthen day by day.

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Come now, O Lord, and as in days of old

Do Thou to us Thy Spirit now unfold;

Pour forth Thy love and all abounding grace

Till we in spirit see Thee face to face.

Above:  Fries Memorial Moravian Church, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 1917

Building erected in 1915

Image Source = The Winston-Salem Journal, October 9, 1917, page 5

Accessed via newspapers.com

Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (1969), Moravian Church in America

Text (1915) by Henry Elias Fries (1857-1949)

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Come, join the throng on this glad day,

And praise our God and King!

Let all rejoice with heart and voice

And thankful tribute bring.

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This house, our God, to Thee we build

For worship, praise and prayer.

We here recount Thy mercies, Lord,

And all Thy watchful care.

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Our glad hosannas here we raise

To Thee, our fathers’ God,

And with devotion we will tread

The paths our fathers trod.

+++++

With love to Thee this house we give,

Ourselves, our lives, our all;

We gladly own Thee as our King,

And crown Thee Lord of all.

Above:  Diocesan Confirmation, the Cathedral of St. Philip, Atlanta, Georgia, December 14, 2014

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

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VERSION #1

Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (Unitas Fratrum) (1923), Moravian Church in America

Original German Text (1653) by Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676)

English Translation (1851) by Arthur Tozer Russell (1806-1874)

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1.  How shall I meet my Saviour?

How shall I welcome Thee?

What manner of behavior

Is now required of me?

I wait for my salvation;

Grant me Thy Spirit’s light;

Thus will my preparation

Be pleasing in Thy sight.

2.  While with her sweetest flowers

Thy Zion strews Thy way,

I’ll raise with all my powers

To Thee a grateful lay;

To Thee, the King of glory,

I’ll tune a song divine,

And make Thy love’s bright story

In graceful members shine.

3.  Love caused Thine incarnation;

Love brought Thee down to me;

Thy thirst for my salvation

Procured my liberty;

O love beyond all telling,

That led Thee to embrace,

In love all excelling,

Our lost and fallen race!

4.  Rejoice, then, ye sad-hearted,

Who sit in deepest gloom,

Who mourn o’er joys departed,

And tremble at your doom;

He Who alone can cheer you

Is standing at the door;

He brings His pity near you

And bids you weep no more.

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VERSION #2

Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (1969), Moravian Church in America

Original German Text (1653) by Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676)

English Translation (1851) by Arthur Tozer Russell (1806-1874)

Altered English Translation (1963) by Edward Timothy Mickey, Jr. (1908-1986)

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1.  How shall I meet my Saviour?

How shall I truly welcome Thee?

What manner of behavior

Is by love required of me?

I wait for Thy salvation;

Grant me, O Lord, Thy Spirit’s light;

And may my preparation

Be well accepted in Thy sight.

2.  While with her sweetest flowers

Thy waiting Zion strews Thy way,

I’ll raise with all my powers,

Saviour, to Thee a grateful lay;

To Thee, the King of glory,

My heart will tune a song divine

And make Thy love’s bright story

Through me in living witness shine.

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Above:  St. David’s Episcopal Church, Roswell, Georgia, May 3, 2015

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (1969), Moravian Church in America

Original Czech Text (1457) by Matthias of Kunwald (died 1500) or Original Czech Text (1467) by Gabriel Komarovsky

German Translation (1531) by Michael Weisse (1480-1534)

English Translation (1911) by Evelyn Renatus Hasse (1855-1918)

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1.  Come, let us all with gladness raise

A joyous song of thanks and praise

To Him who rules the heavenly host,

God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

2.  For He, in grace and tenderness,

Regarded us in our distress;

Yea, to our aid Himself He came;

Let all adore His holy Name.

3.  He gave us faithful men to lead

And help us in our time of need;

But, Lord, all power is Thine alone,

And Thou the work must carry on.

4.  Father in heaven, fulfill Thy word;

Grant us the Spirit of our Lord,

That through Thy truth, which cannot fail,

We may o’er every ill prevail.

5.  And in Thy love may we abide,

Estranged from none by wrath or pride;

Among ourselves at unity

And with all else in charity.

6.  Thus may our lips Thy praises sound,

Our hearts in steadfast hope abound;

Till Thou our steps shalt thither bring

Where saints and angels hail Thee King.

Above:  Christ Pantocrator

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (1969), Moravian Church in America

Original German Text (1531) by Michael Weisse (1480-1534)

English Translation (1966) by Ewald Valentin Nolte (1909-1991)

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O Jesus Christ, our gracious King,

Our praise and thanks to Thee we bring.

Look with favor on our offering,

In Thy mercy.

Above:  Episcopal Church of the Ascension, Cartersville, Georgia, May 10, 2015

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Original Czech Text by John Augusta (1500-1572), a bishop of the Moravian Church who spent 1548-1564 as a political prisoner falsely accused of leading a rebellion he actually had opposed

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Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (Unitas Fratrum) (1923)

Anonymous English Translation

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1.  How blest and lovely Thy earthly dwellings are,

Wherein assemble Thy Christian people dear,

O God our Lord, Thy praises to record.

2.  One day is better, if spent Thy courts within,

Than thousand others of pleasurable sin;

Thy holy will, oh help us to fulfill.

3.  Preserve for ever our sacred liberty,

As conscience prompts us, to meet and worship Thee,

To thank and praise Thee for Thy word of grace.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (1969), Moravian Church in America

English Translation (1966) by Ewald Valentin Nolte (1909-1991)

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1.  O Lord, how lovely

Are Thy habitations,

Where Thy holy

People of all nations

Praise Thee,

Songs eternal raise Thee.

2.  Each day before Thee

Is a wondrous blessing.

We implore Thee

Keep us from transgressing.

Guide us,

Be Thou e’er beside us.

3.  Help us defend our

Freedom to assemble;

Lord, attend our

Prayer within Thy temple.

May we

Through Thy Word obey Thee.

4.  Dear Lord, accept us,

For we trust Thee solely.

Thou hast kept us

In Thy presence holy.

Saviour,

Thine we are forever.