Above:  Dawn, Crater Lake National Park

Image in the Public Domain

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

Text (1740, 1742) by John Cennick (1718-1755)

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Rise, my soul, adore thy Maker;

Angels praise; join thy lays,

Within them be partaker:

Father, Lord of every spirit,

In Thy might, lead me right,

Through my Saviour’s merit.

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O my God, be ever near me,

For Thy rest, for Thy feast,

More and more prepare me.

Still assure me of my calling,

Kept by Thee, let me be

Saved from final falling.

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Thou this night wast my Protector;

With me stay, all the day,

Ever my Director.

Holy, holy, holy Giver

Of all good, life and food,

Reign adored for ever.

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Above: Suffused Light at Dawn

Image in the Public Domain

Text (1878) by Marianne Hearn (1834-1909)

Hymn Source = Worship and Song (1921), National Council of Congregational Churches

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Father most merciful!  Glad in the dawning

All things awake to sing praises to thee;

Thou art the giver of joy in the morning,

Spreading thy sunlight o’er meadow and sea.

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Bright birds soar up in the thin air to greet thee,

Sweet-scented blossoms look forth for thy face;

Thy children go out into daylight to meet thee,

Finding thy footprints in every new place.

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Father most merciful, give for our guerdon

Joy in thy presence whate’er may befall,

Courage to fight, or to carry the burden,

Faith to be cheerful and quiet through all.

Above:  The Cathedral of St. Philip, Atlanta, Georgia, April 10, 2016 

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Prayer Source = A Book of Worship for Free Churches (1948), the General Council of the Congregational Christian Churches of the United States

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From “Fourth Order of Morning Worship”:

Since it is of thy mercy, O gracious Father, that another day is added to our lives;

we here dedicate both our souls to thee and thy service,

in a sober, righteous, and godly life;

in which resolution, do thou, O merciful God, confirm and strengthen us;

that, as we grow in age, we may grow in grace,

and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  Amen.

–Page 12

Above:  St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Milledgeville, Georgia, April 3, 2016

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Prayer Source = A Book of Worship for Free Churches (1948), the General Council of the Congregational Christian Churches in the United States

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From “Fourth Order of Morning Worship”:

Grant, O Lord, that our ears, which have heard the voice of thy songs,

may be closed to the voice of all unworthy clamor and dispute;

that our eyes, which have looked upon the symbols of thy love,

may ever look to thee for light and guidance;

that our tongues, which have sung thy praise,

may ever speak the truth in love;

that our feet, which have walked in thy courts,

may walk ever in the way of righteousness and in the paths that lead unto peace;

and grant that our hearts, which have waited before thee,

may be ever open to thy coming;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

–Page 12

Above:  Lake Rocks in Morning Mist

Image in the Public Domain

Prayer Source = A Book of Worship for Free Churches (1948), General Council of the Congregational Christian Churches in the United States

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From “Third Order of Morning Worship”:

PRAYER OF HUMBLE ACCESS

Minister and Congregation

Almighty and everlasting God, whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain,

much less the temples which our minds have builded,

but who art ever nigh unto the humble and the contrite;

grant thy Holy Spirit, we beseech thee, to us who are here assembled;

that cleansed and illumined by thy grace, we may worthily show forth thy praise,

meekly learn thy word, render due thanks for thy mercies,

and obtain a gracious answer to our prayers;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

ASSURANCE OF GOD’S LOVE

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

As the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

As far is the east from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.  Amen.

–Pages 6 and 7

Above:  Dawn on River

Image in the Public Domain

Text by Henry N. Hendrickson (1869-1953)

Hymn Source = The Concordia Hymnal:  A Hymnal for Church, School and Home (1932), U.S. Norwegian Lutherans

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1.  Father, source of life and light,

Who has kept us through the night,

Sheltered ‘neath Thy mighty wing,

Thee our morning praise we bring.

Shine upon us from above

With the radiance of Thy love.

2.  Savior, Master, in Thy way

Guide our erring steps today;

In temptation’s trying hour

Touch us with Thy quickening pow’r.

Richest gift Thy grace can give,

Teach us, Master, how to live.

3.  Holy Spirit, ever near,

Keep our hearts from guilty fear.

Strengthen us for each our task

More than we know how to ask.

Sanctified, redeemed, and free,

Humbly let us walk with Thee.

Above:  Dark Night

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = The Hymnal (1933), Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.

Text (1907) by Allen Eastman Cross (1864-1942)

Allen Eastman Cross was a Congregationalist minister in the United States.  His title for this text was “The Great Companion.”  According to the author, quoted in Handbook to the Hymnal (1935), the circumstances of the writing of the hymn were strain and worry.  He explained:

I felt the ineffectualness of my prayer life and the ineffectiveness of workaday service.  The Son of Man seemed to possess all I lacked.  I was drawn to him by sheer difference as well as by far-off kinship.  I turned to him as to a superlative companion and spoke of my need.

The hymn debuted at the Old South Church, Boston, Massachusetts, where Cross was the Assistant Minister, in April 1907.

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1.  Jesus, kneel beside me

In the dawn of day;

Thine is prayer eternal–

Teach me how to pray!

2.  Master, work beside me

In the shining sun;

Gently guide Thy servant

Till the work be done.

3.  Saviour, watch beside me

In the closing light;

Lo, the evening cometh–

Watch with me this night!

4.  Birds are winging homeward,

Sun and shadow cease;

Saviour, take my spirit

To Thy perfect peace.