Above:  Meadow of Flowers

Image in the Public Domain

Text by Reginald Heber (1783-1826)

Hymn Source = The English Hymnal (1906), The Church of England

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When spring unlocks the flowers to paint the laughing soil;

When summer’s balmy showers refresh the mower’s toil:

When winter binds in frosty chains the fallow and he flood;

In God the earth rejoiceth still, and owns his Maker good.

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The birds that wake the morning, and those that love the shade;

The winds that sweep the mountain, or lull the drowsy glade;

The sun that from his amber bower rejoiceth on his way,

The moon and stars–their Maker’s name in silent pomp display.

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Shall man, the lord of nature, expectant of the sky,

Shall man alone, unthankful, his little praise deny?

No; let the year forsake his course, the seasons cease to be,

Thee, Master, must we always love, and Saviour, honour thee.

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The flowers of spring may wither, the hope of summers fade,

The autumn droop in winter, the birds forsake the shade;

The winds be lulled, the sun and moon forget their old decree;

But we, in nature’s latest hour, O Lord, will cling to thee!

Above:  River in Mountains Spring

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = Hymns of the Spirit for Use in the Free Churches of America (1937), American Unitarian Association and Universalist Church of America

Text (1867) by Thomas Hornblower Gill (1819-1906)

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The glory of the spring how sweet!

The newborn life how glad!

What joy the happy earth to greet

In new, bright raiment clad!

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Divine Renewer, thee I bless;

I greet thy going forth;

I thee love in the loveliness

Of thy renewed earth.

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But O these wonders of thy grace,

These nobler works of thine,

These marvels sweeter far to trace,

These new births more divine,–

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These sinful souls thou hallowest,

These hearts thou makest new,

These mourning souls by thee made blest,

These faithless hearts made true!

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Creator Spirit, work in me

These wonders sweet of thine!

Divine Renewer, graciously

Renew this heart of mine!

Above:  Flowers Along a Country Road, Person County, North Carolina, July 1939, by Dorothea Lange

Image Source = Library of Congress

(http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/fsa2000003563/PP/)

Reproduction Number = LC-USF34-020032-C

Original Danish Words by Bernhardt Severin Ingemann (1789-1862)

English Translation by the Reverend P. C. Paulsen (1881-1948)

Hymn Source = Hymnal for Church and Home, Third Edition (1938), of the American Evangelical Lutheran Church and the United Evangelical Lutheran Church, denominations with Danish heritage

http://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/assembled-in-this-thy-house-danish-american-lutherans-1870-1962/

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1.  The flowers now awaken, refreshed by morning dew,

The happy birds are calling for each other;

Another day begins with its blessings anew,

And children awake to greet their mother.

2.  Our loving God and Father the smallest worm is near,

He feeds the birds and lilies clothes with splendor;

The children of the earth are to Him much more dear,

He quiets their fears with mercy tender.

3.  God’s son, himself a Babe, in a lowly manger lay,

And hay and straw was for His comfort given;

Now with the little children He cometh to stay,

And flowers He bringeth them from heaven.

4.  Our Savior loves the children, He is a Friend so true,

The little babe He bringeth to His Father;

He who commands the billows and rules the heav’ns blue,

Will into His arms the children gather.

5.  O Lord, who once hast blessed us and opened Paradise,

Some morning bright we Thee shall meet up yonder;

Thou taughtest us to pray and to Thee lift up our eyes,

We praise Thee and at Thy mercy wonder.

Women at the Empty Tomb, by Fra Angelico

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = The Hymnal 1940 (1943), The Episcopal Church

Original Latin Words by Saint Venantius Honorius Clementius Fortunatus, Bishop of Poitiers (Died 600/609)

http://neatnik2009.wordpress.com/2010/02/12/feast-of-venantius-honorius-clementius-fortunatus-december-14/

English words from The English Hymnal (1906), of The Church of England

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Refrain:

Hail thee, festival day!  blest day that art hallowed for ever;

Day whereon Christ arose, breaking the kingdom of death.

1.  Lo, the fair beauty of earth, from the death of the winter arising!

Every good gift of the year now with its Master returns:

Refrain

2.  He who was nailed to the cross is Lord and the ruler of all men;

All things created on earth sing to the glory of God:

Refrain

3.  Daily the loveliness grows, adorned with the glory of blossom;

Heaven her gates unbars, flinging her increase of light:

Refrain

4.  Rise from the grave now, O Lord, who art author of life and creation.

Treading the pathway of death, life thou bestowest on man:

Refrain

5.  God the All-Father, the Lord, who rulest the earth and the heavens,

Guard us from harm without, cleanse us from evil within:

Refrain

6.  Jesus the health of the world, enlighten our minds, thou Redeemer,

Son of the Father supreme, only-begotten of God:

Refrain

7.  Spirit of life and of power, now flow in us, fount of our being,

Light that dost lighten all, that in all dost abide:

Refrain

8.  Praise to the Giver of good!  Thou love who art author of concord,

Pour out thy balm on our souls, order our ways in thy peace:

Refrain

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/

A Slovenian Forest in Spring

Image Source = Mihael Simonic

(http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spring_forest,_near_Planinsko_polje.jpg)

Hymn Source = The Church School Hymnal for Youth (1928), of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.

Words by Arthur Christopher Benson (1862-1925), British academic, poet, and author

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1.  The spring again is here;

Life wakes from winter’s gloom;

In field and forest far and near

Sweet opening flowerets bloom.

2.  O mystery strange and sweet!

That life so dumbly bound

Should rise, our thankful gaze to greet,

And break from underground.

3.  The morn is fresh and bright,

The slow dark hours depart;

Let days unstained and pure delight

Bring sunshine to the heart.

4.  Lord, touch our careless eyes;

New life, new ardors bring,

That we may read Thy mysteries,

The wonder of Thy spring.

Cherry Blossoms, Washington, D.C.

Image Source = Wikipedia

Hymn Source = The Church School Hymnal for Youth (1928), of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.

Words by William Howse Groser (1834-1925), British Congregationalist businessman, poet, author, Christian educator, and amateur scientist

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1.  A song of spring once more more we sing

As winter flies away,

And changeful hours sun and showers

To weave a crown for May:

With heart and voice we all rejoice

On this returning day.

With heart and voice we all rejoice

On this returning day.

2.  For once again the promise strain

Floats down from days of yore,

That fruits of earth shall wake to birth,

To bless the toiler’s store:

Each annual round with bounties crowned

Till time shall be no more.

Each annual round with bounties crowned

Till time shall be no more.

3.  Thee, Lord, we praise for springtide days,

And life’s yet fairer spring;

These golden hours, these opening powers,

To Thy glad service bring:

Thine own to be, from sin set free–

Our Father, Saviour, King!

Thine own to be, from sin set free–

Our Father, Saviour, King!

4.  Though foes may throng, Lord, make us strong–

A firm, unfaltering band–

The good to seek, the truth to speak,

And for the right to stand;

Till, duty done, and victory won,

We gain the Better Land.

Till, duty done, and victory won,

We gain the Better Land.

Spring Flowers

Image Source = Phier

Hymn Source = The Hymnal for Youth (1941), Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.

Original Latin words from Piae Cantiones, 1582

English translation from The Oxford Book of Carols, 1928

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1.  Spring has now unwrapped the flowers,

Day is fast reviving,

Life in all her growing powers

Toward the light is striving:

Gone the iron touch of cold,

Winter time and frost time,

Seedlings, working through the mold,

Now make up for lost time.

2.  Herb and plant that, winter long,

Slumbered at their leisure,

Now bestirring, green and strong,

Find in growth their pleasure:

All the world with beauty fills,

Gold the green enhancing;

Flowers make glee among the hills,

Set the meadows dancing.

3.  Earth puts on her dress of glee;

Flowers and grasses hide her;

We go forth in charity–

Brothers all beside her;

For, as man this glory sees

In th’awakening season,

Reason learns the heart’s decrees,

Hearts are led by reason.

4.  Through each wonder of fair days

God Himself expresses;

Beauty follows all His ways,

As the world He blesses:

So, as He renews the earth,

Artist without rival,

In His grace of glad new birth

We must seek revival.

A Meadow in the Swiss Alps

Image Source = Wikipedia

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

Words by Frances Jane Douglass (born 1829) in 1848; revised by her brother, William Walsham How (1823-1897), Anglican Bishop of Wakefield England, in 1871 for Church Hymns

This is a Spring hymn.

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1.  For all Thy love and goodness,

so bountiful and free,

Thy Name, Lord, be adored!

On the wings of joyous praise

our hearts soar up to Thee:

Glory to the Lord!

2.  The springtime breaks all round about,

waking from winter’s night:

Thy Name, Lord, be adored!

The sunshine, like God’s love,

pours down in floods of golden light:

Glory to the Lord!

3.  A voice of joy is in all the earth,

a voice is in all the air:

Thy Name, Lord, be adored!

All nature singeth aloud to God;

there is gladness ev’rywhere:

Glory to the Lord!

4.  The flowers are strewn in field and copse,

on the hill and on the plain:

Thy Name, Lord, be adored!

The soft air stirs in the tender leaves

that clothe the trees again:

Glory to the Lord!

5.  The works of Thy hands are very fair:

and for Thy bounteous love,

Thy Name, Lord, be adored!

But what, if this world is so fair,

is the better land above?

Glory to the Lord!

6.  O to awake from death’s short sleep,

like flowers from their wintry grave!

Thy Name, Lord, be adored!

And to rise all glorious in the day

when Christ shall come to save!

Glory to the Lord!

7.  O to dwell in that happy land,

where the heart cannot choose but sing!

Thy Name, Lord, be adored!

And where the life of the blessed ones

is a beautiful endless spring!

Glory to the Lord!

Alleluia!