Great God of Love
( A hymn to be sung to the tune O Perfect Love)
Great God of love, we ask your blessing on us,
in all relationships, our homes and love.
May all our caring, friendships, marriage, family,
be breathed throughout by your great love above.
Grant to your people who have suffered sadly
through the breakdown of marriage, family ties.
Help them rebuild their lives so sorely tested,
help them to find your love among their sighs.
So God of love teach us to love more truly,
forgiving hurts as you, O God, forgive.
Help us to live the love of neighbour simply
in home and marriage and in all we live.
Break Through My Hardness
(A hymn of repentance that may be sung to the tune Jackson)
Break through my hardness, O my God,
so that I know your grace
and praise you for all that you’ve done
for all the human race.
Break through my apathy, O God.
Make me to understand
that by your Spirit I’m empow’red
on love to take my stand.
Break through my ignorance, O God,
so that my troubles may
be doorways to a larger life-
for this I humbly pray.
Service
(A hymn which may be sung to the tune St Botolph)
I bow before the Servant God
who kneels before his friends
and ask that I’ll be helped to serve
each neighbour whom he sends.
I feel I know you, Peter, friend,
for I too have denied,
and I have seen those pain-filled eyes.
For them, like you, I’ve cried.
When life is filled with fear and gloom
and I feel all alone,
then help me hear you whistle, Lord,
your special love-filled tone.
A Hymn in Praise of What We Have
(This stewardship hymn may be sung to the tune Stuttgart)
Life is good when we receive it
with its goods from you, our God.
What we have is ours to praise you,
what we have not, yours to keep.
Godliness with true contentment
is the gift that then we gain,
more to be desired than striving
for the power that we crave.
We love life and thank you for it.
Let our lives resound with praise,
worshiping our God and Saviour
through the living of these days.
Giving, loving, serving, working
with the things you let us have,
so with faith we seek to serve you.
That is what we humbly crave.
Gracious God entrusting to us
gifts we never did deserve
join us in the joy of living
as with you we gladly serve.
Great God of Power and Love and Grace
(This is a re-writing of portion of a hymn by Charles Wesley based on the account of Jacob’s wrestling with the angel in Genesis 32 : 22-32. It may be sung to the tune : Arnold’s. Metre: 8.6.8.6)
Great God of power and love and grace
help us in faith to claim;
to wrestle till we see your face
and know your hidden name.
Till you your perfect love impart,
till you yourself bestow,
be this the cry of every heart:
I will not let you go.
I will not let you go unless
you tell to me your name.
With all your great salvation bless
and shape me by the same.
LET THE LIGHT OF CHRIST SHINE IN ME
A hymn which may be sung to the tune St Leonard’s,
Metre : 8.7.8.5 metre.
Let the light of Christ shine in me
lighting up my daily life
so that inner peace may lead me
through this world of strife.
Let the light of Christ shine round me
to illuminate my day.
Show me how to live according
to his love-filled way.
Let the light of Christ shine through me,
shine through me to all around,
shine until the weak are strengthened
and the lost are found.
Ministry
A prayer-hymn for those engaged in Christian ministry.
Metre : 7.6.7.6.
REACH DOWN GREAT GOD OUR SAVIOUR
Reach down, great God our Saviour,
and help us with our task.
Reach down and make us truthful,
remove all put-on mask.
Reach in and draw us outward
to serve all those around.
Reach in and cleanse our thinking.
Make all our living sound.
Reach out, great God redeemer,
through us and all we have.
Reach out and touch our neighbours
with your own special love.
Reach over with protection
to shelter us from harm.
Reach over with your loving,
your strong but gentle arm.
Reach under to uphold us
when we are tired and cold.
Reach under us your servants
to reassure and hold.
Thanksgiving
A hymn which may be sung to the tune Give me oil in my lamp, keep it burning.
Thank you, Lord, for your gifts every morning,
thank you, Lord, for your gifts each day.
Thank you, Lord, for your gifts every morning,
teach me how to say my thanks, I pray.
Sing hosanna, sing hosanna,
sing hosanna to the King of Kings !
Sing hosanna, sing hosanna,
sing hosanna to the King.
Teach me, Lord, how to give in my giving,
teach me, Lord, how to give, I pray.
Teach me, Lord, how to give in my giving,
teach me how to live by grace each day.
FROM DARKENED SHADOW COMES THE CRY
(A hymn/poem based on the symbolism present in the logo of the Uniting Church in Australia.)
The darkened orb
From darkened shadow comes the cry
of desperate human need.
There’s guilt and pain and loneliness
which causes souls to bleed.
The cross
The blood which trickled down the cross
was not a pretty sight,
but through that ugly stain there shines
the purest kind of light.
The dove-flame
The Holy Spirit brings God’s grace
to those who trust in him,
not driven on by false desire
but fuelled by God within.
Semi-circle
But unity with God and all
while vouched by Christ, our Lord,
is one we’ve still to enter in.
Come break the binding cord.