Let All Things Now Living

Let all things now living a song of thanksgiving
To God the creator triumphantly raise.
Who fashioned and made us, protected and stayed us,
Who still guides us on to the end of our days.
God's banners are o'er us, His light goes before us,
A pillar of fire shining forth in the night.
Till shadows have vanished and darkness is banished
As forward we travel from light into light.

His law he enforces, the stars in their courses
And sun in its orbit obediently shine;
The hills and the mountains, the rivers and fountains,
The deeps of the ocean proclaim him divine.
We too should be voicing our love and rejoicing;
With glad adoration a Song let us raise
Till all things now living unite in thanksgiving:
"To God in the highest, Hosanna and praise!

Text: Katherine Kennicott Davis (1939)
Tune: ASH GROVE 66.11.66.11D

I Come With Joy To Meet My Lord

I come with joy to meet my Lord,
forgiven, loved, and free,
in awe and wonder to recall
his life laid down for me.

I come with Christians far and near
to find, as all are fed,
the new community of love
in Christ's communion bread.

As Christ breaks bread and bids us share,
each proud division ends.
That love that made us makes us one,
and strangers now are friends.

And thus with joy we meet our Lord.
His presence, always near,
is in such friendship better known:
we see and praise him here.

Together met, together bound,
we'll go our different ways,
and as his people in the world,
we'll live and speak his praise.


Words: Brian Wren (1971)
Tune: DOVE OF PEACE 8.6.8.6.6

We Know That Christ Is Raised And Dies No More

1. We know that Christ is raised and dies no more.
Embraced by death, he broke its fearful hold,
and our despair he turned to blazing joy. Alleluia!

2. We share by water in his saving death.
Reborn, we share with him an Easter life
as living members of our Savior Christ. Alleluia!

3. The God of splendor clothes the Son with life.
The Spirit's fission shakes the church of God.
Baptized, we live with God the Three-in-One. Alleluia!

4. A new creation comes to life and grows
as Christ's new body takes on flesh and blood.
The universe, restored and whole, will sing: Alleluia!

Text: John Brownlow Geyer (b. 1932)
Tune: ENGELBERG 10.10.10 + Alleluias, by Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924)

Joy Is Like The Rain

I saw raindrops on my window
Joy is like the rain.
Laughter runs across my pain
Slips away and comes again.
Joy is like the rain.

I saw clouds upon a mountain
Joy is like a cloud;
Sometimes silver, sometimes gray,
Always sun not far away.
Joy is like a cloud.

I saw Christ in wind and thunder,
Joy is tried by storm.
Christ asleep within my boat,
whipped by wind, yet still afloat.
Joy is tried by storm.

I saw raindrops on my window
Joy is like the rain.
Bit by bit the river grows,
Till at once it overflows.
Joy is like the rain.

Composer: Miriam Therese Winter (b. 1938)

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Catholic series.

Shepherd of souls, refresh and bless
thy chosen pilgrim flock
with manna in the wilderness,
with water from the rock.

We would not live by bread alone,
but by thy word of grace,
in strength of which we travel on
to our abiding place.

Be known to us in breaking bread,
and do not then depart;
Savior, abide with us, and spread
thy table in our heart.

Lord, sup with us in love divine,
thy Body and thy Blood,
that living bread, that heavenly wine,
be our immortal food.

Text: James Montgomery, 1825
Tune: ST. AGNES, CM

Easter Song ("Hear the Bells Ringing") / Keith Green

Hear the bells ringing
They're singing that you can be born again
Hear the bells ringing
They're singing Christ is risen from the dead

The angel up on the tombstone
Said He has risen, just as He said
Quickly now, go tell His disciples
That Jesus Christ is no longer dead

Joy to the world, He has risen, hallelujah
He's risen, hallelujah
He's risen, hallelujah, hallelujah

Hear the bells ringing
They're singing that you can be healed right now
Hear the bells ringing, they're singing
Christ, He will reveal it now

The angels, they all surround us
And they are ministering Jesus' power
Quickly now, reach out and receive it
For this could be your glorious hour

Joy to the world, He has risen, hallelujah
He's risen, hallelujah
He's risen, hallelujah, hallelujah

The angel up on the tombstone
Said He has risen, just as He said
Quickly now, go tell his disciples
That Jesus Christ is no longer dead

Joy to the world, He has risen, hallelujah
He's risen, hallelujah
He's risen, hallelujah
Hallelujah

Composer: Keith Green (1953-1982)

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) series.

And Did Those Feet in Ancient Time (Jerusalem)

And did those feet in ancient time
walk upon England's mountains green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
on England's pleasant pastures seen?
And did the countenance divine
shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
among those dark satanic mills?

Bring me by bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!
I will not cease from mental fight,
nor shall my sword sleep in my hand,
till we have built Jerusalem
in England's green and pleasant land.

Historical Information

Text: William Blake, 1804
Music: JERUSALEM, LMD, by Charles Hubert Hastings Parry (1916)

Meter: LMD