This hymn was used as a response during the prayer for the world and its people. Another lovely one:
Come to me, come to me, weak and heavy laden; trust in me, lean on me. I will give you rest.Nice, huh?
Hymn 141
We sang this at this morning’s service and I found it quite beautiful and helpful:
Life of the World
Oh the life of the world is a joy and a treasure,
unfolding in beauty the green-growing tree,
the changing of seasons in mountain and valley
the stars and the bright restless sea.
Oh the life of the world is a fountain of goodness
overflowing in labour and passion and pain,
in the sound of the city and the silence of wisdom,
in the birth of a child once again.
Oh the life of the world is the source of our healing.
It rises in laughter and wells up in song;
it springs from the care of the poor and the broken
and refreshes where justice is strong.
So give thanks for the life and give love to the Maker
and rejoice in the gift of the bright risen Son.
And walk in the peace and power of the Spirit
till the days of our living are done.
Hymn 168 – God weeps at the love withheld
This was read at the Sunday service on 4 September 2011. The topic was bullying and injustice.
God weeps at love withheld,
at strength misused,
at children’s innocence abused,
and, till we change the way we love, God weeps.
God bleeds at anger’s fist,
at trust betrayed,
at women battered and afraid,
and, till we change the way we win, God bleeds.
God cries at hungry mouths,
at running sores,
at creatures dying without cause,
and, till we change the way we care, God cries.
God waits for stones to melt,
for peace to seed,
for hearts to hold each other’s need,
and, till we understand the Christ, God waits.