Juneteenth Feast, June 19, 2022
Today in worship, Grace Church, is commemorating the anniversary of the full emancipation of Black people from chattel slavery in the United States. Juneteenth (June 19th) was made a federal holiday June 17, 2021, though festivities with special food and music have existed since 1867. It marks the day Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to […]
Be Thou My Vision
Jainee McCarroll and the Rev. Steve WhiteSteve: It’s hard for me to say what it is that makes this hymn one of my favorites. It was one of the communion hymns at my ordination as a priest and the words beautifully capture our longing to be close to God “at our waking and our sleeping.” […]
Christ is Made the Sure Foundation
Ted This hymn expresses an experience of Grace Church from our very beginning when the walls of our former church building—St. James—collapsed. We discovered with that collapse that bricks and mortar are not the sure foundation; those materials crumble. We now rely on Christ as the true, reliable and SURE foundation. Christ is made the […]
Eternal Father
Libby “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” has held special meaning for me ever since I first heard it at President John F. Kennedy’s funeral on November 25, 1963. I was a teenager then, watching on TV. Hearing the Naval Academy Choir sing this hymn as the funeral cortege arrived at the White House and then […]
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Come, thou fount of every blessing,tune my heart to sing thy grace!Streams of mercy never ceasing,call for songs of loudest praise.Teach me some melodious sonnet,sung by flaming tongues above.Praise the mount! Oh, fix me on it,mount of God’s unchanging love. Here I find my greatest treasure;hither, by thy help, I’ve come;and I hope, by thy […]
I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light
John Ye Watchers and ye Holy Ones. I first heard this magnificent hymn by Ralph Vaughan-Willams not in church but as a small child at a music club where it was used to start our meetings. The poetic and majestic words are perfectly served by the music, especially the threefold “Alleluias”. It always lifts my […]
Breathe On Me Breath of God
Kathy This hymn reminds me that when I took my first breath I began my time in this life as a gift from God. God’s breath began my life. As I live my life it is God’s breath that transforms me and my life is an expression of God for that reason. God is breathing […]
Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee
Joyful, joyful, we adore thee Hymn to Joy Joyful, joyful, we adore thee, God of glory, Lord of love;hearts unfold like flowers before thee, praising thee, their sun above.Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away;giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day.All thy works with joy […]
Earth and All Stars
Lynn I remember hearing Earth and All Stars many years ago at St. James . I never forgot it although I did not hear it often over the years. Personal connection to the lyrics helps to make it more meaningful. This hymn mentions many of things I love … astronomy, nature, music and children. The […]