Hymn Blog - June 20, 2010

June 20, 2010

VU 409 – Morning Has Broken. Born into a literary family in England in 1881, author Eleanor Farjeon earned her living as a poet, journalist and broadcaster. This beautiful text became a pop hit in the 1970’s when recorded by Cat Stevens. Farjeon also wrote the advent carol, “People Look East”. The tune, BUNESSAN, is a traditional Gaelic melody, first published in 1888.

MV 156 – Dance with the Spirit. Excerpted from his “Mass for the Healing of the Earth”, this lively composition by Californian Jim Strathdee is a great way to dance into the Season of the Spirit.

VU 766 – As the Deer Pants for the Water. The music and words to the first verse of this paraphrase of Psalm 42 are by American Martin Nystrom. His composition only followed the psalm for the first verse, so the compilers of Voices United asked Lydia Pederson to write the second and third verses, as a paraphrase of the rest of the psalm. Pedersen is former music director at Royal York Road United Church in Toronto, and active member of the Hymn Society.

VU 537 – Your Work, O God, Needs Many Hands. The text was written by Calvin Weiss Laufer in 1927 as an offertory hymn for children. Laufer was assistant editor for the Hymnal (1933), published by the American Presbyterian Church. The tune, KILMARNOCH, was written by Neil Dougall, ca. 1831 in Scotland.

MV 202 – Bread for the Journey. Author and composer Bruce Harding is a singer/songwriter, worship leader, hymnologist and was Managing Editor for More Voices. He has a PhD in the development of hymn tune repertoire in the United Church, a passion for worship song from around the world, and over twenty years' experience in both sacred and secular music fields.

MV 193 – God Bless to Us Our Bread. This communion chorus is also used frequently as a grace, coupling hunger for food with hunger for justice. Author Federico J. Pagura is co-president of the Ecumenical Movement for Human Rights in Argentina. A graduate of the Union Theological Seminary of Buenos Aires, Pagura pursued post-graduate studies in the USA. He holds a Dr Honoris causa degree from the University of Toronto, Canada and from dePauw University, USA. Pagura has served as president of the Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI) and of the Council of Methodist Bishops in the Latin America and the Caribbean. A bishop emeritus of the Evangelical Methodist Church of Argentina, Pagura is also a member of the board of the Life & Peace Institute of Uppsala, Sweden. A former member of the WCC Commission on World Mission and Evangelism, Pagura was elected a president of the WCC by the Harare assembly in 1998. He is a writer, poet and composer of songs. The English translation is by John Bell, of the Iona Community, and the French translation by the United Church’s David Fines. The setting, arranged by John Bell, is based on a traditional melody from Argentina.