The Rangitata River in front of the Southern Alps Photo: 123RF
SONG: WHEN MORNING GILDS THE SKIES
Artist: Choir of Belfast Cathedral
Words/Music: Anon trans Edward Caswall/Joseph Barnby
Recording: Priory PRCD 722
When morning gilds the skies my heart awaking cries:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Alike at work and prayer, to Jesus I repair:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
The sacred minster bell it peals over hill and dell,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
O hark to what it sings, as joyously it rings,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
My tongue shall never tire of chanting in the choir,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
The fairest graces spring in hearts that ever sing,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
When sleep her balm denies, My silent spirit sighs,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
When evil thoughts molest, With this I shield my breast:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Does sadness fill my mind? A solace here I find,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Or fades my earthly bliss? My comfort still is this,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
The night becomes as day when from the heart we say:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
The pow’rs of darkness fear when this sweet chant they hear:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
In heav’n’s eternal bliss the loveliest strain is this,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Let earth, and sea, and sky From depth to height reply,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Be this, while life is mine, my canticle divine:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Sing this eternal song through all the ages long:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
SONG: FAIREST LORD JESUS
Artist: Choir of Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Catherine Palmer (dir), Ronald Jordan (organ)
Words/Music: Anon/Trad
Recording: Marquis 181175
Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all nature,
O thou of God and man the Son,
thee will I cherish, thee will I honour,
thou, my soul's glory, joy and crown.
Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands,
robed in the blooming garb of spring:
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
who makes the woeful heart to sing.
Fair is the sunshine, fairer still the moonlight,
and fair the twinkling, starry host;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer,
than all the angels heaven can boast.
All fairest beauty, heavenly and earthly,
wondrously, Jesus, is found in thee;
none can be nearer, fairer or dearer,
than thou, my Saviour, art to me.
SONG: WILD WIND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Words/Music: William L (Bill) Wallace
Recording: Private
Wild wind of the Holy Spirit,
Breathe, Blow,
Fan the fire of life in us.
Wild wind of the Holy Spirit,
Breathe, Blow,
Fan the fire of love in us.
Wild wind of the Holy Spirit,
Breathe, Blow,
Fan compassion’s fire in us.
Wild wind of the Holy Spirit,
Breathe, Blow,
Fan your justice in our hearts.
SONG: ALL CREATURES OF OUR GOD AND KING
Artist: Choir of St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh, Dennis Townhill (dir), Peter Backhouse (organ)
Words/Music: St Francis of Assisi paraphrased William Draper/Anon
Recording: Priory PRCD 376
All creatures of our God and King,
lift up your voice and with us sing:
alleluia, alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
thou shining moon with silver gleam,
O praise him, O praise him,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Thou rushing wind that art so strong,
ye clouds that sail in heaven along,
O praise Him, alleluia!
Thou rising dawn in praise rejoice;
ye lights of evening find a voice:
O praise him, O praise him,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Thou flowing water, pure and clear,
make music for thy Lord to hear:
alleluia, alleluia!
Thou fire, so masterful and bright,
that givest man both warmth and light.
O praise him, O praise him,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Let all things their Creator bless,
and worship Him in humbleness
O praise Him, alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
and praise the Spirit, Three in One
O praise him, O praise him,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
SONG: THESE HILLS WHERE THE HAWK FLIES
Artist: The Festival Singers
Words/Music: Colin Gibson
Recording: Festivity Productions 2007
These hills where the hawk flies lonely,
beaches where the long surf rolls,
mountains where the snows reach heaven,
these are our care.
Pastures where the sheep graze calmly,
orchards where the apples grow,
gardens where the roses cluster,
these are our prayer.
Forests where the tree ferns tower,
rivers running strong and clear,
oceans where the great whales wander,
these are our care.
Race meeting race as equals,
justice for age-old wrong,
worth for every man and woman,
these are our prayer.
Cities where the young roam restless,
lives brought to deep despair,
homeless and powerless people,
these are our care.
Places where the Word is spoken,
hands held in serving love,
faiths of our many cultures,
these are our prayer
All that the old world gave us,
all that the new world brings,
language, ideas and customs,
these are our care.
Life finding joy and value,
faith seeking truth and light,
God heard and seen in all things,
this be our prayer.
SONG: O, THE DEEP, DEEP LOVE OF JESUS
Artist: Choir of St Paul’s Cathedral, Wellington, Michael Stewart (dir), Richard Apperley (organ)
Words/Music: Trevor Francis/Thomas Williams
Recording: RNZ 2020
O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
vast, unmeasured, boundless, free,
rolling as a mighty ocean
in its fullness over me.
Underneath me, all around me,
is the current of Thy love;
leading onward, leading homeward
to my glorious rest above.
O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth,
changeth never, nevermore!
How He watcheth o'er His loved ones,
died to call them all His own;
how for them He intercedeth,
watcheth o'er them from the throne.
Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus!
Love of every love the best:
vast the ocean of his blessing,
sweet the haven of his rest!
Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus,
very heaven of heavens to me,
and it lifts me up to glory,
evermore his face to see.
SONG: WHEN PEACE LIKE A RIVER (IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL)
Artist: Tapestry Chamber Singers
Words/Music: Horatio Spafford/Philip Bliss
Recording: Tapestry Chamber Singers 2022
When peace like a river attendeth my way,
when sorrows like sea billows roll;
whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
"It is well, it is well with my soul."
Refrain:
It is well (it is well)
with my soul (with my soul);
it is well, it is well with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
let this blest assurance control:
that Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
and has shed his own blood for my soul.
Refrain:
My sin, O the bliss of this glorious thought!
my sin, not in part, but the whole,
is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more;
praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
Refrain:
O Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
the clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
the trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend;
even so, it is well with my soul.
Refrain:
SONG: O, THE DEEP, DEEP LOVE OF JESUS
Artist: Choir of St Paul’s Cathedral, Wellington, Michael Stewart (dir), Richard Apperley (organ)
Words/Music: Trevor Francis/Thomas Williams
Recording: RNZ 2020
O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
vast, unmeasured, boundless, free,
rolling as a mighty ocean
in its fullness over me.
Underneath me, all around me,
is the current of Thy love;
leading onward, leading homeward
to my glorious rest above.
O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth,
changeth never, nevermore!
How He watcheth o'er His loved ones,
died to call them all His own;
how for them He intercedeth,
watcheth o'er them from the throne.
Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus!
Love of every love the best:
vast the ocean of his blessing,
sweet the haven of his rest!
Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus,
very heaven of heavens to me,
and it lifts me up to glory,
evermore his face to see.
SONG: THIS IS MY FATHER’S WORLD
Artist: Choir of Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Catherine Palmer (director), Ronald Jordan (organ)
Words/Music: Maltbie Babcock/Trad arr Franklin Sheppard
Recording: Marquis 181175
This is my Father's world,
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father's world:
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas –
His hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father's world:
The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their Maker's praise.
This is my Father's world:
He shines in all that's fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass,
He speaks to me everywhere.
This is my Father's world:
O let me ne'er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the Ruler yet.
This is my Father's world:
Why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King: let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let earth be glad!
