When God Made Earth

This hymn was written for my daughter Stephanie and her husband, Justin's wedding on June 18th.  It was sung to the tune RATHERVUE by Alfred Fedak.


1.  When God made earth, the sun was warming
     A pristine world unmarred by death;
     From dust with care the LORD was forming
     A man, in whom He breathed life's breath:
     Then Adam rose from holy ground,
     But for him no fit help was found.


2.  So God caused man to sleep, removing
     A rib from lonely Adam's side;
     And from that bone, His wisdom proving,
     God fashioned Eve as Adam's bride:
     Her flesh, his flesh; her bone, his bone,
     And man no longer was alone.


3.  She was the half, his half completing,
     The complement that made him whole;
     She was the heart that set his beating,
     That sounded depths within his soul;
     She was the gift that graced his eyes,
     That perfect one for him to prize.


4.  Thus shall a man leave father, mother;
     With tender joy embrace his wife,
     For she alone, she and no other,
     Shall be his help, his love, his life--
     No longer two, but joined as one,
     Their pledge of lifelong love begun.


5.  Come now, O Lord, their promise sealing;
     Bind heart and hand with living grace,
     Each day Your love for them revealing,
     The shining brightness of Your face;
     Grant peace and joy in mind and heart,
     That nothing break their bond apart.

Love in Christ Is Strong and Living

This text by Dorothy Schultz (b. 1934) and tune by her husband Ralph C. Schultz (b. 1932) were written for the wedding of their daughter Debra to Kevin Cook on July 15, 1978...which happens to be the same year my wife Pat and I were married (5/6/78).  The tune was named DOROTHY after the hymn writer.  In Lutheran Service Book, the hymn "Fruitful Trees, the Spirit's Sowing" (LSB 691) by Timothy Dudley-Smith is also set to the tune DOROTHY.

1.  Love in Christ is strong and living,

         Binding faithful hearts as one;

     Love in Christ is true and giving.

         May His will in us be done.

2.  Love is patient and forbearing,

         Clothed in Christ's humility,

     Gentle, selfless, kind and caring,

         Reaching out in charity.

3.  Love in Christ abides forever,

         Fainting not when ills attend;

     Love, forgiving and forgiven,

         Shall endure until life's end.

Gracious Savior, Grant Your Blessing

Among the hymns that we sang at my daughter's wedding was #860 in Lutheran Service Book, "Gracious Savior, Grant Your Blessing."  We sang it as the opening hymn of the service after the processional, so stanza one was slightly altered for use at that point in the worship service. (From a purely practical standpoint, placement of this hymn after the processional enabled me to change into my alb in the vestry so that I could proceed to marry Sarah and Justin.) The text was originally written to the tune, JESU, JOY OF MAN'S DESIRING; it was included in LSB to the tune HYFRYDOL.  Even though the processional was "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," I still decided to go with HYFRYDOL as the tune for the text. The Hymnody Committee got it right in choosing HYFRYDOL over JESU, JOY OF MAN'S DESIRING, which is perhaps more suitable for a choir or a soloist than a congregation. The words of the hymn remain our prayer for our daughter and new son-in-law.

1.  Gracious Savior, grant Your blessing

        To this husband and this wife,       To this couple gathered here,

            That it peace they live together

        In Your love throughout their life.    And Your holy Name revere.

    Christ, defend them from the tempter

        And from all that would destroy

            Love's foundation You have laid here,   Love's foundation that You lay here,

       And its threshold paved with joy.

2.  Lord, if You are not the builder,

         Then the house is built in vain,

             For a home without Your presence

         Shall without true love remain.

     Yet when You within a marriage

         Come and dwell with grace divine,

             There You fill the empty vessels,

         Changing water into wine.

3.  Cana's guest, this union hallow;

         Tenderly embrace this pair.

             Clothe this couple with the garments

         They will daily need to wear:

      Patience, kindness, and compassion,

          Gentleness, humility;

              Robe them, Lord, with love to bind them

          In a perfect unity.

4.  Make their love a living picture

         Showing how You loved Your bride:

             When You gave Yourself to cleanse her,

         When for her You bled and died.

     Jesus, You have made her holy,

         Pure and fair her radiant train;

             To Yourself Your Church presenting,

         Without wrinkle, spot, or stain.

5.  Father, You created Adam

         Crafted Eve, and made them one;

             Jesus, from their sin You saved us,

         As God's true incarnate Son;

     Holy Spirit, You forgive us;

         From our sins we are released.

             Bring us, Lord, at last to heaven,

         To the endless wedding feast.

    

     

Come, Precious Lord and Triune God

Today my daughter Sarah and her fiancee Justin are being married here at St. John.  It is a beautiful, sunny day and family, friends and parishioners will be gathering at 3:00 p.m. to share our joy as Justin and Sarah become husband and wife.  The theme verse upon which I will be preaching is 1 Corinthians 13:13, "So now faith, hope and love abide, these three; but the greatest is love."  The wedding hymn following the homily was written for this special occasion and is set to the tune CLOTH FAIR by John Scott.

1.  Come, precious Lord and triune God,

       O Father, through Your Son,

           Pour out Your Spirit from above,

           Come now with faith and hope and love;

      Come, join these two as one.

2.  Lord, grant them faith that trusts in You

        For all security;

            Faith that will cling to You alone,

            Bearing much fruit when it has grown

       To full maturity.

3.  Lord, grant them hope secure in You,

        An anchor holding sure,

            So that if poorer or in wealth,

            In tears or laughter, sickness or health,

       Their union will endure.

4.  Lord, grant them love, a love like Yours,

        To last throughout their life.

            You on the cross Yourself denied;

            Grant that such selfless love may guide

        Their love as man and wife.

5.  Come, precious Lord and triune God,

        O Father, through Your Son,

            Pour out Your Spirit from above,

            Come now with faith and hope and love;

        Come, join these two as one.