How Beautiful the Feet

This text was written to the glory of God for the recent Michigan District LWML convention (July 9-11) whose theme was "Beautiful Feet" based on Isaiah 52:7.  The tune is RHOSYMEDRE by John D. Edwards, 1805-85.

1.  How beautiful the feet
     That bring good news from God!
     With eager footsteps fleet
     And with the Gospel shod,
     They run with swift and steady ease;
     Their joyful tidings tell of peace,
     How Christ has gained for us release!

2.  How beautiful the feet
     That God the Father prized,
     That walked without deceit
     Yet came to be baptized:
     Christ strode the path from Jordan's stream,
     So our lost world He might redeem,
     Though some His way did not esteem.

3.  How beautiful the feet
     That took the servant's place,
     To selfish pride unseat
     By humble, selfless grace:
     Before disciples kneeling low,
     Christ washed their feet so they might know
     How they as servants still must grow.

4.  How beautiful the feet
     That climbed the skull-like hill,
     Our sin and death to meet
     And do the Father's will:
     Christ died for all, by all disowned,
     The sky grew dark, creation groaned;
     His "It is finished!" He intoned.

5.  How beautiful the feet
     That came at rosy dawn,
     With caring to complete
     But found Christ's body gone:
     The sealing stone they did so dread
     Was rolled away as angels said,
     "The Lord has risen from the dead!"

6.  How beautiful the feet
     That brought good news from God!
     Our steps be likewise fleet
     And with the Gospel shod!
     Come, run with swift and steady ease;
     With joyful tidings tell of peace,
     How Christ has gained for all release!

O God of Light

This is a great text by Sarah Taylor, (1883-1954).  It was first introduced in Hymnal Supplement 98 and has appeared again in Lutheran Service Book.  It is set to the tune ATKINSON...a fine and strong tune but a challenging melodic line in the third musical phrase, which covers the whole lower and upper range and gets there by a series of jumps.   It keeps things interesting, that's for sure!

O God of light, Your Word, a lamp unfailing,

    Shall pierce the darkness of our earthbound way

And show Your grace, Your plan for us unveiling,

    And guide our footsteps to the perfect day.

From days of old, through blind and willful ages,

    Though we rebelled, You gently sought again

And spoke through saints, apostles, prophets, sages,

    Who wrote with eager or reluctant pen.

Undimmed by time, those words are still revealing

    To sinful hearts Your justice and Your grace;

And questing spirits, longing for Your healing,

    See Your compassion in the Savior’s face.

To all the world Your summons You are sending,

    Through all the earth, to ev’ry land and race,

That myriad tongues, in one great anthem blending,

    May praise and celebrate Your gift of grace.

Now Let Us All in Hymns of Praise

This text is found in the new WELS hymnal supplement, Christian Worship Supplement.  The text was written by Fred Pratt Green (1903-2000) and the tune OPEN DOOR, to which this text is wed in CWS, was written by Roy Hopp (b. 1951).  (If you have not yet had the opportunity to take at look at the new WELS hymnal supplement, I would recommend you to do so.  While a large percentage of its contents may be familiar to LC-MS Lutherans from Lutheran Service Book, it contains some wonderful new texts and tunes, of which this text is an example.)

1.  Now let us all in hymns of praise, bear witness with one voice

     To God's redeeming work in Christ and bid the world rejoice.

         Today we call to mind the things that time cannot erode:

         What God, Creator of the world, is doing for our good.

2.  What changes, challenges, and tests the Church of Christ survives!

     How rich the records left to us of dedicated lives!

         Still must the Church proclaim to all, both now and evermore,

         God's house to be an open house, and Christ the open door.

3.  Of all our labors who can say what harvest there shall be

     When time, that limits and distorts, becomes eternity?

         Then shall our hymns, rehearsed below, be perfect praise above,

         As face-to-face, we fully know the truth that God is love.

Rise, Shine, You People

Ronald Klug wrote this hymn at the request of Wilson Egbert of Augsburg Publishing House for a 1973 series of bulletin inserts featuring new hymns.  This Epiphany text was inspired by one of Klug's favorite Epiphany texts, Isaiah 60:1  "Rise, shine, for  your light has come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you."  The publisher sent Klug's text to Dale Wood so that the text could be published with a new tune.  Wood named his newly-written tune WOJTKIEWIECZ (voyd-KEV-itch), the original Polish family name that was simplified by the immigration official to Wood.

1.  Rise, shine, you people!  Christ the Lord has entered

     Our human story; God in Him is centered.

          He comes to us, by death and sin surrounded,

          With grace unbounded.

2.  See how He sends the pow'rs of evil reeling;

     He brings us freedom, light and life and healing.

          All men and women, who by guilt are driven,

          Now are forgiven.

3.  Come, celebrate, your banners high unfurling,

     Your songs and prayers against the darkness hurling.

          To all the world go out and tell the story

          Of Jesus' glory.

4.  Tell how the Father sent His Son to save us.

     Tell of the Son, who life and freedom gave us.

          Tell how the Spirit calls from ev'ry nation

          His new creation.

We Are Called to Stand Together

Today's LSB lectionary reading is Acts 13:42-52 in which Paul and Barnabas are preaching Christ Jesus to Jew and Gentile alike.  Many believed, but Paul and Barnabas also faced persecution for the message they preached.  We too are called to proclaim the good news of Jesus' life, death and resurrection in our world today, to be salutary salt and brilliant light, to stand in that succession of believers which extends backward through time.

1.  We are called to stand together

        With the saints of ages past,

            With the patriarchs and prophets

       In the faith they once held fast;

                 Promises and hopes they treasured

        Now we find fulfilled at last!

2.  Those whom Jesus called apostles

        Journeyed with Him side by side,

           Heard His teaching, felt His power

        Saw the way He lived and died;

              Then the news of resurrection

        They delivered far and wide.

3.  Through the intervening ages

         Round the world the Gospel spread:

            Faithful heralds took the message,

         Guided where the Spirit led;

               So the body grew in stature,

         Serving Christ, the living head.

4.  Now to many tongues and cultures

        Songs of celebration ring;

           Millions who confess our Savior

        Honor Him as Lord and King

              And for courage, grace and guidance

        Ev'ry day their prayers they bring.

5.  To each coming generation

        Tell the truth, persuade, explain,

           Till the time when time is ended,

        Till the Savior comes again--

              Till the saints are all united

        Under Christ's eternal reign!

"We Are Called to Stand Together" is hymn #828 in Lutheran Service Book.  There it is wed to Henry Gerike's strong tune ASCENDED TRIUMPH.

Martin Leckebusch was born in Leicester, Great Britain, in 1962 and educated at Oriel College, Oxford and Brunel University.  He and his wife Jane have four daughters; their second child, a son, died in 1995.  Since 1987 he has written nearly 400 hymn texts, of which around half have so far been published by Kevin Mayhew.  

Lift High the Cross

This text was written by an Anglican clergyman named George W. Kitchin for a festival of the Society of the Propagation of the Gospel held in his cathedral at Winchester, June of 1887. Most likely the seminal thought arose from Emperor Constantine's 312 A.D. vision of the Cross of Christ in the sky with the words "In hoc signo vinces" (In this sign you shall conquer). Constantine's vision was reported by the ancient historian Eusebius (c. 260-339).

This hymn is recommended in Lutheran Service Book as the Hymn of the Day for St. Barnabas, celebrated today on June 11th. Intended for use as a processional, the following versicle may be said at the entrance into the chancel:

V: God forbid that I should glory,

R: save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Refrain: Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim

Till all the world adore His sacred name.

1. Come, Christians, follow where our Captain trod,

Our king victorious, Christ, the Son of God. Refrain

2. Led on their way by this triumphant sign,

The hosts of God in conqu'ring ranks combine. Refrain

3. All newborn soldiers of the Crucified

Bear on their brows the seal of Him of died. Refrain

4. O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree,

As Thou hast promised, draw us all to Thee. Refrain

5. Let every race and every language tell

Of Him who saves our lives from death and hell. Refrain

6. So shall our song of triumph ever be:

Praise to the Crucified for victory! Refrain

Additional stanzas

This is the sign which Satan's legions fear

And angels veil their faces to revere.

Saved by this cross whereon their Lord was slain,

The sons of Adam their lost home regain.

From north and south, from east and west they raise

In growing unison their songs of praise.

From farthest regions let them homage bring,

And on His cross adore their Savior King.

Set up Your throne, that earth's despair may cease

Beneath the shadow of its healing peace.

For Your blest cross which does for all atone

Creation's praises rise before Your throne.