Tag: Hymns

All Saints’ Day

All Saints’ Day, also known as All Hallows’ Day, is celebrated in honor of all the saints of the church. I’m grateful our church celebrates this day, always on the Sunday before the official November 1st date.

An angel from my mother’s collection.

In our church, names of loved ones that have passed away are collected from members prior to the Sunday service. You add names of those people who have gone before you, those that have made a difference in your life, especially spiritually. The list scrolls through the ceremony in the church service, and the congregation can read the names to get a visual of the many people we consider important to us…Ruby, Herb, Agnes, Bob, Warren, Jean, Ed, Henry…

During a time set apart in the service, people from the congregation get up and walk to the front of the church. On the altar there is a table with many votive candles. You can light a candle(s) for your loved one(s).

A pilgrimage hike in Ireland.

Sunday’s sermon focused on the several long-time members our church who passed away in the last four months. It was somber, yet celebratory, as we were reminded of these wonderful folks who were a part of our congregation, whom we loved, and whom we will miss.

A little bit of heaven on earth.

We sang the old, traditional hymn, For All The Saints, written by William Walsham How, in 1864.

A few select verses (from 8 stanzas):

1 For all the saints who from their labors rest,
who thee by faith before the world confessed,
thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

2 Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might;
thou, Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight;
thou, in the darkness dread, their one true light.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

4 Oh, blest communion, fellowship divine!
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
yet all are one in thee, for all are thine.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

8 From earth's wide bounds, from ocean's farthest coast,
through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Alleluia! Alleluia!

Today is All Saint’s Day…take time to remember.

The Love of God

Lake Superior, our Minnesota “ocean”.

The hymn entitled, The Love of God, was new to me as we sang it in church on Sunday. It was written in 1917 by Frederick M. Lehman. I really like the metaphors in the third stanza.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
and were the skies of parchment made;
were every stalk (tree) on earth a quill,
and everyone a scribe by trade;
to write the love of God above
would drain the ocean dry;
nor could the scroll contain the whole,
though stretched from sky to sky. (Refrain)

Refrain:
O love of God, how rich and pure;
how measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure,
the saints' and angels' song.

Click here for a link to the entire lyrics.

A Favorite Hymn

Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all nature,
O thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
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 all the twinkling starry host:
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
than all the angels heaven can boast.

Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
now and forevermore be thine.

We sang this hymn in the worship service we attended for our granddaughter’s baptism on Sunday. The ceremony was precious, and brought tears to my eyes. More tears of joy surfaced as we sang this closing hymn. It touched my heart in a special way as it brought me back to my childhood. I remember it as one of the first hymns I loved singing when I was a child. Songs are powerful and stay in our minds; they often trigger certain feelings and memories. I was happy to have this special memory from my childhood church be brought to my mind on this very special day.

Melody Lucinda

Today we attended the funeral of Melody Lucinda… She was my nephew’s (my brother’s son) stillborn daughter…perfectly formed in the womb yet died at 39 weeks. We sang the hymn “In My Heart There Rings a Melody”. It was a sad but touching service.

My nephew penned these words on his Facebook page:

“Well… today, 7/20, at 39 weeks 2 days, our daughter Melody Lucinda arrived.

Unfortunately for us, she arrived at the gates of Heaven into the arms of Jesus instead of into the arms of her parents. She leaves behind a Melody sized hole in our hearts as we grieve and mourn her loss.”

He also included this Bible verse:

“the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” -Job 1:21

Her obituary reads: “Melody Lucinda, infant daughter of Daniel and Stephanie  was stillborn on Friday, July 21, 2017 at Woodwinds Health Campus, Woodbury, MN. Melody was able to be cradled in the loving arms of her parents and extended family. Her middle name is in honor of her mom’s special aunt Lucinda LaVoie, who preceded Melody in death in 2007.”

The organization calling themselves Halos of the St. Croix Valley ministered to Stephanie and Dan. Someone from the organization showed up in the middle of the night, right after Melody was birthed (the hospital called them). They came to take photos and hand and finger prints and did things grieving parents would not think to do but wish they had later. Melody Lucinda’s hand and foot prints were on display at the service today.