Best Loved Hymns and Readings. Martin Manser

of God’s commitment to those who are suffering or in need of guidance.

      Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, ‘I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.’ When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ Then he said, ‘Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.’ He said further, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

      Then the LORD said, ‘I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.’ But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ He said, ‘I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.’

      But Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the Israelites and say to them, “The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,” and they ask me, “What is his name?” what shall I say to them?’

      God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ He said further, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “I AM has sent me to you.’”

       Christ, the Lord, is risen today

       This triumphant hymn is among the most popular penned by Charles Wesley, author of over 8000 hymns. It is often sung at Easter, but may also be heard in churches at other times of the year.

      Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!

      Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia! Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!

      Lives again our glorious king, Alleluia!

      Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia! Once He died, our souls to save, Alleluia! Where’s thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!

      Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!

      Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia! Death in vain forbids Him rise, Alleluia! Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!

      Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!

      Following our exalted Head, Alleluia! Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia! Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

       Charles Wesley (1707-88)

       Christ triumphant

       This hymn, first published in 1966, has proved to be a popular addition to hymn books. It summarises the nature and characteristics of Jesus Christ, making reference to His birth, His death on the cross and His resurrection. It has become a popular choice for Easter Day services.

      Christ triumphant, ever reigning,

      Saviour, Master, King. Lord of heaven, our lives sustaining, Hear us as we sing: Yours the glory and the crown, The high renown, the eternal name.

      Word incarnate, truth revealing,

      Son of Man on earth! Power and majesty concealing By your humble birth: Yours the glory and the crown, The high renown, the eternal name.

      Suffering servant, scorned, ill-treated,

      Victim crucified! Death is through the cross defeated, Sinners justified: Yours the glory and the crown, The high renown, the eternal name.

      Priestly king, enthroned for ever

      High in heaven above! Sin and death and hell shall never Stifle hymns of love: Yours the glory and the crown, The high renown, the eternal name.

      So, our hearts and voices raising

      Through the ages long, Ceaselessly upon you gazing, This shall be our song: Yours the glory and the crown, The high renown, the eternal name.

       Michael Saward (b.1932)

       The Church’s one foundation

       This hymn was the work of a curate at Windsor who intended it as a tribute to his contemporary Bishop Gray of Capetown. Gray had attracted Stone’s admiration after speaking out against the liberal Bishop Colenso of Natal, who stood accused of questioning the church’s traditional stand on a number of issues – hence the reference to schisms in the third verse. The original hymn included an extra verse (long since dropped) that included the lines ‘Though there be those who hate her/And false sons in her pale/Against or foe or traitor/She ever shall prevail.’

      The Church’s one foundation

      Is Jesus Christ, her Lord; She is His new creation By water and the word: From heaven He came and sought her To be His holy bride; With His own blood He bought her, And for her life He died.

      Elect from every nation,

      Yet one o’er all the earth, Her charter of salvation One Lord, one faith, one birth: One holy name she blesses, Partakes one holy food, And to one hope she presses With every grace endued.

      Though with a scornful wonder

      Men see her sore oppressed, By schisms rent asunder, By heresies distressed; Yet saints their watch are keeping, Their cry goes up, ‘How long?’ And soon the night of weeping Shall be the morn of song.

      ‘Mid toil and tribulation,

      And tumult of her war, She waits the consummation Of peace for evermore; Till with the vision glorious Her longing eyes are blest, And the great Church victorious Shall be the Church at rest.

      Yet she on earth hath union

      With God the Three in One, And mystic sweet communion With those whose rest is won: O happy ones and holy! Lord, give us grace that we Like them, the meek and lowly, On high may dwell with Thee.

       Samuel John Stone (1839-1900)

       Come, ye thankful people, come

       The work of the noted scholar Dean Henry Alford of Canterbury, ‘Come, ye thankful people, come’ is an established favourite with congregations at harvest festivals, although it appears in a number of variant forms. Its original title was, indeed, ‘After Harvest’. Alford had had a precocious start as a hymn writer, publishing a Collection of Hymns for Sundry Occasions at the tender age of 11.

      Come, ye thankful people, come,

      Raise the song of harvest-home! All be safely gathered in, Ere the winter storms begin; God, our Maker, doth provide For our wants to be supplied; Come to God’s own temple, come, Raise the song of harvest-home!

      All the world is God’s own field,

      Fruit unto his praise to yield, Wheat and