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Ordinary Christians, extraordinary times

Hymns

Hymns for use in churches and school – (Index and Links)

Burton Leonard Choir
on “Care for Creation” themes
to be sung to well known tunes.
New ones are being added at the beginning. Current total: 22

Since 2019 there are two types of songs/hymns added to this list: ** Written in black ** ** Written in red ** 

1.  ** Written in black **  The authors are happy for people to print their hymn for services and non commercial publications etc provided that the exact words are printed, and that the authors are credited. They would be pleased to hear where the hymns are being used. These will appear in the book “Environment Praise” (details). Some were written for the Settle Methodist Circuit Hymn Competition in 2001, and four  –  from the 2016 Competition.

2.  ** Written in red **  These link to  outside sites –  please follow instructions on those sites as to permission for using the hymns.

3. **Links to other useful websites with environment hymnsat bottom of page

Date
add-ed
TitleAuthorExample Verse
(Not necessarily first verse)
TuneShort comment

26. April 2023Extra verse for God Save our gracious KingLisle Ryder

In earth and sky and sea

God sets the boundaries

where kings may reign:

God guide his Majesty

and those set under him

to care for nature here

that all may thrive.

Tune:
God Save the King
.
25. April 2022Weaver GodKate Compston

Weavers we are called, yet woven too we’re born.
For the web is seamless: if we tear we’re torn.
Gently may we live – that fragile earth is left, Love and justice joined – the fabric’s warp and weft.

Tune:
Noël Nouvelet
Local Preacher John Anderson used this at a service in the Bradford district.
24. March 2022 Until your Earth is wholeJubilate Hymns

This one: Ally Barrett Music: Peter Burton
You made a universe so full of wonder, 
gave us a world to cherish and to hold.
But we have treated it as ours to plunder:
what you gave freely, we have bought and sold.
Tune by Peter BurtonA brand new collection of 12 Jubilate hymns, addressing some of social justice, mental health, the refugee crisis, the environment, and truth. 
23.
19 Nov 2021
 Autumn Leaves Lisle RyderDropped golden leaves
All glowing from the ground.
Upon the tree
You were once the crown.
Song 46, Orlando Gibbons
10,10
 
22.
5 Jan 2020
Our God flies   Lisle RyderOur God who lives, flows in waters,
tumbles in rivers, and drifts in snows,
flashes as silver from shoals of fish,
darts in darkness round rugged rocks,
blooms afresh as showers bring flowers
with fresh aromas for bugs and bees.
With all the creatures we are one,
at one with God in wonder held.
.
Tune: Hyfrydol     (Alleluya, sing to Jesus)
Metre: 8.7.8.7.D
 
21.
Dec 2019
Melting Frozen Jewels  Lisle
Ryder
God’s bountiful creation,
our hearts with wonder fill,
held now in contemplation
with mind and body still.
Diversity of creatures,
varieties of plants
for our delight displayed here
that we may be entranced.
Tunes: Ewing, Hatherop Castle, Aurelia, Crüger etc.
Metre: 7.6.7.6
20.
Dec 2019
 With Every Creature sing Lisle
Ryder

Let all of us with every creature sing,
praise to our God!
Above us in the air
may we all be aware
of birds and bees in flight,
whether by day or night.
Sing with one voice to celebrate the life
of creatures all!
.
 Tune: Luckington (Let all the world in every corner sing)
Meter‎: ‎10.4.6.6.6.6.10.4

19.
Aug 2019  May 2019

The care of our planet, the threat of extinction

Andrew PrattThe care of our planet, the threat of extinction,
alerts us to need to be stewards of the earth:
This place of great beauty, our God given tenure,
the place of our nurture, the globe of our birth.
…..

Recommended Tune:
The Streets of Laredo
– or –
St Catherine’s Court

This is on Andrew Pratts own website – please go there
18. Dec 2016EarthcareSelly Oak Green Team

Chorus ……
Care for the planet that cradles our life, beautiful mystery:
Spark from the sun, flung out into space; part of our galaxy.

 The Skye Boat Song  
An entry in the open local section for the 2016 Settle Methodist Circuit Hymn Compe-tition: Theme: The God of Creation.
17.  

Nov 2016

O, Lord we know that you made every thingWin WaltersO, Lord we know that you made everything
Skies, mountains, land, seas, stars and planets too.
All they contain trees, flowers, fruits and crops.
For these we show our grateful thanks to you
Peel Castle,
Hymns and Psalms 346
This was first prize in the local section for the 2016 Settle Methodist Circuit Hymn Compe-tition: Theme: The God of Creation.
16. Nov 2016Green Guardians

 

(Good for Chidren)

Alison Blenkin-sop

Chorus: All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small;
God made us to keep them safe,
so let’s protect them all.

1.      Each little flower that opens
feeds bees and butterflies,
so pollen goes by airmail
to plants of every size.

All things bright and beautifulAn entry in the open local section for the 2016 Settle Methodist Circuit Hymn Compe-tition Theme: The God of Creation.
15. Nov 2016For life we rejoice Matt Allen

For life we rejoice;
A gift from God’s hand.
Creation gives voice;
The seas, skies and land.
Each proton, electron,
Each neutron and quark,
Show order from chaos,
Speak light into dark.

Tune: Laudate Dominum
(O Praise Ye the Lord)
An entry in the open local section for the 2016 Settle Methodist Circuit Hymn Compe-tition Theme: The God of Creation.
14.God’s GoodnessMary Whitfield

 

1.
Oh Lord the beauty that we see,
Around us everywhere,
The hills and vales, the trees and flowers,
Show forth your loving care.

4. In times of grief and deep distress,
When all seems dark and drear,
We feel your presence with us Lord
To comfort and to cheer.

 Tune L C.M. Beatitudo (J.B. Dykes 1823-76)      (Fill thou my life, O Lord my God) H&P 792(ii)Written in farming community in 2001 (Foot and Mouth year).
12. NovMother EarthAudrey Theo-dosia Bryant

Oh mother earth,
we take to Copenhagen
our last, our deepest hope of all,
to live within our means, *no more delay, gone
are heady days
when men could steal and stall.
Now look ahead, you delegates of nations,
and see our children, what their lives are worth –
to live at last in knowing we’re relations,
Christ’s family and offspring of our mother earth.

Tune  “O Danny BoyRelevant for Biodiversity COP15 at Montreal 2022 (Written for Copenhagen and CEL)
11. Aug ’09Climate is WarmingGeorge
Stuart

As climate is warming
Will bees keep on swarming
If we just continue to damage the earth?
Will birds and sea-creatures,
With beautiful features,
Forever be lost by denying their worth?

Sung to “The Ash Grove“.Our first “Climate Change” hymn.
10.Green Bottle DecadeAudrey BryantTen green bottles standing on the wall,
Ten green bottles standing on the wall
And if one green bottle should accidently fall
There’ll be nine green bottles standing on the wall.One green bottle nearly full of oil
From the world’s great caverns under sea and soil,
Supplies are running out with ever rarer finds –
They’re trying to fill it up with oil of different kinds.
When this green bottle is empty it will fall
And there’ll be nine green bottles standing on the wall.
Sung to Ten green bottleszz
9.
Aug ’08
Good gifts for allAlison Blenkin-sop

The fields of many countries
are tilled to pay their debt,
And so disease and poverty
remain a constant threat.
Their goods, unfairly traded,
make losses for our gain,
As most of all the profits
in wealthy hands remain.

Sung to “We plough the fields and scatter“.Hymn with
green/ fairtrade / debt themes to well known harvest tune.
8. OctFor the beauty of the earth Sheila Redmond

But the earth belongs to our children,
It’s not ours to destroy.
They will need its scarce resources,
To use and to enjoy. ……..

Sung to: As the Deer Pants.Nice tune. Practical straight forward words
7.SeptLord of All Lang-uagesAudrey Theo-dosia Bryant

 Lord of all whispering, speak in the leaves
the small voice that counsels each one who believes,
Lift our eyes to the mountain, give us peace from the field
and wash us with rain that our souls may be healed. ……..

Sung to Slade (Lord of all hopefulness).Spiritual and thoughtful. 6 Verses
6.  

June

Creator GodJenny Baines

Beneath the moon the ocean lifts its tide,
Help us to curb our poisoned human pride
Still may the whales, the fish and dolphins ride
Seas ever singing, ever singing ……..

Sung to Sine nomine (For all the saints…).This can make a joyful and moving end to an environ-ment service.
5. MayThe Earth is the Lord’sGerald H Gardiner

 The earth is the Lord’s, sing Christian and Jew,
Sacred the earth for Muslim, Sikh, Hindu.
Reverence for life is the Buddhist way,
Violence none, in all we do and say. …….. 

. (Tune: Lord of the Dance)... touching on harvest, delight in creation, and our present multi-faith society,

Good tune.
Multi faith element
4.
Apr
En-twining CirclesJean Mac-DonaldSet to the folk tune “Waly Waly“, this song reminds us that entwining circles “Join us with sea and earth and sky”, the earth is suffering from pollution..

 So we believe, Creator God,
We make a difference when we say
Like that young boy with two small fish,
” Here, take and share my gifts today.” . …….

Waly Waly“,Haunting tune
3.
Mar
What the Lord CreatesJessica, Emily and Sam Craw-shaw
Praise him, Praise him, Praise the Lord
For the wonders of the world.
For the people big and small
For the animals short and tall
We will care for all these things
That our Lord Creator brings. …....
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star won first prize in the Children’s Section of the Settle Methodist Circuit and CEL Environment Hymn Competition 2001
.
Could get your children to add extra verses.
2.
Feb
The Glory of Creation –Denzil Walton
.
Deep mysteries, of oceans and unknown outer space,
Migration paths of swallows, the eagle’s nesting place.
The more we gain in knowledge, the less we understand
This world so rich and complex, created by God’s hand ……..
(Tune: Ewing or to other 7.6.7.6 D hymns) – and used by several visitors to this website for the occasion.Written for the Second Sunday before Lent – Creation / Environment Sunday in the Old Lectionary. The Second Sunday before Lent was treated as Environment or Creation Sunday in the Old Lectionary and still is in some versions of the Anglican Lectionary.
Some beautiful descriptions of Nature
1.
Jan
Creator God, abundant Life your mark –Mrs Pat Bennett


.
We pledge to touch all things with holy care
Until your coming Kingdom ends despair
Then all the world will witness and will share
The jubilation – Of healed creation. …….

Tune:  Sine Nomine the tune toFor all the saints who from their labour restSung at The Operation Noah Service on 4th November at the start of the Stop Climate Chaos Demonstrations.The hymn can be heard briefly in the interview with the Bishop of London on Radio 4
It was entered for the Settle Methodist Circuit hymn competition on the Environment in 2001
Good for pledging yourself to action

Let all creation praise website – well worth visiting. Please go there.

Season of creation – Songs- – Habel Hymns Volume One- Songs for Celebrating with Creation

Let All Creation Praise links to more hymns you can use

Let All Creation Praise links to more hymns you can use