Notes on the Notes – April 12, 2026
This Week’s Music:
“Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Give Thanks” (VU #179)
“Hallelujah, hallelujah. Give thanks to the risen Christ.
Hallelujah, hallelujah. Give praise to God’s name.
Jesus is Lord of all the earth,
Firstborn of all creation.
Hallelujah…
Spread the good news o’er all the earth:
Jesus has died and is risen.
Hallelujah….
We have been crucified with Christ,
Now we shall live forever.
Hallelujah…
Come let us praise the living God,
Joyfully sing to our Saviour.
Hallelujah…”
We continue to celebrate the Resurrection with our opening hymn which includes series of paraphrases from the letters of Paul. The words and music are by Donald Fishel (1971) with descant by Betty Pulkingman (1987). Darryl Nixon created this arrangement for publication in the United Church hymn supplement Songs for a Gospel People (1987).
See the hymn sung in worship at Strathroy United Church at: https://youtu.be/0GWSdq8GVG8
“Alleluia” (MV #50)
“Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.”
We celebrate the Words of Assurance with a sung response written by Norah Duncan IV (1987).
“Stay with Us” (VU #182)
“Stay with us through the night.
Stay with us through the pain.
Say with us, blessed stranger
till the morning breaks again.
Stay with us through the night.
Stay with us through the grief.
Stay with us, blessed stranger
till the morning brings relief.
Stay with us through the night.
Stay with us through the dread.
Stay with us, blessed stranger
till the morning breaks new bread.”
The lyrics for this hymn were written by Walter Farquharson, with music by Ron Klusmeier (1986) based on the Emmaus road story in Luke 24.
In reflecting on the context for Stay with Us, Walter Farquharson writes:
The story told by Luke of the seven mile journey of two disciples from Jerusalem to Emmaus has been described as the gospel within the gospel. Generations of Christians have seen it as the prototype of the Christian’s walk towards faith and faithfulness.
Luke does not tell us who the two are, nor do we know their gender or anything about the length of time that they had followed Jesus.
Luke says simply that, “Later that same day (Easter) two of them were going to a village called Emmaus…”.
Attracted to Jesus and the good news that he proclaimed and fleshed out as teacher, healer, builder of a new community, they had, within a few days, seen the power of temple, state and Empire, conspire to arrest, charge, condemn and execute the one they followed. They had heard the crowd turn against him and cry out for his death. They had probably seen his body placed in the tomb that Joseph of Arimathea had provided.
As if all of this had not been confusing and devastating enough, some women of the faith community had gone to the tomb, found the stone rolled away from the entrance and had returned to where the closest disciples had gathered with the amazing news that somehow Jesus was not captive to death but was alive.
Confused and disheartened, the two decided to go for a walk. As they journey they talk with each other about all the things that happened – undoubtedly including their early enthusiasm, their hopes, the love they had experienced, the service to others they had participated in. Jesus joins them, but they do not recognize him. The stranger asks them why they look so glum and they share their story with him. The stranger engages them in a reflection on the purposes of God and the messages of the law and the prophets.
As they near the village it seems the stranger will leave them but they plead with him to stay with them, to share the meal they will eat and the lodging they have arranged. The stranger accepts the invitation and, at the table, as thanks are spoken and bread is broken, the two travellers recognize their risen Lord.
The two disciples acknowledged that their hearts had burned within them as he talked with them on the road and they wondered at the way he had become known to them in the breaking of bread at the table they shared. They returned to Jerusalem and the upper room. The work begun by the Christ would be theirs to continue. (Source: musiklus.com)
Hear the song played on piano at: https://youtu.be/tHZrYxqumNg?list=RDtHZrYxqumNg&t=2
“Speak, O Lord”
“Speak, O Lord, as we come to You,
To receive the food of Your holy Word.
Take Your Truth, plant it deep in us;
Shape and fashion us in Your likeness;
That the light of Christ might be seen today
In our acts of love and our deeds of faith.
Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in us all Your purposes for Your glory.
Teach us, Lord, full obedience, holy reverence, true humility.
Test our thoughts and our attitudes in the radiance of Your purity.
Cause our faith to rise, cause our eyes to see
Your majestic love and authority.
Words of power that can never fail;
Let their truth prevail over unbelief.
Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds,
Help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us.
Truths unchanged from the dawn of time,
That will echo down through eternity;
And by grace we’ll stand on Your promises;
And by faith we’ll walk as You walk with us.
Speak, O Lord, ’til Your church is built,
And the earth is filled with Your glory.
Speak, O Lord, ’til the earth is filled with your glory.”
This week’s anthem is by Stuart Townsend and Keith Getty. It has been arranged by Fred and Ruth Coleman and comes from the collection “In Christ Alone.” The words are a request for God to change us fully into faithful followers of Jesus.
Hear the original version at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my90e3a_nlM
“He is Lord”
“He is Lord! He is Lord! He is risen from the dead and He is Lord!
Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!”
The author and composer of this joyous Easter response are unknown.
“Emmaus-Bound on Easter Day”
“Emmaus-bound on Easter Day,
Two travelers walked along the way.
They’d once had hope, but hope had died
When you, O Lord, were crucified.
When you appeared beside the two,
They could not see that it was you;
But as they talked and shared their pain,
You gave them hope and joy again.
For as you spoke to them God’s word,
Explaining all they’d seen and heard,
They understood what God had done
And that a new day had begun.
They shared their home; you broke the bread.
They saw you, risen from the dead!
That moment’s grace helped them to see
The gift of God’s eternity.
In scripture and at table, too,
O Risen Lord, may we know you.
And may your presence give us grace
To share God’s love in every place.”
Our closing hymn by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette (2009) also references the Emmaus story from Luke 24:13-35. We will be using the traditional tune WALY, WALY (“Though I May Speak”).
“Amen” (VU #974)
“Amen, amen, hallelujah, amen!
Amen, amen, hallelujah, amen!”
Our benediction response this week was written by Jim Strathdee (1985).
