Notes on the Notes – July 26, 2020

Meeting God

Genesis 28:10-19a

This Week’s Music:

“Teach Me, God to Wonder” (VU #299)

“Teach me, God, to wonder, teach me, God, to see;
Let your world of beauty capture me.
Praise to you be given, love for you be lived,
Life be celebrated, joy you give.

Let me, God, be open, let me loving be;
Let your world of people speak to me.
Praise to you be given, love for you be lived,
Life be celebrated, joy you give.

Let me, God, be ready, let me be awake,
In your world of loving my place take.
Praise to you be given, love for you be lived,
Life be celebrated, joy you give.

Teach me, God, to know you, hear you when you speak,
See you in my neighbour when we meet.
Praise to you be given, love for you be lived,
Life be celebrated, joy you give.”

This song has words by Walter Farquharson (1973) and music by Ron Klusmeier (1974). Through the words we ask to be made open to God’s presence in the beauty of Creation as well as God’s presence in the people we meet.  We celebrate God’s love by living in love with others.

Hear the hymn sung in worship at Strathroy United Church at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7mnnHbnsgQ

“God, You Meet Us” (SFGP #124)

“God, you meet us in our weakness,
Giving strength beyond our own,
By your Spirit, by your people,
Showing we are not alone.

God, you meet us in our sorrows
With the comfort of your voice,
By your Spirit, by your people,
Helping crying hearts rejoice.

God, you meet us in our neighbours,
When your strength and voice the need.
Yours the Spirit, we your people,
Sharing love in word and deed!”

This hymn was written by Glen W. Baker in 1976. The words have been set to music by Johann L. Steiner (1735). The lyrics of the hymn are a reminder that the opportunities to meet God are all around us.  God is always with us.  This hymn comes to us from the United Church hymn book supplement, “Songs for a Gospel People,”  aka “the green book.”

“Jesus, Teach Me”

“Jesus, teach me what I need to know.
Guide and lead me where I need to go.
In everything I say and do, teach me how to love like You.

Shine Your heavenly light.
Touch me and open my eyes.
As I go through the day, Lord, let me follow Your way.

Lord, the sound of Your voice fills me with comfort and joy.
Now I know I must start listening with all of my heart….”

This week’s anthem is by Bert Stratton and Vicki Tucker Courtney. It was published in 2010. The simple melody and words are a prayer for Jesus to help us to follow and live by his teachings.

“He Leadeth Me” (VU #657)

“He leadeth me; O blessed thought!
O words with heavenly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be, still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.

Sometimes ‘mid scenes of deepest gloom,
Sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom,
By waters calm, o’er troubled sea,
Still ’tis his hand that leadeth me…

Lord, I would clasp thy hand in mine,
Nor ever murmur nor repine,
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since ’tis my God that leadeth me…

And when my task on earth is done,
When by thy grace the victory’s won,
Even death’s cold wave I will not flee,
Since God through Jordan leadeth me…

He leadeth me! He leadeth me!
By his own hand he leadeth me!
His faithful follower I would be,
For by his hand he leadeth me!

Our closing hymn was written by Joseph Henry Gilmore (1862), with music by William Batchelder Bradbury (1864).  Gilmore wrote this text, based on Psalm 23, in Philadelphia in March, 1862, during the American Civil War. His wife submitted the poem to the Boston journal, Watchman and Reflector, where William B. Bradbury saw it. Bradbury adapted the hymn text to a verse and refrain structure and published his setting in Golden Censer (1864). Gilmore discovered his hymn in a new gospel songbook while visiting another city, and was quite amazed at its growing popularity.

Sing along with the London Fox Singers at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAcgX3Aqo9g

“Praise God, Praise God”

“Thank God, thank God.
Thanks in the morning, thanks in the noon time.
Thank God, thank God.
Thanks when the sun goes down.”

Our benediction response this week is the second verse of the hymn “Praise God, Praise God.”

Bonus Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nnu1E5Kslig