Notes on the Notes – June 22, 2025

Sunday following National Indigenous Day

This week’s music: 

“Creator God, You Gave Us Life” (MV #27)

“Creator God, you gave us life, your image formed within our souls,
Yet through the mist of time and space, we search for that which makes us whole.

In every flower and every tree, we see your great diversity,
Yet greater still we see your love, expressed in our humanity.

When with our hearts, our hands, our minds, we share our gifts with all the world,
Our spirits soar beyond the veil, to touch the very face of God.

Through hands that paint majestic skies, and voices chanting melody,
With words that reach beyond the page, we comprehend your mystery.”

Both the tune and text of this hymn were written by Judith Snowdon in 2004. Judith Snowdon was born in England but completed her formal music education in Canada at Canadian Mennonite University and the University of Winnipeg.   The lyrics are a reminder that when we open ourselves to truly look at the many facets of Creation, we are able to see God’s touch everywhere and in everyone.

Hear the hymn at:  https://youtu.be/Z9ZOmMQeYmU

“Spirit of Life” (VU #381)

“Spirit of Life, come unto me.
Sing in my heart all the stirrings of compassion.
Blow in the wind, rise in the sea; move in the hand, giving life the shape of justice.
Roots hold me close; wings set me free;
Spirit of Life, come to me, come to me.”

We respond to the words of assurance by praying that God’s Spirit will be with us.  The hymn was written by Carolyn McDade in 1981 and arranged by Grace Lewis-McLaren and published in 1993.

“We Are One Love”

“We are made of the water, earth, wind and fire,
I am, you are, we are one love.
We are made of the sun, the moon and the stars.
I am, you are, we are one love.

Your presence is a gift to this world,
Shine bright like the stars in the big blue sky.
May we rise on the wings of this love,
into the golden light, burning so bright.

We are made of the water, earth, wind and fire,
I am, you are, we are one love.
We are made of the sun, the moon and the stars.
I am, you are, we are one love.

Ya-weh he ya ha,
Ya weh hey ya ha
Weh hey ya hey ya ha.

Niina kiina Kiinanow peyak, sahkihitowin.

There is nothing in this world you cannot do.
The difference that you seek it starts with you
You’re the shining light within a dark, dark, night
Together we are stronger, stronger together,
I am, you are, we are one love.

We are made of the water, earth, wind and fire,
I am, you are, we are one love.
We are made of the sun, the moon and the stars.
I am, you are, we are one love.

Ya-weh he ya ha,
Ya weh hey ya ha
Weh hey ya hey ya ha.

Niina kiina Kiinanow peyak, sahkihitowin.
I am, you are, we are one love.”

June 21 is a day to celebrate Indigenous peoples contributions, achievements, languages, cultures, histories, resilience. National Indigenous Peoples Day takes place during the summer solstice. From sun rise to sun set, it is the longest day of the year. Which means in the sky, the sun travels its longest path. It also marks the first day of summer and every season is a new life. Indigenous peoples often have gatherings and ceremonies during this time of year. Many cultures around the world also celebrate and honour the summer solstice.

This song was written by Sylvia Wastesicoot & Sebastin Gaskin for Pembina Trails School Division. When speaking of the song, Sylvia said, “In the song, We Are One Love, there is some Cree Language, or Ininiimowin, “niina kiina, Kiinanow peyak sahkihitowin which means, “I am, you are, we are one love.”  In my Indigenous worldview, it is all about relationships, wahkohtowin. When the ever-loving Great Spirit, Creator, or Consciousness made everything of the earth and of the heavens, she put a little piece of herself in everything including the water, the air that we breathe, the animals, the plants, the sun, moon, stars, the rocks, the trees, and each and every one of us human beings. So really, we are all fractals of the Great Spirit, Creator, or Consciousness. Everything is connected. We are all related. Hence the terms of endearment that we use like mother earth, father sky, grandmother moon, grandfather sun, brother bear, sister plants and so on.” (Source:  Pembina Trails website)
Laura was introduced to this song by music specialist Kara Dueck at Linden Meadows School, where she had worked on it with the songwriter.  The song has been shared throughout the school division from K-12.

Hear the song sung by Sylvia & the Pembina Trails’ Indigenous Youth Singers at: https://youtu.be/khtAU4X9gm8

“Healing River of the Spirit” (tune – VU #374)

“Healing river of the Spirit, bathe the wounds that living brings.
Plunge our pain, our sin, our sadness deep beneath your sacred springs.
Weary from the restless searching that has lured us from your side,
We discover in your presence peace the world cannot provide.

Wellspring of the healing Spirit stream that flows to bring release,
As we gain our selves, our senses, may our lives reflect your peace.
Grateful for the flood that heals us, may your church enact your grace
As we meet both friend and stranger may we see our Saviour’s face.

Living stream that heals the nations, make us channels of your power.
All the world is torn by conflict; wars are raging at this hour.
Saving Spirit, move among us, guide our winding human course,
Till we find our way together, flowing homeward to our Source.”

The words for this hymn were written by Ruth Duck and appear in her collection, Circles of Care.  She says, “I wrote Healing river of the Spirit on a Sunday in August 1994, on the Isle of Iona in the Hebrides on the west coast of Scotland.  Iona Community founder George MacLeod said that the veil between worlds is thin on that island; certainly Iona has been a center for Christian spirituality for many centuries.  My visit there with my partner, John Stoppels, was a healing time for me.  One of the emphases of the Iona Community is on healing ministries.  Therefore, it seemed fitting to write a hymn about healing during some quiet time that day. ”  (Source:  Circles of Care).  The words are set to the familiar melody BEACH SPRING.

Hear the hymn at: https://youtu.be/663gNJTDWPU

“For the Life That You Have Given”

“For the life that you have given, for the love in Christ made known,
with these fruits of time and labour, with these gifts that are your own:
Here we offer, Lord, our praises, heart and mind and strength we bring;
Give us grace to love and serve you, living what we pray and sing.” 

The words for our offering response were written by Carl P. Daw (1990).  The tune we will be using this week is NETTLETON.

“This Path We Walk” 

“This path we walk through joy and tears,
A living Way of faith and fears,
Through each step’s risk, each sorrows pain,
When walked in love, we’ll rise again.

When life is shared together free
We’ll grow to be all we can be
A circle wide will call us home
When wrapped in love we’re not alone.

These gifts we bring, this light we hold,
Our songs of grace, our stories told,
Remain undone, told just in part,
Til shared in love, and known by heart.

When life is shared, together bound
God’s richest gifts, together found.
Together walk the Spirit’s Way
When love’s the guide, we shall not stray.

Amen.”

The lyrics for this song are by S. Curtis Tufts, a United Church minister in Spruce Grove, Alberta. They were written in 2016, the 30th Anniversary of the United Church of Canada’s apology to First Nations Peoples.

“I was a commissioner from Saskatchewan Conference at the 1986 General Council in Sudbury and have a vivid memory of the evening when the Apology was brought on our behalf by the Moderator to the waiting Elders. The whole council was gathered in an amazing circle dance around a bonfire as the Moderator and Elders met in a tipi nearby. I remember clearly the strong feeling that we were in the midst of a historic turning point kind of moment. I hope that, as a part of our acknowledging the anniversary of that moment, this hymn will remind us of the need to continue faithfully on the journey that was begun then.”
The Apology was only the beginning of our journey to reconciliation and wholeness.

Hear an anthem version of the song sung by the Harmony Singers (2021) at:  https://youtu.be/Xd4InUtB3eQ?list=PLcKv8KzQKS1iSYAuZRuBmzJeEJHHQVrYD

“With a Vision of Hope”

“With a vision of hope we move along.
Empowered by faith we carry on.
Reaching out far and wide, moving forward reaching high.
Filled with hope, filled with dreams, we journey on.”

As we continue to celebrate the centennial of the United Church of Canada and look to our future as a church, we go into the world singing the words of Mary-Ellen Kish (2008), encouraging each other to move forward in faith with God.