HYMNS: As with all hymns, readings and poems there are numerous versions now in circulation should you wish to use a different version of any of these listed here or any other favourite hymn that you have access to; then we will gladly use any alternative that you can supply to us for your loved one s service sheets. Hymn: Abide with Me Abide with me; fast falls the eventide; The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide. When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me. Swift to its close ebbs out life s little day; Earth s joys grow dim; its glories pass away; Change and decay in all around I see; O thou who changest not, abide with me. I need thy presence every passing hour. What but thy grace can foil the tempter s power? Who, like thyself, my guide and stay can be? Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me. I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless; Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness. Where is death s sting? Where, grave, thy victory? I triumph still, if thou abide with me. Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes; Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies. Heaven s morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee; In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me. Henry Francis Lyte: 1793-1847 The Lord s My Shepherd The Lord s my shepherd, I ll not want; He makes me down to lie In pastures green; he leadeth me The quiet waters by. My soul he doth restore again, And me to walk doth make Within the paths of righteousness, E en for his own name s sake. Yea, though I walk in death s dark vale, Yet will I fear no ill: For thou art with me, and thy rod And staff me comfort still. Page 1 of 12
My table thou hast furnished In presence of my foes; My head thou dost with oil anoint And my cup overflows. Goodness and mercy all my life Shall surely follow me; And in God s house for evermore; My dwelling-place shall be. Crimond (Psalm 23) Morning has broken Morning has broken, like the first morning Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird Praise for the singing, praise for the morning Praise for the springing fresh from the world Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven Like the first dewfall, on the first grass Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden Sprung in completeness where his feet pass Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning Born of the one light, Eden saw play Praise with elation, praise every morning God's recreation of the new day Eleanor Farjeon: 1881-1965 Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah Pilgrim through this barren land. I am weak, but Thou art might; Hold me with Thy powerful hand. Bread of heaven, bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more; Feed me till I want no more. Open now the crystal fountain, Whence the haling stream doth flow; Let the fire and cloudy pillar Lead me all my journey through. Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer, Be Thou still my Strength and Shield; Be Thou still my Strength and Shield. Page 2 of 12
Lord, I trust Thy mighty power, Wondrous are Thy works of old; Thou deliver st Thine from thraldom, Who for naught themselves had sold: Thou didst conquer, Thou didst conquer, Sin, and Satan and the grave, Sin, and Satan and the grave. When I tread the verge of Jordan, Bid my anxious fears subside; Death of deaths, and hell s destruction, Land me safe of Canaan s side. Songs of praises, songs of praises, I will ever give to Thee; I will ever give to Thee. Musing on my habitation, Musing on my heav nly home, Fills my soul with holy longings: Come, my Jesus, quickly come; Vanity is all I see; Lord, I long to be with Thee! Lord, I long to be with Thee! William Williams: 1717-1791 All Things Bright and Beautiful All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful, The Lord God made them all. Each little flower that opens, Each little bird that sings, He made their glowing colours, He made their tiny wings. The purple-headed mountain, The river running by, The sunset, and the morning That brightens up the sky: The cold wind in the winter, The pleasant summer sun, The ripe fruits in the garden, He made them every one. The tall trees in the greenwood, The meadows where we play, The rushes by the water We gather every day. Page 3 of 12
He gave us eyes to see them, And lips that we might tell How great is God Almighty, Who has made all things well. Cecil Frances Alexander: 1818-1895 Amazing Grace Amazing grace how sweet the sound! That saved a wretch like me; I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see. Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved; How precious did that grace appear, The hour I first believed! Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come: Tis grace that brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home. The Lord has promised good to me, His word my hope secures; He will my shield and portion be As long as life endures. Yes, when this heart and flesh shall fail, And mortal life shall cease, I shall possess within the veil A life of joy and peace. The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, The sun forbear to shine, But God, who called me here below, Will be for ever mine. When we ve been there a thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We ve no less days to sing God s praise Than when we first begun. John Newton: 1725-1807 Page 4 of 12
Dear Lord and Father of Mankind Dear Lord and Father of mankind, Forgive our foolish ways! Reclothe us in our rightful mind; In purer lives Thy service find, In deeper reverence, praise In deeper reverence, praise In simple trust like theirs who heard Beside the Syrian sea The gracious calling of the Lord, Let us, like them, without a word, Rise up and follow Thee Rise up and follow Thee O Sabbath rest by Galilee! O calm of hills above, Where Jesus knelt to share with Thee The silence of eternity Interpreted by love! Interpreted by love! With that deep hush subduing all Our words and works that drown The tender whisper of Thy call, As noiseless let Thy blessing fall As fell Thy manna down As fell Thy manna down Drop Thy still dews of quietness, Till at our strivings cease; Take from our souls the strain and stress, And let our ordered lives confess The beauty of Thy peace The beauty of Thy peace Breathe through the heats of our desire Thy coolness and Thy balm; Let sense by dumb, let flesh retire; Speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire, O still small voice of calm! O still small voice of calm! John Greenleaf Whittier: 1807-1892 I Vow to Thee My Country I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above, Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love: The love that asks no questions, the love that stands the test, That lays upon the alter the dearest and the best; The love that never falters, the love that pays the price, The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice. Page 5 of 12
And there s another country, I ve heard of long ago, Most dear to them that love her, most great to them that know; We may not count her armies; we may not see her King; Her fortress is a faithful heart, her pride is suffering; And soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase, And her ways are ways of gentleness and all her paths are peace. Cecil Spring-Rice: 1859-1918 Jerusalem And did those feet in ancient time Walk upon England s mountains green? And was the holy lamb of God On England s pleasant pastures seen? And did the Countenance Divine Shine forth upon our clouded hills? And was Jerusalem builded here Among these dark Satanic mills? Bring me my bow of burning gold! Bring me my arrows of desire! Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold! Bring me my chariot of fire! I will not cease from mental fight, Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand, Till we have built Jerusalem In England s green and pleasant land William Blake: 1757-1827 Make Me a Channel of Your Peace Make me a channel of your peace Where there is hatred let me bring your love; Where there is injury, your pardon, LORD; And where there s doubt, true faith in you. Oh, Master, grant that I may never seek So much to be consoled as to console; To be understood as to understand, To be loved, as to love with all my soul. Page 6 of 12
Make me a channel of your peace. Where there s despair in life, let me bring hope; Where there is darkness only light; And where there s sadness, ever joy. Make me a channel of your peace. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, In giving to all men that we receive; And in dying that we re born to eternal life. John Sebastian Temple (Johann Sebastian von Tempelhoff; b 1928) There is a Green Hill Far Away There is a green hill far away, Without a city wall, Where the dear Lord was crucified, Who died to save us all. We may not know, we cannot tell, What pains He had to bear, But we believe it was for us He hung and suffered there. He died that we might be forgiven, He died to make us good, That we might go at last to heaven, Saved by His precious blood. There was no other good enough To pay the price of sin; He only could unlock the gate Of heaven, and let us in. O dearly, dearly has He loved, And we must love Him too, And trust in His redeeming blood, And try His works to do. Cecil Frances Alexander: 1818-1895 Page 7 of 12
Lord of All Hopefulness Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy, Whose trust, ever child-like, no cares could destroy, Be there at our waking, and give us, we pray, Your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day. Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith, Whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe, Be there at our labours, and give us, we pray, Your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day. Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace, Your hands swift to welcome, your arms to embrace, Be there at our homing, and give us, we pray, Your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day. Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm, Whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm, Be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray, Your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day. Jan Struther (Joyce Plazek; 1901-1953) How Great Thou Art O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder Consider all the works Thy hand hath made, I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed: Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art, how great Thou art! Then sing my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art, how great Thou art! When through the woods and forest glades I wander And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees; When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur, And hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze; And when I think that God his Son not sparing, Sent Him to die I scarce can take it in, That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin: When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation And take me home what joy shall fill my heart Then shall I bow in humble adoration, And there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art! Stuart K Hine: 1899-1989 Page 8 of 12
The Day Thou Gavest, Lord is Ended The day Thou gavest, Lord is ended, The darkness falls at Thy behest; To Thee our morning hymns ascended, Thy praise shall sanctify our rest. We thank Thee that Thy Church unsleeping, While earth rolls onward into light, Through all the world her watch is keeping, And rests not now by day or night. As o er each continent and island The dawn leads on another day, The voice of prayer is never silent, Nor dies the strain of praise away. The sun that bids us rest is waking Our brethren neath the western sky, And hour by hour fresh lips are making Thy wondrous doings heard on high. So be it, Lord; Thy throne shall never, Like earth s proud empires, pass away; Thy kingdom stands and grows for ever, Till all Thy creatures own Thy sway. John Ellerton: 1826-1893 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling Love divine, all loves excelling, Joy of heaven to earth come down, Fix in us Thy humble dwelling, All Thy faithful mercies crown. Jesu, Thou art all compassion, Pure, unbounded love Thou art; Visit us with Thy salvation, Enter every trembling heart. Come, almighty to deliver, Let us all Thy life receive; Suddenly return, and never, Never more Thy temples leave, Thee we would be always blessing, Serve Thee as Thy host above, Pray, and praise Thee, without ceasing, Glory in Thy perfect love. Page 9 of 12
Finish then Thy new creation, Pure and sinless let us be; Let us see Thy great salvation, Perfectly restored in Thee; Changed from glory into glory, Till in heaven we take our place, Till we cast our crowns before Thee, Lost in wonder, love and praise. Charles Wesley: 1707-1788 Swing Low, Sweet Chariot Sing low, sweet chariot, Comin for to carry me home, Swing low, sweet chariot, Comin for to carry me home. I looked over Jordan, and what did I see Comin for to carry me home? A band of angels comin after me, Comin for to carry me home. If you get there before I do, Comin for to carry me home; Tell all my friends I m comin too Comin for to carry me home. I m sometimes up and sometimes down Comin for to carry me home; But still my soul feels heavenly bound, Comin for to carry me home. Yet my soul feels heav nly bound Comin for to carry me home Swing low, sweet chariot Comin for to carry me home. Author Unknown All People That on Earth do Dwell All people that on earth do dwell, Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice; Him serve with fear, His praise forth tell; Come ye before Him and rejoice. The Lord, ye know, is God indeed; Without our aid He did us make; We are His flock, He doth us feed, And for His sheep He doth us take. Page 10 of 12
O, enter then His gates with praise, Approach with joy His courts unto; Praise, laud, and bless His name always, For it is seemly so to do. For why? The Lord our God is good, His mercy is for ever sure; His truth at all times firmly stood, And shall from age to age endure. William Keithe (d.1594) Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise Immortal, invisible, God only wise, In light inaccessible hid from our eyes, Most blessed, most wasting, Thou rulest in might; Thy justice like mountains high soaring above Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love. Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light, Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might; Thy justice like mountains high soaring above Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love. To all, life Thou givest, to both great and small; In all life Thou livest, the true life of all; We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree, And wither and perish but naught changeth Thee. Great Father of glory, pure Father of light, Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight; All laud we would render: O help us to see Tis only the splendour of light hideth Thee. Walter Chalmers Smith: 1824-1908 Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven Praise, my soul, the King of heaven, To His feet thy tribute bring. Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, Who like me His praise should sing? Praise him! Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise the everlasting King! Praise Him for His grace and favour To our fathers in distress; Praise Him still the same for ever, Slow to chide, and swift to bless. Praise him! Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him! Glorious in His faithfulness. Page 11 of 12
Fatherlike He tends and spares us; Well our feeble frame He knows; In His hands He gently bears us, Rescues us from all our foes. Praise him! Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him! Widely as His mercy flows. Angels, help us to adore Him; Ye behold Him face to face; Sun and moon bow down before Him, Dwellers all in time and space. Praise him! Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise with us the God of grace. Henry Francis Lyte: 1793-1847 The Old Rugged Cross On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, The emblem of suffering and shame; And I love that old cross where the dearest and best For a world of lost sinners was slain. So I ll cherish the old rugged cross Till my trophies at last I lay down; I will cling to the old rugged cross And exchange it some day for a crown. O, the old rugged cross, so despised by the world, Has a wondrous attraction for me; For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above To bear it to dark Calvary. In the old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine, A wondrous beauty I see; For twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died To pardon and sanctify me. To the old rugged cross I will ever be true, Its shame and reproach gladly bear; Then He ll call me some day to my home far away, When His glory for ever I ll share. George Bennard: 1873-1958 Page 12 of 12