Monday, April 27, 2009

from Ch. Wesley

Sometimes I find a good hymn -- but don't know what to do with it -- what tune (that we know) best fits? Sometimes that means I have to rearrange the hymn slightly. That's the case with this hymn.

Charles Wesley wrote this for Advent, "Jesus comes." Advent suggests much more than a baby in a manger, of course. It speaks to the eternal purposes of redemption. Since the hymn seemed appropriate to the preaching yesterday, we sang it.

The United Methodist hymnal suggests the tune
SAVANNAH (7.7.7.7.). Commenting on the tune, one web site notes, "SAVANNAH is reputed to be of Moravian origin. John Wesley first heard and learned it from the Moravians either en route to or during his time in Georgia where he was a missionary priest overseeing the Anglican work in Savannah. The tune appeared in his 1742 collection, Foundery Collection, with the name 'Herrnhuth Tune.'" You can find it here

We didn't use
SAVANNAH.

I chose
DIX (6 7's) instead ("for the beauty of the earth"). That meant I had to add something. I repeated the 3rd line of each verse, and added an "alleluia, amen." 

We also used the lifewayworship.com arrangement for this tune. It has a bouncy, carribean flavor to it! 

Jesus comes with all his grace, 

comes to save a fallen race
object of our glorious hope, 
Jesus comes to lift us up
Object of our glorious hope, Alleluia, Amen!

Let the living stones cry out, 
let the seed of Abram shout
praise we all our lowly King, 
give him thanks, rejoice and sing
Praise we all our lowly King, Alleluia, Amen!

He has our salvation wrought, 
he our captive souls has bought
he has reconciled to God, 
he has washed us in his blood
He has reconciled to God, Alleluia, Amen!

We are now his lawful right, 
walk as children of the light
we shall soon obtain the grace, 
pure in heart, to see his face
We shall soon obtain the grace, Alleluia, Amen!

We shall gain our calling's prize, 
after God we all shall rise
filled with joy and love and peace, 
perfect then in holiness
Filled with joy and love and peace, Alleluia, Amen!

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