TEXT & TRANSLATIONS

Lord, We Give Thanks to Thee Leviticus 25:9

Lord, we give thanks to Thee For these, Thy servants. Alleluia, amen. Then shalt Thou cause the trumpet to sound, The trumpet of the jubilee. Alleluia.

Striving After God

Michelangelo

True art is made noble and religious by the mind producing it. For those who feel it, nothing makes the soul so religious and pure as the endeavor to create something perfect. For God is perfection, and whoever strives after perfection is striving after God.

All That I Am

Verna Arvey

All that I am, all I ever can be I owe to You, Lord, for You have molded me.

All that I have, all that I call mine I owe to You, Lord, for all things are Thine. You are the source of light; Light that’s offered all men.

In Your wisdom You give to each his due. You are the source of love: Love that binds in brotherhood.

In Your love and mercy I find lasting peace.

All that I love, all that’s dear to me, All of my blessings come, my Lord, from Thee.

All that I own, all that belongs to me, all I surrender, My Lord, to Thee.

Praise the Lord Psalm 117 (KJV)

Praise the Lord all ye nations; praise the Lord all ye people.

Praise the Lord for His merciful kindness is great toward us. And the truth of the Lord endureth forever.

Praise the Lord all ye nations, praise the Lord.

Psalm 100 (Make a Joyful Noise to the Lord) Psalm 100 (NRSV)

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the lands!

Serve the Lord with gladness!

Come into God’s presence with singing!

Know that the Lord, who made us, is God. We are the Lord’s; we are the people of God, the sheep of God’s pasture. Enter God’s gates with thanksgiving, And God’s courts with praise!

Give thanks and bless God’s name!

For the Lord is good; God’s steadfast love endures forever, God’s faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 57 Psalm 57:1, 7, 10-11

O God, be merciful unto me. For my soul taketh refuge in thee, Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I take refuge Until these sorrows pass over. My heart is fixed, God, for thy loving kindness is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the skies. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens. Let thy glory be above all the earth. Amen.

Psalm 150 Psalm 150, adapt. Nathan Carter

Praise ye the Lord, O praise ye the Lord.

Praise him in his sanctuary, praise him in the firmament of his power.

Praise him for his mighty acts, praise him according to his excellent greatness, praise him for his power and glory, and for the many years of hearing the story, from this gospel preacher and leader of the people come now let us praise him!

Praise him with the psaltry and harp.

O praise him with the timbrel and dance, praise him with stringed instruments and organ.

Praise him upon the loud cymbals.

Praise ye the Lord.

O praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let everything that hath breath, praise the Lord!

We Are the Music Makers

From “Ode” - Arthur O’Shaughnessy

We are the music makers, We are the dreamers of dreams, Wandering by lone sea-breakers, Sitting by desolate streams; World-losers and forsakers On whom the pale moon gleams: We are the movers, we are the shakers, We are the music makers, the dreamers, We are the dreamers of dreams.

A Prayer

Paul Laurence Dunbar

O Lord, the hard-won miles Have worn my stumbling feet: Oh, soothe me with thy smiles, And make my life complete. The thorns were thick and keen Where’er I trembling trod; The way was long between My wounded feet and God. Where healing waters flow Do thou my footsteps lead. My heart is aching so; Thy gracious balm I need. Amen.

Arise, Beloved!

Based on Song of Solomon 2:7-13

Arise, my love!

Arise, beloved, fair one, come away: For lo, the winter is past. Beloved, come away. Come, the rain has gone; The flowers appear. The birds are singing. Come, your hand in mine; We’ll taste of the grapevines. And hear the turtle doves: Their voices sing of joy and love. Hush! Do not awaken, love. Do not arouse ‘til it pleases. As the gazelles and does of the field, So is my beloved.

My heart be brave “Sonnet”

- James Weldon Johnson

My heart be brave, and do not falter so, Nor utter more that deep, despairing wail. Thy way is very dark and drear I know, But do not let thy strength and courage fail; For certain as the raven-winged night Is followed by the bright and blushing morn, Thy coming morrow will be clear and bright; ’Tis darkest when the night is furthest worn. Look up, and out, beyond, surrounding clouds, And do not in thine own gross darkness grope, Rise up, and casting off thy hind’ring shrouds, Cling thou to this, and ever inspiring hope:

Tho’ thick the battle and tho’ fierce the fight, There is power [in] making for the right.

Draw Us Near

Joel Thompson

This song we sing is our hearts’ vow to you, O God of Peace. Please send down your Dove, your Spirit of Love, to help our torments cease.

The world is tired of war and blood and fear, the tears we’ve cried, the pain inside; O Spirit, draw us near. So keep us true to our hearts’ vow to show the world your love.

May bias wane and joy remain as we sing to You above. We pray, O God, You take away our fear, the tears we’ve cried, the pain inside; O Spirit, draw us near.

Bring me all your dreams

“The Dream Keeper” - Langston Hughes

Bring me all [of] your dreams, You dreamers, Bring me all [of] your Heart melodies

That I may wrap them

In a blue cloud-cloth

Away from the too-rough fingers Of the world.