Hymn Notes

Weekly Hymn Notes
Hymns by Title
Hymns by Date

Weekly Hymn Notes

Learn about the origin of hymns, lyrics, and melodies, and other music that will be used during Sunday worship service. Contact Don De Bruin, Director of Music Ministries for more information at 608.233.9751.

Hymn Notes for April 18, 2021

#238 Now the Green Blade Rises

John MacLeod Campbell Crum (1872-1958) wrote this Easter text specifically for this old French carol tune. They were printed together in The Oxford Book of Carols (1928). Crum appropriated the image of seeds, which appear dead in winter but return to life in spring, as a metaphor for the resurrection.

John M. C. Crum was ordained a priest in the Anglican Church in 1900 and rose to be canon of Canterbury, where he served from 1929 to 1943. Earlier in his career, he had bee chaplain to the Bishop of Oxford, Francis Paget, and later wrote a biography about him.

This fifteenth-century Franch carol is entitled NOEL NOUVELET for the original text. This melody was the inspiration for Marcel Dupre when composing his "Variations on a Noel." The harmonization was created by Martin F. Shaw (1875-1958) for The Oxford Book of Carols (1928).

Martin F. Shaw co-edited two of the most significant hymn collections of twentieth-century England: Songs of Praise (1925, 1931) and The Oxford Book of Carols (1928). At the Royal College of Music, Shaw studied under such distinguished composers as Charles V. Stanford, C. H. H. Parry, and Walford Davies.

#313 Like a Tree beside the Waters

James F. D. Martin (b. 1953) wrote this text and a tune he named CAMPBELLSPORT for a church anniversary. The pastor had been requested to provide a text based on Jeremiah 17. It was first sung on the opening Sunday of the church’s celebration in January and then throughout the year of 1993.

James F. D. Martin, a minister of the United Church of Christ, received his theological education at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, Minnesota. After serving at two other churches, he joined his wife as co-pastor of Saron UCC in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, in 1983.

Rowland Hugh Prichard (1811-1887) composed this tune and included it in his Cyfaill y Cantorion “The Singer’s Friend), which was published in 1844 to provide more-appropriate music for Sunday-school songs. The tune HYFRYDOL means “pleasant” and “melodious” in Welsh.

Rowland H. Prichard worked in the textile industry but enjoyed composing church music as his hobby. His simple yet powerful tunes were typical of his native Wales. The churches in Wales encourage singing, often a capella, and Welsh choirs produce a sound unlike any found elsewhere.

Hymns by Title

Hymn Number	Title	Service Date
#238	Now the Green Blade Rises	April 18, 2021
#313	Like a Tree beside the Waters	April 18, 2021
#241	Joy Dawned Again on Easter Day	April 11, 2021
#292	Breathe on Me, Breath of God	April 11, 2021
#249	Peace I Leave with You, My Friends	April 11, 2021
#237	I Come to the Garden Alone (In the Garden)	April 4, 2021
#198	Lift High the Cross	April 4, 2021
#222	My Song Is Love Unknown	April 3, 2021
#213	Hosanna, Loud Hosanna	March 28, 2021
#451	Be Now My Vision	March 21, 2021
#25	O God, Our Help in Ages Past	March 14, 2021
#401	O God in Whom All Life Begins	March 7, 2021
#202	O God, How We Have Wandered	February 17, 2021
#320	Deep in the Shadows of the Past	February 14, 2021
#588	Let Justice Flow like Streams	February 14, 2021
#50	I Sing the Praise of Love Almighty	February 7, 2021
#534	O God of Strength	February 7, 2021
#166	Immortal Love, Forever Full	January 31, 2021
#291	O God the Creator	January 31, 2021
#43	Love Divine, All Loves Excelling	January 24, 2021
#531	God, Speak to Me, That I May Speak	January 24, 2021
#576	For the Healing of the Nations	January 17, 2021
#593	Lift Every Voice and Sing	January 17, 2021
#170	Your Ways Are Not Our Own	January 10, 2021
#328	Wonder of Wonders, Here Revealed	January 10, 2021
#154	Go Tell It on the Mountain	January 3, 2021
#584	I Am the Light of the World	January 3, 2021
#143	On Christmas Night All Christians Sing	December 27, 2020
#164	Arise, Your Light Is Come	December 27, 2020
#132	Joy to the World!	December 24, 2020
#128	In the Bleak Midwinter	December 24, 2020
#126	Angels, from the Realms of Glory	December 24, 2020
#131	It Came upon the Midnight Clear	December 24, 2020
#127	Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming	December 24, 2020
#145	Once in Royal David's City	December 24, 2020
#130	From Heaven unto Earth I Come	December 24, 2020
#144	Hark! The Herald Angels Sing	December 24, 2020
#135	Adeste Fideles (O Come, All You Faithful)	December 24, 2020
#134	Silent Night, Holy Night	December 24, 2020
#110	Now Bless the God of Israel	December 20, 2020
#109	With Joy Draw Water	December 20, 2020
#119	My Soul Gives Glory to My God	December 13, 2020
#105	Gentle Joseph, Joseph Dear	December 13, 2020
#104	We Hail You God’s Anointed	December 6, 2020
#418	My Faith, It Is an Oaken Staff	December 6, 2020
#120	There's a Voice in the Wilderness	November 29, 2020
#114	Return, My People	November 29, 2020
#420	We Praise You, O God	November 22, 2020
#422	Come, O Thankful People, Come	November 22, 2020
#294	There’s a Spirit in the Air	November 15, 2020

Hymns by Date

Service Date
April 18, 2021	Hymn #238: Now the Green Blade Rises Hymn #313: Like a Tree beside the Waters
April 11, 2021	Hymn #241: Joy Dawned Again on Easter Day Hymn #292: Breathe on Me, Breath of God Hymn #249: Peace I Leave with You, My Friends
April 4, 2021	Hymn #237: I Come to the Garden Alone (In the Garden) Hymn #198: Lift High the Cross
April 3, 2021	Hymn #222: My Song Is Love Unknown
March 28, 2021	Hymn #213: Hosanna, Loud Hosanna
March 21, 2021	Hymn #451: Be Now My Vision
March 14, 2021	Hymn #25: O God, Our Help in Ages Past
March 7, 2021	Hymn #401: O God in Whom All Life Begins
February 17, 2021	Hymn #202: O God, How We Have Wandered
February 14, 2021	Hymn #320: Deep in the Shadows of the Past Hymn #588: Let Justice Flow like Streams
February 7, 2021	Hymn #50: I Sing the Praise of Love Almighty Hymn #534: O God of Strength
January 31, 2021	Hymn #166: Immortal Love, Forever Full Hymn #291: O God the Creator
January 24, 2021	Hymn #43: Love Divine, All Loves Excelling Hymn #531: God, Speak to Me, That I May Speak
January 17, 2021	Hymn #576: For the Healing of the Nations Hymn #593: Lift Every Voice and Sing
January 10, 2021	Hymn #170: Your Ways Are Not Our Own Hymn #328: Wonder of Wonders, Here Revealed
January 3, 2021	Hymn #154: Go Tell It on the Mountain Hymn #584: I Am the Light of the World
December 27, 2020	Hymn #143: On Christmas Night All Christians Sing Hymn #164: Arise, Your Light Is Come
December 24, 2020	Hymn #132: Joy to the World! Hymn #128: In the Bleak Midwinter Hymn #126: Angels, from the Realms of Glory Hymn #131: It Came upon the Midnight Clear Hymn #127: Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming Hymn #145: Once in Royal David's City Hymn #130: From Heaven unto Earth I Come Hymn #144: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing Hymn #135: Adeste Fideles (O Come, All You Faithful) Hymn #134: Silent Night, Holy Night
December 20, 2020	Hymn #110: Now Bless the God of Israel Hymn #109: With Joy Draw Water
December 13, 2020	Hymn #119: My Soul Gives Glory to My God Hymn #105: Gentle Joseph, Joseph Dear
December 6, 2020	Hymn #104: We Hail You God’s Anointed Hymn #418: My Faith, It Is an Oaken Staff
November 29, 2020	Hymn #120: There's a Voice in the Wilderness Hymn #114: Return, My People
November 22, 2020	Hymn #420: We Praise You, O God Hymn #422: Come, O Thankful People, Come
November 15, 2020	Hymn #294: There’s a Spirit in the Air Hymn #538: Standing at the Future’s Threshold
November 8, 2020	Hymn #571: O God of Love, O God of Peace Hymn #575: O for a World
November 1, 2020	Hymn #295: I Sing a Song of the Saints of God Hymn #299: For All the Saints
October 25, 2020	Hymn #50: I Sing the Praise of Love Almighty Hymn #465: Teach Me, O Lord, Your Holy Way
October 18, 2020	Hymn #28: For the Beauty of the Earth Hymn #177: God of Change and Glory
October 11, 2020	Hymn #1: Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise Hymn #586: Come to Tend God's Garden
October 4, 2020	Hymn #30: Colorful Creator Hymn #495: Called as Partners in Christ’s Service
September 27, 2020	Hymn #8: Praise to the Living God Hymn #573: Lead On Eternal Sovereign
September 20, 2020	Hymn #24: Yigdal elohim Chai (The God of Abraham Praise) Hymn #473: Blessed Assurance
September 13, 2020	Hymn #396: Where Charity and Love Prevail Hymn #547: Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound
September 6, 2020	Hymn #314: Community of Christ Hymn #516: O Grant Us, God, a Little Space
August 30, 2020	Hymn #89: Awake, Awake to Love and Work Hymn #306: The Church of Christ, in Every Age Hymn #353: Great Work Has God Begun in You
August 23, 2020	Hymn #55: Rejoice, You Pure in Heart Hymn #82: Go, My Children, with My Blessing
August 16, 2020	Hymn #26: We Worship You, God Hymn #22: Sing Praise to God, Who Has Shaped
August 9, 2020	Hymn #402: De Colores (Sing of Colors) Hymn #388: Help Us Accept Each Other
August 2, 2020	Hymn #463: I Look to You in Every Need Hymn #562: Take My Gifts
July 26, 2020	Hymn #437: We Shall Not Give Up the Fight Hymn #495: Called as Partners in Christ’s Service
July 19, 2020	Hymn #23: There's A Wideness in God's Mercy Hymn #588: Let Justice Flow like Streams
July 12, 2020	Hymn #581: Lead Us from Death to Life Hymn #593: Lift Every Voice and Sing
July 5, 2020	Hymn #164: Arise, Your Light Is Come Hymn #461: Let Us Hope When Hope Seems Hopeless
June 28, 2020	Hymn #28: For the Beauty of the Earth Hymn #564: We Are Not Our Own
June 21, 2020	Hymn #83: I Sing As I Arise Today Hymn #306: The Church of Christ, in Every Age
June 14, 2020	Hymn #63: Holy Spirit, Truth Divine Hymn #586: Come to Tend God's Garden
June 7, 2020	Hymn #570: We Shall Overcome
May 31, 2020	Hymn #84: This Is the Day Hymn #59: Holy Spirit, Ever Dwelling
May 24, 2020	Hymn #44: Beautiful Jesus Hymn #471: What a Covenant
May 17, 2020	Hymn #407: How Firm a Foundation Hymn #46: Hope of the World
May 10, 2020	Hymn #25: O God, Our Help in Ages Past Hymn #43: Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
May 3, 2020	Hymn #73: Enter, Rejoice, and Come In Hymn #252: Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us