July 16, 2023

The "Meditation" prelude is based on hymn 11, "Awake, my soul, and with the sun", a hymn appropriate for the day; it is by the contemporary American, Franklin D. Ashdown (b. 1942), who enjoyed 3 decades as both composer and medical doctor. Now he is retired from medicine and just writing music!

Our processional hymn is the first 3 verses of hymn 616, "Hail to the Lord's annointed", an old German folk tune for the melody but a very familiar and well liked hymn I think.

The appropriate Gospel hymn to the reading from Romans is the very, very familiar "Just as I am", 693, verses 1, 2, & 6.

It is July! -- We may have very few choir members present, and those in town may even sit in the congregation. This means that the congregation should sing along with a hymn at the offertory.  It should be easy and recognizable-- hymn 644, "How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds in a believer's ear".  It is a beautiful 19th c. hymn!

At some point during communion I am hoping the congregation will join in the singing of hymn 482, "Lord of all hopefulness".  This too is well known.

Closing, we will sing hymn 347, "Go forth for God, go to the world in peace",  the familiar tune by the 20th c. Eric Routley.

The postlude is a setting of the hymn, "Guide me ever, Great Redeemer", by J. Bert Carlson (1937-2017), American Lutheran pastor AND composer of hymns and other church music.  This means that both prelude and postlude this Sunday were composed by people enjoying dual careers!