Easter

EASTER DAY – page 2

Come and be surprised, all nations,
here behold the love divine;
love to still all aspirations:
God concerned with humankind.
Come and see this speechless speaking,
see the Word in human form;
love through every barrier breaking,
love as basis, end and norm.

Come and see how Jesus entered
earthly life, as did we all;
see how kings and workers centred
round this baby in a stall.
See him, who in splendour great is,
for a time in homely care;
see how Christ in humble status
came with us our life to share.

To your holy invitation
we respond, and come, and see.
Kindle our imagination,
that our joy may lasting be.
Jesus, by your coming save us,
by your passion heal our pain;
let no fear nor death enslave us:
by your Easter may we reign!

Fred Kaan (born 1929)
© 1968 Stainer & Bell Ltd
8.7.8.7.D.

Faith, moving onward
from the cross, in Easter light,
knows that whatever may happen,
Jesus is risen,
key to the promises of God.

Tyrants and experts
plan a future cut and dried.
Faith, moving onward, surmises
hopeful surprises,
gleams of the promises of God.

Though terror rages
and oppression blocks their way,
hope knows the poor will awaken
and thrones be shaken,
trusting the promises of God.

When hopeful action,
running risks and taking sides,
burns all our bridges behind us,
Christ longs to find us
seeking the promises of God.

Hope keeps in vision,
as the dust and ashes fall,
love's final transfiguration
of all creation,
filled with the promises of God.

Brian Wren (born 1936)
© 1982, 1995 Stainer & Bell Ltd
5.7.8.5.8.

Glorious the day when Christ was born
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
To wear the crown that Caesars scorn,
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Whose life and death that love reveal
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Which all men need and need to feel:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

1A
Glorious the day when Christ was born
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
To wear the crown that Caesars scorn,
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Whose life and death that love reveal
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Which all hearts need and need to feel:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

1B
Glorious the day when Christ was born
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
To wear the crown that Caesars scorn,
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Whose life and death that love reveal
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Which we all need and need to feel:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

1C
Glorious the day when Christ was born
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
To wear the crown that Caesars scorn,
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Whose life and death that love reveal
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Which mortals need and need to feel:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Glorious the day when Christ arose
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
The surest friend of all his foes;
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Who for the sake of those he grieves
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Transcends the world he never leaves;
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Glorious the day of gospel grace
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
When Christ restores the fallen race,
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
When doubters kneel and waverers stand,
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
And faith achieves what reason planned;
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Glorious the day when Christ fulfils
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
What man rejects yet feebly wills;
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
When that strong Light puts out the sun
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
And all is ended, all begun;
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

4AGlorious the day when Christ fulfils
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
What self rejects yet feebly wills;
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
When that strong Light puts out the sun
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
And all is ended, all begun;
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Fred Pratt Green 1903–2000
© 1969 Stainer & Bell Ltd
8.8.8.8. (with optional Alleluias)

'Idle tales!' The women's witness,
—Jesus risen from the tomb,—
seemed to men who knew his dying
empty talk to lighten gloom.
Then the Lord appeared among them
unfamiliar, yet the same,
promised to be with them always
gave empowerment in his name!

Those who're meek and disregarded
treated as of little worth
Mary said would be exalted
Jesus said would rule the earth.
Lo the women, then devalued,
stand for God's intention sure:
turn earth's values topsy-turvy
to affirm the weak and poor.

Teach us, Lord, your art of seeing
that God's likeness we discern
in the people classed as nothings
who your Kingdom values learn:
teach us, Lord, your art of hearing
that perceptions of your way
offered by the dumb and voiceless
lead folk from the dark to day.

Ian M Fraser (born 1917)
© 2001 Stainer & Bell Ltd
8 7 8 7 D

In the early morning sunlight of a city dawn,
Christ faced a Roman governor and was laughed to scorn;
To the priests it was expedient for this man to die,
And their need for law and order meant he must comply.

In the early morning sunlight of a Sabbath dawn,
A body lay close-guarded; there were none to mourn,
While the Jews sang of their exodus that holy day
And the corpse of their deliverer on a cold slab lay.

In the early morning sunlight of a graveside dawn,
A stone now rolled away the grief his friends had borne,
And the ones who'd watched him in Gethsemane and fled,
Saw the Lord they loved alive and risen from the dead.

In the early morning sunlight of a lakeside dawn,
Christ called his friends to breakfast and new hope was born,
For they knew they were forgiven when he gave them bread
And his life would be lived through them just as he had said.

Lois Ainger (born 1928)
© 1999 Stainer & Bell Ltd
13 12.13 13.

Jesus, the flower of humankind,
Who blossomed in obedient love,
Died on the cross, as all must die
Who would mature and fruitful prove.

They sowed within a garden tomb
The seed that ripened on that tree;
But sorrow was amazed with joy
When three days saw that life set free.

Now that new vine will never die,
In flower and fruit it will increase;
And our dry husks of withered soul
Will come to fulness in its peace.

Alan Luff (born 1928)
© 1981 Stainer & Bell Ltd
LM

Joy in the world around
plain life is holy ground
Jesus is here:
here in the thick of things
touching deep human springs
with the new life he brings
risen, he's here.

Mary, thrilled at her name,
clung to his cherished frame:
gently distrained
heard that, ascended high,
her life would nearer lie
'Wait for that closer tie
—all will be gained.'

We in our time and space
find that Christ's dwelling-place,
once more is here:
where two and three unite
he leads them to the light—
fighting for truth and right
risen, he's here.

Ian M Fraser (born 1917) after John 20: 17
© 2001 Stainer & Bell Ltd
6 6 4 6 6 6 4

Let us celebrate our Easter faith, and joyfully proclaim
Christ Jesus is alive! We know! And nothing's quite the same.
He is risen indeed! We're witnesses to this stupendous fact,
And our life-style's been transformed: the way we think and speak and act!

Let the drums beat out the message that the Lord of Life is here!
Let guitars and strings and woodwinds pass the word on, loud and clear!
Let the organ and the amplifier magnify the sound,
For if Jesus is alive, we've got to spread the news around!

We must tell them in the classroom, in the office, in the mill,
That on Easter Day our Lord arose, and he is living still.
And we're proud to join the circle of the friends who want to share
With Christ Jesus in establishing his kingdom everywhere.

Kenneth D Nicholson (born 1916)
© 1993 Stainer & Bell Ltd
15 15.15 15. Trochaic

Look! the sun awakes the sky,
Rolls the stone of night away!
Wake the world with carols! Cry:
Jesus lives! It's Easter Day!
You who sorrow, you who doubt,
You who sin and you who stray,
You who ask what life's about:
Jesus lives! It's Easter Day!

Happy they who ran to test
News too good to be believed!
Happy they who have confessed
It was unbelief deceived;
Happy they who, sad at heart,
Turned their feet Emmaus way!
Where hope ends is where we start;
Jesus lives ! It's Easter Day!

Neighbours, let us not give way
To defeat or to despair;
Never now need sin have sway
Over lives beyond repair.
Never now shall death deny
Life it is has final say!
Wake the world with carols! Cry:
Jesus lives! It's Easter Day!

Fred Pratt Green 1903–2000
© 1975 Stainer & Bell Ltd
7.7.7.7.D. (Trochaic)

Made one in Christ, we gather
with Christians near and far.
Our week begins with worship,
recalling whose we are,
for Sunday is the Birth Day
from which our hopes derive,
the Easter Day, the First Day,
when Christ returns alive.

From Monday into Tuesday,
wherever you may be,
remember Jesus teaching
and saying, "Follow me"
with love, befriending, healing,
that makes our spirits thrive,
and grounds the joy of Sunday
when Christ returns alive.

Take stock of life on Wednesday
and measure every aim
by Jesus' faithful journey
towards Jerusalem.
Our anxious urge to prosper,
ucceed, and long survive,
fades in the glow of Sunday
when Christ returns alive.

On Thursday night, at supper,
remember while you eat
how Jesus left the table
and knelt to wash our feet.
Lift up your hearts! Be thankful!
Let broken bread revive
the triumph-song of Sunday
when Christ returns alive.

Recall on Friday evening,
when Jesus' work was done,
the wisdom, love and courage
by which our hope was won.
The hour of death and sadnes
can never quite contrive
to steal the joy of Sunday
when Christ returns alive.

On Saturday, be willing
to taste the in-between,
suspended in the stillness
of things unheard, unseen.
Break into song at midnight
and bid the dawn arrive
to wake the world for Sunday
when Christ returns alive.

Brian Wren (born 1936)
© 1996 Stainer & Bell Ltd
7.6.7.6.D.Iambic

Now shall the Church, this time of celebration,
Give thanks to God for each new revelation;
For Gospel truth and promise of salvation:
To God be endless praise!

On Easter Day, how joyfully they greeted
Their risen Lord, whom death had not defeated:
What is begun shall surely be completed.
To God be endless praise!

Fred Pratt Green 1903-2000
© 1987 Stainer & Bell Ltd.
11 11 11 6

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