Today’s hymn from Sing Praise is “Now let us from this table rise” by Fred Kaan. Its theme is the dismissal at the end of the Communion service, when Christ’s disciples, fed by his body, are sent out to continue his work in the strength of his spirit (verse 1: “with Christ we die and rise again, his selfless love has made us whole”).
Actually I didn’t receive communion or even attend church today, as we were away visiting family, but it’s still a good reminder at the start of a new week of what my priorities should be: “to spread the word in speech and deed” (v.2), “to fill each human house with love” (v.3) and “to choose again the pilgrim way” (v.4). At the start of the week we “accept with joy the challenge of tomorrow’s day”.
As it happens I didn’t receive communion nor attend church “today” (15 August) either, as the church accessible from our canal boat’s mooring was having services last week (8 August) and next week (22 August) but not this week. As Stephen says, it is good to be reminded … but this hymn really does fit better into a Communion service.
I like the tune “Solothurn”, but I wonder if it would better suit a verse with an AABB rhyme-scheme rather than an xAxA one? To a certain extent this mismatch marred my appreciation of the hymn.