Today’s hymn from Sing Praise is “Lord of all, your love’s creation” by Stephen Parish. It’s set to the well known tune Abbot’s Leigh.
The section of the hymn book where it is found is titled “dedication festival”. The suggestion is that this hymn is ideal for when a place of worship is dedicated, as there are references to “this earthly house of worship” and “this house of prayer”. John noted the coincidence that I had picked it for the day when the lectionary starts the book of 1 Chronicles which is largely about the Jerusalem Temple. But those are the only references to a building, and it would be equally suitable for the installation of a new minister, confirmation service or renewal of baptismal promises, for the Church is always more than its buildings.
The words cover several aspects of the Christian life, and there’s a lot of theology packed into a few words here, which I can only touch on in a brief reflection. The first verse, after asking that “this house of worship be a source of heavenly grace” also asks the Holy Spirit to renew and seal us, for without the Spirit we are only doing things in our own strength.
The second verse asks the Word of God, “made flesh in Jesus” to help us in our reading and application of the written word (the Bible), and prays for those who preach the gospel. The optional third verse is about the Communion, and finding the presence of Christ “in the world as in this sign”, reminding us that He is not confined to the places where Christians gather. It also asks that we learn his sacrificial ways, not an easy prayer to say or fulfil. The fourth verse praises God for his power within us, and offers our worship as a response.
Overall, this is a hymn with carefully crafted words to express in a few verses all that it means to be part of a worshipping and witnessing community. The words bear careful consideration rather than just a quick sing-through. I looked up the author: Stephen Parish (now retired) was an Anglican priest in Manchester, Stoke-on-Trent and Warrington, Honorary Canon of Liverpool Cathedral and a chaplain to the fire and rescue service. There’s also a Labour councillor in Warrington by the same name – possibly the same person (are clergy allowed to stand as councillors? I don’t know).