Simple Gifts 02/15/14

Simple Gifts
Saturday, February 15, 2014

"This Is My Song", which I chose to sing today as fitting for the Olympics.

To the melody of "Finlandia" by Jean Sibelius

(Lyrics by Lloyd Stone) 

This is my song, O God of all the nations,

A song of peace for lands afar and mine.

This is my home, the country where my heart is;

Here are my hopes, my dreams, my sacred shrine.

But other hearts in other lands are beating,

With hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.

My country’s skies are bluer than the ocean,

And sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine.

But other lands have sunlight too and clover,

And skies are everywhere as blue as mine.

O hear my song, O God of all the nations,

A song of peace for their land and for mine.

(one of the verses by Georgia Harkness)

This is my prayer, O Lord of all earth's kingdoms:

Thy kingdom come; on earth thy will be done.

Let Christ be lifted up till all shall serve him,

And hearts united learn to live as one.

O hear my prayer, thou God of all the nations;

Myself I give thee, let thy will be done.

--

Thank you for letting me lead you in song all of these years, Holy Angels.  My role in the music ministry is changing after today, but I'll always look on my time as cantor with a full heart.