Hymn For A Celebration

Notes

Hymn For A Celebration: From A Singing Faith. This was commissioned by the Waikato Branch of the Royal School of Church Music for its choir festival, held at the St George's Anglican Church, Thames on 22 July, 1995, and was sung there by the combined choirs. The Revd Vivienne Hill, at that time Chaplain of the branch, asked permission to use it as a waiata when she was instituted as Vicar of St Barnabas', Glenfield on Jan 31, 1996.

Suggested tune: Felix, F.Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (A&MR 463)

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Hymn For A Celebration

This is a day of joyful celebration,
    new friendships made, fresh challenges begun;
singing with spirit, listening to each other,
    thankful to God in whom we all are one.

Here as we gather in the church to worship,
    kneeling in prayer, and reading from your Word,
your light illumines as your way we follow,
    your Spirit guides as your good news is heard.

Harmony give us in deliberations
    that all our lives may resonate with praise,
discord resolving, confidence increasing,
    keep us in tune with you through all our days.

Be in our homes, our work, our recreation,
    may we be faithful to the Lord we serve;
be in our study and our times of practice;
    heart, voice we give to you without reserve.

May we remember fellowship and laughter;
    be the beginning of the plans we make;
stimulate vision, prompt us into action,
    your song to sing, your path of life to take.