Notes

Pukerangiora: From 11 Hymns. Pukerangiora ‘the Hill of the Healing Heavens’ is the name of the site of St Peter’s Cathedral, Hamilton. The Archbishop, David Moxon hummed the tune of a hymn for me to identify; after much searching we realised that it was no hymn but the Sanctus from Schubert’s “German Mass”.  So I wrote a Cathedral hymn to the tune, which is dedicated to him as the source of the inspiration.



Please press the red title to hear a MIDI recording of this tune, and then re-open this window to read the poem while listening.

If you would prefer to follow the tune and text on paper you may download a PDF file of this hymn.

For permission to perform or reproduce this poem, or for enquiries regarding the purchase of 'Hymns For All Seasons', please contact Jocelyn.

 

Pukerangiora

Pukerangiora,
    gift to earth from heaven,
hill of Christian worship,
    where new life is given;
here the Church bears witness
    as the years roll by,
faithful to Christ’s gospel
    words that never die.


Here our prayers are offered
    on this sacred ground;
life and love and learning
    in this place abound.
May aroha* bind us
    in one family,
woven like the flax strands
    into unity.

Fill us with your spirit,
    guide the steps we take;
may your wisdom lead us
    in the plans we make.
Pukerangiora,
    here we take our stand.
May the faith we find here
    spread throughout our land.

* aroha is the Maori word for love



Copyright © Jocelyn Marshall