“We Are the Ones the World Awaits”
This month we continue our Hymn of the Month series in which one or more hymns drawn from collections published by Leupold Editions will be posted on the opening page of the website for consideration by pastors and musicians who may wish to introduce the hymn to their congregations the following month. The Hymn of the Month will often be thematically appropriate for a particular season of the church year or it may be related to a more general theme about the church’s mission in contemporary society. Thus, pastors and/or musicians may wish to have the choir introduce the hymn on the first Sunday of the month or season and then invite the congregation to join with the choir in singing the hymn on each of the remaining Sundays. Additional hymns will occasionally be suggested for a particular Sunday in the church year or for annual commemorations, such as the liturgies of Holy Week; such hymns may only be appropriate on the designated day, or they might be used as a Hymn of the Month in anticipation of or in response to the particular day observed on the church calendar.
HYMN OF THE MONTH FOR JULY 2024: Text: “We Are the Ones the World Awaits,” Edith Sinclair Downing, Suggested Tune: KINGSFOLD
In the midst of Independence Day celebrations, the Hymn of the Month for July 2024 reminds us that, as Americans, “We are the ones the world awaits to live the words we pray.” After that powerful opening declaration, hymn writer Edith Sinclair Downing (1922-2016) turns her hymn into a prayer imploring God to “grant us courage that we dare to practice peace each day,” for “the wars we wage, at home, abroad, all lessen human worth.” Consequently, she continues, “May we not falter . . . but heed the prophet’s word to make from swords strong blades for plows . . . for through us, (God), you release your power to bring . . . the promise of your peace!” The suggested tune, KINGSFOLD, perfectly matches the mood of the text, and its familiarity allows it to be sung easily on four or even five Sundays in July when choral leadership is often not available.
Edith Sinclair Downing was a remarkable woman, holding degrees in cello performance, religious education, and theological studies with a concentration on worship. She began writing hymns in her late sixties and ultimately completed four collections of hymn texts, three of which were published by Leupold Editions, two in 2009, namely, Through Joy and Sorrow and Sing Praise for Faithful Women, followed by For Us, God’s People Now in 2011.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.