World Communion Sunday Hymn

CHRIST INVITES FROM EVERY NATION
World Communion Sunday Hymn

Text: John A. Dalles, September 30, 2011
Tune: BLAENWERN, BEECHER
Meter: 8787D

Christ invites from every nation,
Every epoch, time and place,
Guests to join the celebration,
In God’s banquet hall of grace!
Here, God’s Spirit shall surround us,
While we worship Christ the Son.
Christ has claimed us, Christ has found us:
Now, from every land, we come!

Christ has spread the table for us
In the presence of our foes,
Where the bread is broken for us
Where the cup of blessing flows.
God has called the world to savor,
All that Christ has done and said,
Taste the goodness of God’s favor,
From the table Christ has spread!

Christ invites the world to meet Him,
To respond with thankfulness,
Sing and shout with joy to greet Him,
Pray and praise His righteousness.
High and mighty, now adore Him,
Praise Him, too, the low and lone,
Every heart, come bow before Him,
At Christ’s table, joined as one!

Christ, whose world awaits our presence,
May Your fields show great increase,
And the harvest, ripe with reverence,
Yield the bounty of Your peace.
May earth’s people hear Your story,
Take to heart the truth we show,
And draw nearer to your glory,
As to every land, we go!

Copyright © 2011, John A. Dalles. Used by permission.

Permission granted for one-time use in worship,

with copyright notation as shown above.

Please let me know if you sing this hymn!

There are No Words to Fully Say

September 11, 2001 - September 11, 2011

Text: John A. Dalles
Tune: JERUSALEM
Meter: LMD

There are no words to fully say
What happened on that dreadful day;
When towers fell, when glistening planes
Became the tools of terror’s reign.
The ones we lost shall ever be
Reminders of life’s brevity.
Dear God, surround us as we sing;
Bless us in our remembering.

God, there are symbols we revere
To keep their sacrifices near.
We mark our loss, in photographs,
Rare souvenirs and echoed laughs,
We will not let the grief and pain
Outstrip the memories that remain.
Dear God, surround us as we pray:
Bless us this day, bless us this day.

We thank the helpful ones who came
To staunch the wounds, to douse the flames;
The ones who set their needs aside,
To offer comfort, serve and guide.
Heroic deeds and kindness shared,
By all who gave, and all who cared.
Dear God, we ever shall recall,
The selfless ones who gave their all.

May people of good faith agree
To fashion God’s community;
To overcome pain and distress,
And live in peace and righteousness.
We stand for this, and this we know,
From Christ whose blessings overflow.
Dear God, we live in hope and pray:
Bless us this day, bless us this day.

If you wish to use this hymn in worship you may do so by including the following notation:

Copyright © 2011, John A. Dalles. Used by Permission.