Yesterday I received a letter from Scott Shorney, the Vice President of Hope Publishing Company thanking me for granting permission to use several of my hymns as part of the new hymnal for the Communiy of Christ. Along with it, Scott sent me an "author's copy" of the new "Community of Christ Sings". It is a beautiful book, well-thought out, and carefully designed.
I am pleased that four of my hymns are included in the hymnal:
- #237 "God, Renew Us by Your Spirit";
- #316 "O God of Love, Grant Us Your Peace";
- #496 "See What Love We Have Been Given"; and
- #639 "God, Bless Your Church with Strength!"
This is a sampling of some of my hymn texts.Try them in worship. You may sing the hymns that appear under my copyright here, for one-time use in worship, with proper copyright information. Let me know if you do, by sending an email. Afterward, send a copy of the bulletin. I don’t charge a fee for one-time use, but encourage a donation of your discretion, to Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, 616 N Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15026, "In honor of the hymns of John A. Dalles".
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Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
To Love is to be Breakable
TO LOVE IS TO BE BREAKABLE—
Meter: CM (86.86) – Suggested Tune: TALLIS’ ORDINAL
By John A. Dalles – Inspired by Lines by C. S. Lewis
“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.” – C S Lewis, “The Four Loves”
To love is to be breakable—
So love with all you are,
Commitment unforsakeable
May leave a mark, a scar.
To love is to be bendable—
So love and limber be,
Become the one befreindable—
With lithe humility.
To love is to be vulnerable—
So love with openness,
At risk and truly honorable—
This is the way to bless.
To love is to be changeable—
By all you love each day,
Alive and rearrangeable,
So give yourself away!
Copyright © 2013, John A. Dalles
This hymn text is set as an anthem by Wm. Glenn Osborne and will have its debut on Sunday, November 17 at 4 p.m. in the Knowles Chapel on the Campus of Rollins College in Winter Park at the C. S. Lewis Evensong.
Meter: CM (86.86) – Suggested Tune: TALLIS’ ORDINAL
By John A. Dalles – Inspired by Lines by C. S. Lewis
“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.” – C S Lewis, “The Four Loves”
To love is to be breakable—
So love with all you are,
Commitment unforsakeable
May leave a mark, a scar.
To love is to be bendable—
So love and limber be,
Become the one befreindable—
With lithe humility.
To love is to be vulnerable—
So love with openness,
At risk and truly honorable—
This is the way to bless.
To love is to be changeable—
By all you love each day,
Alive and rearrangeable,
So give yourself away!
Copyright © 2013, John A. Dalles
This hymn text is set as an anthem by Wm. Glenn Osborne and will have its debut on Sunday, November 17 at 4 p.m. in the Knowles Chapel on the Campus of Rollins College in Winter Park at the C. S. Lewis Evensong.
Saturday, July 13, 2013
EVERY HOPE WE HAVE IS GROUNDED
Richard Clarke, who has served as the music director of the St. Bartholomew Faith Community in Wayzata, Minnesota since 1994, has recently become a friend through the wonderful connective powers of sacred music.
Recently, Richard asked me to take a look at a hymn called "All My Hope On God Is Founded" which is a hymn based on two different author's words which were set to music by Henry Howells in memory of his son who had died. The hymn tune is MICHAEL named in honor of Michael Howells.
If you find that you like this new hymn text, please contact me regarding permission for its use in your worship.
Text: John A. Dalles, 2013
Every hope we have is grounded
Recently, Richard asked me to take a look at a hymn called "All My Hope On God Is Founded" which is a hymn based on two different author's words which were set to music by Henry Howells in memory of his son who had died. The hymn tune is MICHAEL named in honor of Michael Howells.
MICHAEL is a marvelous hymn tune and one that I did not know until Richard asked me to look at it. So many thanks to him, for introducing it to me. I have been working on it ever since he suggested it and had about three of the five stanzas nearly done, and then set it aside. I awakened early this morning to find that the remaining work was more or less in my head, so finished it around daybreak today.
I have tried to stay close to the intention of the original in this version which, because it uses some lines from the original, I have said is: After “All My Hope On God Is Founded”.
In the writing of the hymn, I saw the connection to the passage from Colossians, so placed the quotation within the subtitle. I also was very moved by the account of the writing of the tune, by Howells, in memory of his son. In a way, I fear that treading on so personal an experience might be an intrusion upon grief expressed in faith, but on the other hand, I do feel that a hymn using first person plural instead of first person singular is more appropriate for congregational song. So those changes were part of this new hymn.
Also, I like to see some sense that our faith is at work in what we do, so have tried to incorporate a sense of doing and action in some of the lines, which might not have been expressed as clearly in the original. I understand the first three stanzas in the original are from Jaachim Neander (1650-1680) and the last two were apparently written by Robert Seymore Bridges (1844-1930). I hope they will forgive my tinkering with their poetry.
If you find that you like this new hymn text, please contact me regarding permission for its use in your worship.
EVERY HOPE WE HAVE IS GROUNDED
Colossians 1:23 "Continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister.
Tune: MICHAEL (In memory of his son, by Herbert Howells, 1892-1983)
Meter: 878767
In God’s grace forever true;
Change may challenge, chance may frighten,
Only God will see us through.
Do not fear; God is here—
Day by day and year by year!
Fame and fortune, gold and glory,
Tempt us and betray God’s trust;
Yet, with care God plans and fashions
Lasting works of righteousness.
God’s great power, hour by hour,
Is our temple and our tower.
Is our temple and our tower.
God’s is brilliant, bold and wise,
God is light and life and splendor,
By God’s word new worlds arise—
By God’s word new worlds arise—
Evermore from God’s store,
God creates us to adore.
God creates us to adore.
Daily the Almighty Giver
grants us overflowing gifts;
God, our Maker, Guider, Savior,
Leads us forward and uplifts—
grants us overflowing gifts;
God, our Maker, Guider, Savior,
Leads us forward and uplifts—
By God’s hand, may we stand,
And with joy do God’s command.
One and all, our voices raising,
May we pray “Thy will be done!”
High above all praises praising
Every grace of Christ the Son—
And with joy do God’s command.
One and all, our voices raising,
May we pray “Thy will be done!”
High above all praises praising
Every grace of Christ the Son—
Do not fear; God is here—
Day by day and year by year!
After “All My Hope On God Is Founded”
Permission granted for use in worship to Richard Clarke & the St. Bartholomew Catholic Faith Community, Wayzata, MN
Copyright © John A. Dalles, 2013.
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Now Is The Time To Speak named the 2012 Winning Hymn in the Macalester-Plymouth 17th Annual Hymn Contest
February 20, 2013
Macalester Plymouth United Church of St. Paul, Minnesota, is pleased to announce the winner of its 17th annual hymn contest, a search for new hymn texts that address the scriptural call to speak out loudly and clearly against injustice, and to unite with others working for change.
The winning hymn, Now Is the Time to Speak, was written by the Rev. Dr. John A. Dalles, the pastor of Wekiva Presbyterian Church in Longwood, Florida. He is a graduate of both Lancaster Theological Seminary (UCC) and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (PCUSA). A life member of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada, his hymn texts have been published in a number of denominational hymnals.
Macalester Plymouth United Church of St. Paul, Minnesota, is pleased to announce the winner of its 17th annual hymn contest, a search for new hymn texts that address the scriptural call to speak out loudly and clearly against injustice, and to unite with others working for change.
The winning hymn, Now Is the Time to Speak, was written by the Rev. Dr. John A. Dalles, the pastor of Wekiva Presbyterian Church in Longwood, Florida. He is a graduate of both Lancaster Theological Seminary (UCC) and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (PCUSA). A life member of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada, his hymn texts have been published in a number of denominational hymnals.
2012 Prize Winning Hymn
Now Is the Time to Speak
by the Rev. Dr. John A. Dalles
Longwood, Florida
Meter 6666D
Suggested tune: INVITATION (MAKER)
Now is the time to speak of work informed by prayer,
of hands to help the weak, of bravery to dare.
O may we not keep still, for there is much to do:
Speak out to do God’s will, God’s justice to pursue!
Now is the time to speak, the time to mull has passed;
the future still is bleak for all who are downcast –
They struggle to provide, they struggle to be heard,
they call us to their side to speak God’s saving word!
Now is the time to speak, for words can lead the way;
achieve the aims we seek by speaking out today!
May conscience conquer fear, may courage vanquish doubt.
The time to speak is here: In faithfulness, speak out!
*****
Copyright © 2012, John A. Dalles
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