Category: Science hymns/poems

Earth day hymn

Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by Earthday.org including 1 billion people in more than 193 countries. 

The following hymn, previously blogged, was written in response to a Seminar given by Dr Michael Morecroft, Principal Climate Scientist, Natural England

 

Called to be partners with God in creation,

stewards of the biosphere, what can we do?

How can we work with the land as it’s changing,

working more flexibly, alter our view.

 

Here with a climate that’s moving, evolving,

summers are drier, but winters more wet,

storm, drought and flood, matched with wildfire, erosion,

raising the question how great is our debt?

 

Help us to learn how to live with each species,

neighbours to share with our planetary store.

Earth has a cycle, a sensitive balance,

ours to care fairly, destroy or restore.

 

God infuse learning, respect for creation,

give us humility, channel your grace;

all earth’s resources are precious, yet finite,

help us to value all life in this place.

 

Andrew Pratt 12/5/2021

Words © 2021 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England copyright@stainer.co.uk . Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd

Metre: 11.10.11.10

Tune: STEWARDSHIP(Ruddle); EPIPHANY HYMN; SPEAN

 

CLIMATE HYMNS ON-LINE: RICHARD BAKER

Dr Richard Baker is a Local Preacher and, as a lay Pastor of Bramhall Methodist Church, in 2021 he organised Seminars and Discussion Groups relating to Climate Change. In a previous series he had addressed the interface of Science and Faith.

He has written material for continuing development of Preachers entitled – Worshiping Biblically in the context of the climate emergency.

Recently he has written some thought-provoking Hymns which are available here, on his web-site.

You can download a pdf of the hymns here

Scientists pick up shock waves from colliding galaxies – a hymn…

‘The observations were made by studying signals from dead stars called pulsars. These rotate and send out bursts of radio signals at extremely precise intervals’. BBC News. This hymn references pulsars and was published 32 years ago. Available in Blinded by the Dazzle, Stainer & Bell.

1	The God of cosmic question
	Surprises by his birth,
	Not in some new dimension
	But on this ravaged earth!

2	In quasars, quarks and pulsars
	We seek the cosmic truth:
	The ground of our existence
	That set creation loose,

3	And human senses lead us,
	Through all they analyse,
	From arrogance to wonder,
	To spiritual surprise.

4	But senses have their limits:
	Unanswered still there lies
	The single, deepest question
	Our intellect supplies.

5	Yet history proffers insight:
	The Christ of time and space
	Speaks of a God incarnate
	Born in a squalid place.

6	Alive within our compass,
	Upon this ravaged earth,
	The God of cosmic question
	Surprises by his birth!

Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)	
© 1991 Stainer & Bell Ltd 
7 6 7 6 Iambic

Pulsar discoverer Jocelyn Bell Burnell wins Breakthrough Prize – Hymn – In quasars, quarks and pulsars

This hymns was written over 30 yeaars ago after reading Stephen Hawking's Brief history of time

1	The God of cosmic question
	Surprises by his birth,
	Not in some new dimension
	But on this ravaged earth!

2	In quasars, quarks and pulsars
	We seek the cosmic truth:
	The ground of our existence
	That set creation loose,

3	And human senses lead us,
	Through all they analyse,
	From arrogance to wonder,
	To spiritual surprise.

4	But senses have their limits:
	Unanswered still there lies
	The single, deepest question
	Our intellect supplies.

5	Yet history proffers insight:
	The Christ of time and space
	Speaks of a God incarnate
	Amid this curious race:

6	Alive within our compass,
	Upon this ravaged earth,
	The God of cosmic question
	Surprises by his birth!

Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)	
© 1991 Stainer & Bell Ltd 
7 6 7 6 Iambic Tunes: KINGS LYNN (also COSMIC QUESTION)
Published in Blinded by the Dazzle

Alternative second verse -

2	At scientific frontiers
	We seek the cosmic truth:
	The ground of our existence
	That set creation loose,

Hymn responding to Dr Admos Chimhowu’s Seminar for Bramhall Methodist Church’s Climate Change Series

Dr Admos Chimhowu
Global Development Unit, The University of Manchester
Developing policy for sustainable development

Just imagine death and illness, 
overtaking life and health,  
poverty of moral action
favouring our human wealth. 
Politicians take decisions, 
what is their priority:
Love of neighbour? Economics? 
What does Christ expect of me?

Every person on this planet, 
worthy of the dignity, 
dignity of healthy living, 
heir to our prosperity, 
needs the food to answer hunger, 
pure, fresh water for her thirst;
but injustice threads through choices
hoards the best, then trades the worst.

Conflict, climate, infestation, 
ruined crops, polluted streams; 
sign the time for human action:
not just words or empty dreams. 
Faith and politics together, 
people of each race and clime, 
we must join in one endeavour: 
save this earth while there’s still time!

Andrew Pratt 23/6/2021 Words © 2021 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England copyright@stainer.co.uk . Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd 
Metre: 8.7.8.7 D
Tune: BETHANY (Smart); LUX EOI


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