Andrew Pratt
Hymn: Hard sayings of Jesus that challenge and test
Hymn: Hard sayings of Jesus that challenge and test
by Andrew Pratt
Hard sayings of Jesus that challenge and test, that bring us to crisis, will not let us rest. Confronted by holiness, righteousness, light, our lives are exposed whether wrongful or right. Verses 2-3 follow Tune: DATCHET Metre: 11.11.11.11 Andrew Pratt (born 1948) Words © 23/8/…
Hymn: Pray and praise or keep in healing
Hymn: Pray and praise or keep in healing
by Andrew Pratt
Pray and praise or keep in healing, all the people we hold dear; share in honest hope and feeling all our faith that God is here. Verses 2-3 follow Tune: SHIPSTON Metre: 8.7.8.7 Andrew Pratt (born 1948) Words © 21/8/2012 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England, www.stainer.co.uk. …
Hymn: Remember all those times of sadness
Hymn: Remember all those times of sadness
by Andrew Pratt
Remember all those times of sadness when friends and hope seemed far away; those times of loneliness and heartache when every day seemed bleak and grey? And even when our God seemed absent we found the means carry on. Amid the hopelessness God found us, then raised us up to make …
Hymn: On these days of feast and freedom
Hymn: On these days of feast and freedom
by Andrew Pratt
On these days of feast and freedom when we recollect God's grace, let us dance and sing together, greet each other face to face. Verses 2-3 follow Tune: RUSSION AIR (arranged Peacok, Jubilate, in Carol Praise 48 and elsewhere), ST ANDREW (Thorne) Metre: 8.7.8.7 Andrew Pratt …
Hymn: Hoist by his own petard
Hymn: Hoist by his own petard
by Andrew Pratt
Hoist by his own petard, while Mordecai went free, a vengeful justice had been met for all around to see. An ancient parable? A message for us all? That often sin will find us out, we're heading for a fall. Verses 3-4 follow Tune: ALLINGTON; CARLISLE Metre: SM Andrew Pratt (bor…
Meditation/poem: Suffering was anathema
Meditation/poem: Suffering was anathema
by Andrew Pratt
Meditation/Poem: Suffering was anathema Suffering was anathema, no Messiah died. To grasp what is mystical requires a letting go. A letting go of all things. For the mysterious, the magical, the mystical, that we label God, is so utterly other that the disciples flew from it, bet…
Hymn: Lost in human expectation
Hymn: Lost in human expectation
by Andrew Pratt
Lost in human expectation, cannot grasp the reason why, love in human incarnation, has to suffer, had to die. Yet it seems our understanding, narrowed by our self-concern, makes us even more demanding, yet less able to discern. Verses 3-4 follow Tune: ALL FOR JESUS, STUTTGART Met…
Hymn: This is God, a human baby
Hymn: This is God, a human baby
by Andrew Pratt
This is God, a human baby, offered into human hands, hands to comfort, feed and nurture, hands that follow hate's commands. Then disciples, stunned and puzzled, couldn't make sense of his word, theologians down the ages, seek to juggle the absurd. Man, Messiah, Lord and Master, h…
Hymn: Hands open to the world
Hymn: Hands open to the world
by Andrew Pratt
Hands open to the world, our hearts aflame with praise, our senses tuned, at one with God, to learn and walk Christ's ways. The living waters stream with blessings from above, these splashing, foaming cataracts will douse us all with love. Verse 3 follows Tune: DAY OF PRAISE, FRA…
Poem: The wisdom of women: discernment of thought
Poem: The wisdom of women: discernment of thought
by Andrew Pratt
The wisdom of women: discernment of thought, with love's intuition that cannot be bought; how long will we limit these God given gifts while fudging church unity, fearful of rifts? All people are worthy and all have a place, all people are gifted with God-given grace, yet barrier…
Monologue/reflection: Who do people say that I am?’
Monologue/reflection: Who do people say that I am?’
by Andrew Pratt
Monologue/Reflection: Who do people say that I am?’ If I wanted to make an impact I'd get an agent, a publicity agent - big campaign, peak time adverts on the TV, sponsorship, all that money could muster. So what was Jesus about, 'Don't tell 'em, Pike!' like that character on '…
Hymn: Reign in your tongue, have self-control
Hymn: Reign in your tongue, have self-control
by Andrew Pratt
Reign in your tongue, have self-control, then think of all you do or say, we need to answer ill with love, to find that there's another way. Verses 2-3 follow Tune: ABENDS Metre: LM Andrew Pratt (born 1948) Words © 8/8/2012 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England, www.stainer.co.…
Hymn: To simply bask in ignorance
Hymn: To simply bask in ignorance
by Andrew Pratt
To simply bask in ignorance, to shy away from facts, can masquerade as 'simple faith', or veil our foolish acts; and then the world will look at us, a church so old and stale, no longer worth a second glance, a church beyond the pale. Verses 2-3 follow Tune: BETHLEHEM (also known…
Hymn: Beyond the bounds of Galilee
Hymn: Beyond the bounds of Galilee
by Andrew Pratt
Beyond the bounds of Galilee he found his fame had spread, and though he sought for solitude was followed there instead. Both Jew and Gentile came to him that he might meet their needs. He cast out fear, cured many ills, ignoring caste and creeds. Verses 2-3 follow Tune: ELLACOMB…
Hymn: She felt just like a ragged dog
Hymn: She felt just like a ragged dog
by Andrew Pratt
She felt just like a ragged dog that scratched around for food, denied, despised and kicked aside and never any good. Yet now she stood inside the door and pleaded with this man, for each taboo had little weight, her grief had wider span. Verses 3-5 follow Tune: AULD LANG SYNE ( …
Hymn: God shows no partiality
Hymn: God shows no partiality
by Andrew Pratt
God shows no partiality to favour rich or poor; God sees beyond pretentiousness and looks right to the core where every heart is open wide, and each desire known, where platitudes are stripped away and motives clearly shown. Verses 2-3 follow Tune: KINGSFOLD; MACPHERSON'S FAREWEL…
Hymn: When people are afflicted