Thought for the Week - 28th January 2024

Dear Friends,

In 1985 the Congregational minister and hymn writer Fred Kaan reflected on ‘For the healing of the nations’ saying, ‘Of all the hymns that I have written, this is the text that has been more widely reprinted and incorporated in major hymnbooks than any other’. It was first used in 1965 and it expresses something of the deep longing and desire for peace and reconciliation, for God’s justice to be known, and for an end to all conflict and violence. Fred Kaan was a committed pacifist and, in an obituary, following his death in 2009 at the age of 80, it read, ‘His theology reflected a God committed to and immersed in a world crying out to be set free from every form of injustice. Fred’s poetry centred on a Jesus who embraced the whole of creation and excluded no one and nothing from his love. In Fred, the Christian peace movement found its voice.’                                    

Grace and peace,

Neil

 

      1.  For the healing of the nations,                      2.  Lead us, Father, into freedom,

      Lord, we pray with one accord;                          from despair your world release,

      for a just and equal sharing                               that, redeemed from war and hatred,

      of the things that earth affords.                          all may come and go in peace.

      To a life of love in action                                    Show us how through care and goodness

      help us raise and pledge our word.                    fear will die and hope increase.

 

       3.  All that kills abundant living,                          4.  You, Creator-God, have written

       let it from the earth be banned;                          your great name on humankind;

       pride of status, race or schooling,                      for our growing in your likeness

       dogmas that obscure your plan.                         bring the life of Christ to mind;

       In our common quest for justice                         that by our response and service

       may we hallow life’s brief span.                          earth its destiny may find.        

                                   Fred Kaan, 1929-2009

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Thought for the Week - 29th October 2023

Dear Friends,  Today we are celebrating two things, firstly it is the Bible Society’s Bible Sunday, a day when we can give thanks to God for the scriptures and echo the apostle Paul’s words, ‘All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that all God’s people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work’ (2 Timohty 3:16-17). And secondly, as a church we are celebrating the 140 th Church Anniversary of Beckenham Baptist Church, founded in 1883 as Elm Road Chapel, the opening services took place on Wednesday 31st October – 9.30am Prayer Meeting, 2.45pm Public Service, 4.45pm a Meeting in the Chapel, and at 6.30pm another Public Service – with various Baptist luminaries of the day in attendance. The public reading of the Scriptures has always been at the heart of all we do as a Christian community, for it is there that we can hear the stories of the Bible and reflect upon our own place in God’s never-ending story ...
Read more

Thought for the Week - 14/11/2021

Dear Friends, This last week I have attended the Order for Baptist Ministry’s yearly Convocation which took place online over two days. I’ve been associated with the Order for several years and last year, at another online Convocation, I took my vows and commitments which are to live a life of prayer and discipleship, to covenant to maintain community in Christ with the Order, and to live a life according to the rule of life that the Order offers. Part of this is the saying of a Daily Office which includes these words under the title, Reflecting on our Roots . ‘Living God, enable us this day to be pilgrims and companions: committed to the way of the Christ, faithful to the call of Christ, discerning the mind of Christ, offering the welcome of Christ, growing in the likeness of Christ, engaging in the mission of Christ, in the world that belongs to Christ.’ The Convocation this year focused on being attentive to God, in the rhythms of grace in our vulnerability, to the world and plan...
Read more