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Tuesday 24 September 2019

Five Climate Concern Hymns and one children’s song

                                                                  Wildfire in the Amazon 2019

At ‘Once in a Lifetime’ conference. Here are five hymns and a children’s song on the theme of climate justice. All to familiar tunes. (Small revisions made December 2019 to improve scansion and ease of singing)

As Mighty Glaciers Recede
(Tune 88.88 Suggested – Grenoble)

As mighty glaciers recede
and leave great scars which cause alarm;
be sure it is the rising heat
of greenhouse gases causing harm.

When coastal glaciers discharge
their rapid melt, to chilly seas:
we know, that ocean levels will,  
rise swiftly and inexorably. 

By contrast, inland glaciers
cause havoc through reduced cascades,
so downstream waters can’t suffice
to turn hydraulic turbine blades.

We need to switch from fossil fuels
to wind and wave and solar power:
renewables already can
make all these risks far lo-o-wer.

For everyone who loves the earth
clean energy must be the aim,
to strengthen hope the planet can     
be saved through this essential change.

The evidence of shrinking ice
invites all those who love the Lord -
be stewards wise – and build up hope   
of justice for the coastal poor.

For as such massive change takes place
the least resourced will bear the toll
of harshness in the furious wake
of worsening weather through the world.

Does the God who Lived a Human
(Tune 87.D Suggested - Through the Night of Doubt and Sorrow/Marching)

Does the God who lived a human,
weep with anger, weep with rage,
at the vile and gross injustice 
of this money-driven age?

Wealth and arrogance are forcing
powerless people to the brink;
such as those who live in terror
that their homes and fields will sink.

Add to that the lies and falsehoods 
in our corridors of power: 
Lord of justice, cause your people 
to rise up in this dark hour.

Seeking truth and resolutely 
challenging both lies and wealth  
that are careless of resources,
or strip others of their health. 

Listen now to children’s wisdom,
many of whom recognise
that unless we change our lifestyle
earth is facing its demise .

If we strive more for God's vision
of an earth where love and care
guide the actions of its people,
hope can flower and quell despair.

So, bring hope, O great Creator,
let the planet’s saving be
hastened by your Holy Spirit,
calling leaders, calling me.

Make us Good Stewards, Lord 
(Tune: 66.66.88 Suggested - Hills of The North Rejoice )

Make us good stewards, Lord,
of this your earthly home.
help us be resolute  
in curbing damage done
by fossil fuels and plastic waste,
and other ways earth is defaced.

Help us encourage hope    
that the world can achieve   
limits to harm caused by  
products we scarcely need,   
which strip the world of minerals rare,     
and plunder water without care.    

Give us, your people, Lord,  
zeal so we might protest, 
when justice is denied
by wealth’s voracious quests    
that ransack earth, afflict the poor, 
as greedy profiteers make more.    

O Great Creator, Who Desires.
(Tune 8.88.88 Suggested - Eternal Father, Strong to Save/ Melita)

O Great Creator, who desires
that humans should protect the wild,
and weeps when tiny sparrows die,
forgive us when we close our eyes
to grasping greed with single aim
that spoils and kills for short term gain.

Lord, rouse us now to recognize
that we too often stand aside
from finding ways to stop the rape
of threatened creatures’ habitats;
so your command is disobeyed,
with species failing day-by-day.


Lord, help us to change attitudes
and work to challenge such abuse
that linked with trends through climate change
is now destroying a wide range
of species in life’s fragile tree
making earth sterile, needlessly.



Suns of Great Brilliance
(Tune55.54.D Suggested – Bunessan).

Suns of great brilliance pierce through our darkness,
from their colossal distance in space;
if their light dips it may be a planet
making a transit of that star’s face.

Like ours, those suns may have many planets
circling close or orbiting wide,
rocky or gaseous, balmy or frigid,
maybe benign or sterile to life.

Far in the future there may be humans
making their way to planets afar:
will they be stewards with good intentions, 
or will their greed those pristine worlds scar?

Pray that our race would honour the wonders
of God’s creation’s beauty and worth,
ever alert to how careless commerce
threatens the fragile, as here on earth.

God Gave us This Lovely Earth.
(A children’s song with a tune based on London Bridge is Falling Down)

God gave us this lovely earth,
lovely earth, lovely earth.
God gave us this lovely earth,
so let’s help save our planet.

Energy from sun, wind, tide,
sun, wind, tide; sun, wind, tide.
Energy from sun, wind, tide,
can save our lovely planet

Fossil fuels must be turned off,
be turned off, be turned off.
Fossil fuels must be turned off,
to save our lovely planet.

Batteries must better be,
better be, better be:
Batteries must better be,
to save our lovely planet.

After song - chant:
Scientists draw more power from the seas, please;
and also build better batteries

Wildfires: Evidence of Climate Chaos

Wildfires: Evidence of Climate Chaos
Wildfires: Evidence of Climate Chaos

Cascade of Stars and Gas (Imagined image: CGI)

Cascade of Stars and Gas (Imagined image: CGI)
Cascade of Stars and Gases. This image will take you to the meditation 'Deep Silence'

Butterfly Nebula (CGI)

Butterfly Nebula (CGI)
The Imaginary Butterfly Nebula . Anything like this would be a real Curiosity! The image will link you to the reflection titled 'Curiosity' which is actually a celebration of the achievement of landing the Mars Rover of that name

Ten thousand billion suns - A scintilla of God’s Universe

Ten thousand billion suns - A scintilla of God’s Universe
It is currently thought that the Universe has at least 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars! Hence the use of the word ‘scintilla’ for a mere ten thousand billion.

Cross and Particle Accelerator (CGI)

Cross and Particle Accelerator (CGI)
Cross and Particle Accelerator. The words of 'A Prayer for Understanding' can be viewed by clicking on this image

Nebula (Embroidery)

Nebula (Embroidery)
Nebula (Embroidery) to accompany the poem 'Invitation' which can be found by clicking on the image.

Nativity Star (CGI)

Nativity Star (CGI)
Nativity Star: This image will link you to the collection of new Carols on this site. Also, the image can easily be copied onto an overhead acetate and used as a window decoration. Easy for children to achieve. Note the cross at the centre of the star.

Orange Galaxy

Orange Galaxy
'Orange Galaxy' posted to accompany 'Bounded and Boundless'. Go to the poem by clicking on the image.

Cosmic Ikon 8 Moth

Cosmic Ikon 8 Moth
Cosmic Ikon 8: Moth Nebula(imagined-acrylic) The Gold field of deep space is intended to convey the Lordship of Christ over the whole of the Cosmos

Surprise garden rose (Photo)

Surprise garden rose (Photo)
This beautiful head of roses in our garden, which are giving off a delightful perfume in the morning sun, seems a fitting picture to link to the sonnet 'Evolution and Beauty'. Let the picture take you there. It is a surprise because it is growing high on a bush of otherwise pure yellow roses: amazing!

Cross and Vortex

Cross and Vortex
'Cross and Vortex' to accompany 'Stars and Planets Sing Your Glory'. Click on the image to go to the poem/hymn.

Gaseous Cosmic Threads (Mixed media)

Gaseous Cosmic Threads (Mixed media)
Gaseous Cosmic Threads: Mixed media - acrylics and painted threads

St Francis’ Sky (Photo)

St Francis’ Sky (Photo)
Warm Umbrian Hills: Click image to take you to the poem St Francis' Sky

Cosmic Icon 7 Summerflower

Cosmic Icon 7 Summerflower
Cosmic Icon 7 - Summerflower Nebula (Acrylic)

Cosmic Labyrinth (CGI)

Cosmic Labyrinth (CGI)
'Cosmic Labyrinth' - This icon is a symbol of the path through the near reaches of the Cosmos with its 'Havens' where current advances in science (2012/13) are celebrated. By clicking on the picture you will be taken to the latest version of the poem of the same name.

Cross of Autumn Leaves (cropped Photo)

Cross of Autumn Leaves (cropped Photo)
Time, perhaps to consider a restorative break before the approach of Advent/ Christmas. Let this image take you to 'On Drawing Apart'.

IONA: The Marble Quarry (Photo)

IONA: The Marble Quarry (Photo)
On the South shore of Iona is a bay which shows the industrial scarring of a beautiful place. Read of it by clicking on the picture

Celtic cross candle (Photo)

Celtic cross candle (Photo)
Celtic Cross and candle' linked to the poem 'Awesome, Wonderful Creator'. Go to the poem by clicking on the image.

Light of the World amidst stars (CGI)

Light of the World amidst stars (CGI)
'Light of the world' posted to accompany 'To Light'. Find the poem by clicking on the image.

Iona from Fionnphort (Watercolour)

Iona from Fionnphort (Watercolour)
Iona from Fionnphort. At this point of the Isle of Mull, the end of a pilgrimage or trip to Iona is in sight. Click on this picture to take you to the poem 'IONA - The Pilgrim Way'

My Mesh Mask for Radiotherapy

My Mesh Mask for Radiotherapy
This is the mask which was moulded to my face to ensure the radiotherapy I had in April 2017 was precisely targeted. You can read more by clicking on the image

Double Celebration

Double Celebration
Pam, who has been magnificent in caring for me since my Cancer diagnosis in October and I celebrate the end of Radiotherapy and our 36th Wedding Anniversary (Note the return of some hair!). Click on the image to read about the treatment - and waiting.

St Neots Sunset (Photo)

St Neots Sunset (Photo)
Surrounded by beauty: Whie 'Evolution and Beauty' became one of the most viewed poems on this blog, Pam, my wife took this gorgeous picture of a sunset over the flatlands of Cambridgeshire UK. Click on it to go to the poem

Gabriel - written/painted by Pam, my wife in 2015

Gabriel - written/painted by Pam, my wife in 2015
Gabriel began the Christmas story with his visit to Mary. The story is told in our Christmas collection in the Carol, Go to Nazareth My Great Messenger. Click on this image to take you there.

Maple Leaf Nebula (CGI)

Maple Leaf Nebula (CGI)
IMAGINARY IMAGE TO CELEBRATE CANADA DAY: Click on this his imaginary 'Maple Leaf Nebula' to take you to a poem entitled 'Nebula' (image not to be confused with NGC 2024, the Flame Nebula which is also known as the Maple Leaf)

Beauty in the Garden - June 2016

Beauty in the Garden - June 2016
Beauty in the Garden - June 2016

Aurora Imagined over Iona (Watercolour & pastel)

Aurora Imagined over Iona (Watercolour & pastel)
First posted here on Adomnan’s day (23rd September) 2015. An imagined natural phenomenom that could be seen to resonate mystically with the idea of Iona being a ‘thin place’ where heaven brushes earth.

Assisi Sunset

Assisi Sunset
Assisi Sunset

Thinking about the Brain

Thinking about the Brain
This image is formed from a small section of neural pathways posted by the Koch Institute, clipped, part inverted and stitched together. It is intended to impart a sense of our extensive, but still partial understanding of what goes on in that awesome part of our bodies, our brains. By clicking on the image, you will be taken to a celebratory poem/song ‘For Amazement by Beauty’ about all of our senses.

Source (CGI by Trevor Thorn)

Source (CGI by Trevor Thorn)
Source: Expand the image to reveal its heart

Rainbow spiral (CGI)

Rainbow spiral (CGI)
'Rainbow Spiral' to accompany 'Darkness,Illuminator' . Find the poem by clicking on the iImagined mage

Cross and simple Prayer rope (Photo)

Cross and simple Prayer rope (Photo)
Cross and simple prayer rope: make one like this to use as an aid to using ‘The Jesus Prayer'