Will You Come and Follow Me

The Third Sunday after Pentecost
June 30, 2019
Isle of Iona

During the summer months, we will be singing a number of hymns from Wonder, Love, and Praise, an authorized supplement to The Hymnal 1982 that was published in 1997. The editor of Wonder, Love, and Praise, John L. Hooker, composed the musical setting of today's communion hymn, "Will you come and follow me." The text comes from the Iona Community, a Christian ecumenical community based in Scotland working for peace and social justice, rebuilding of community and the renewal of worship.

In this text, Hooker connected with what he describes as "a very personal invitation to commitment, risk, and self-disclosure." His musical setting, composed in 1988, has the character of an art song, with a tempo that is "slow and dreamy."

Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don't know and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown?
Will you let my Name be known?
Will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?

The final stanza solidifies the singer's commitment to Christ:

Christ, your summons echoes true when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.
In your company I'll go
where your love and footsteps show,
thus I'll move and live and grow in you and you in me.

As we sing this communion hymn, reflect on where and how you are called to follow Jesus this day.

Music for the Third Sunday after Pentecost
June 30, 2019

Hymns
390, Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (Lobe den Herren)
513, Like the murmur of the dove's song (Bridegroom)
533, How wondrous and great thy works, God of praise! (Lyons)
757 (WLP), Will you come and follow me (Mary Alexandra)
655, O Jesus, I have promised (Nyland)
493, O for a thousand tongues to sing (Azmon)

Service Music 

Gloria in excelsis S-280   Robert Powell
Psalm, S-411   Simplified Anglican Chant, Robert Knox Kennedy
Sanctus S-129   Powell
Fraction anthem S-152   Ambrosian chant, adapt. Martens

Anthem
Be Thou My Vision   Slane, arr. Richard Shephard

Organ Voluntaries
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty   -Ronald Arnold
Trumpet Tune   -Antonio Lotti

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