(tune: Let there be love shared among us)<\/em><\/p>\nSend, now, your angels to Gaza, \nprotesting loudly for peace, \ncircle the pain with your presence, \nwork to renew and release. \nAs, once, for shepherds near Bethl\u2019em \nlight up this dark night of wrong, \n\u2018til we are all won for kindness, \njoining your song.<\/p>\n
Israel\u2019s God, so invested \nin all these lands filled with pain, \nwork in the hearts of the people \n\u2018til a just peace comes to reign. \nLet all the children of Abram \nvalue each other anew, \nmay now your heartfelt compassion \nguide all we do.<\/p>\n
Though loving kindness is costly, \ntrue justice far beyond price, \nmay now this grewsome confusion \nbreak into just compromise. \nAs Mary nurtured her baby \n\u2018til he grew strong for us all, \nhelp us to work for renewal, \nyour peace install.<\/p>\n
John Miller Campbell, 6\/12\/23 available without restriction<\/em>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]Poor Refugee \n<\/strong>(tune: The Coventry Carol – Lully, lullay\u2026)<\/em><\/p>\nPoor refugee, \nthough still a tiny child, \nGod be with you today.<\/p>\n
Once fear and greed \ndrove evil deed, \nbrought vi\u2019lence into play. \nHerod the king, \nin his raging \nsought the Christ child to slay.<\/p>\n
In that dark hour \nhis mindless pow\u2019r \nlashed out most cruelly; \nwith killing wild \nchild after child \nwas slaughtered in the fray.<\/p>\n
One family, \namazingly, \nthrough Gaza slipped away; \nnow by this child \nwe\u2019re reconciled \nto God in ev\u2019ry way.<\/p>\n
Yet tragic\u2019ly, \nas now we see, \nstill children die each day; \nvile vi\u2019lence breeds \nmore vi\u2019lent deeds; \nfor Gaza\u2019s children, pray!<\/p>\n
John Miller Campbell, 7\/12\/23 a reworking the Coventry Carol for these times, available without restriction<\/em>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]When Vi\u2019lence Leads to Vi\u2019lence<\/strong> \n(tune: The Holly & the Ivy)<\/em><\/p>\nWhen vi\u2019lence leads to vi\u2019lence \nand pain just births more pain, \nwhen savagery keeps cycling \nand hoped for peace seems vain:<\/p>\n
Then come to us, Peacemaker! \nWith kindness intervene! \nWith costly love overthrow our world, \nlet peace and justice reign!<\/p>\n
When lies abound to trick us \nand truth seems hard to find, \nwhen autocrats are shameless \nand freedom\u2019s left behind:<\/p>\n
Then come to us, our Saviour! \nWith truth now intervene! \nWith costly love overthrow our world, \nlet peace and justice reign!<\/p>\n
When billionaires grow richer \nwhilst poverty is rife, \nand systems breed injustice, \nsqueeze out all chance of life.<\/p>\n
Then come to us, Redeemer! \nWith justice intervene! \nWith costly love overthrow our world, \nlet peace and justice reign!<\/p>\n
When gas and oil are burning \nour hope of future life, \nwhen profit-driven denying \ntraps all in deadly strife.<\/p>\n
Then come to us, Christ Jesus! \nLet good sense intervene! \nWith costly love overthrow our world, \nlet peace and justice reign!<\/p>\n
John Miller Campbell, 6\/12\/23 available without restriction<\/em>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]Bleak May Be Our Winter<\/strong> \na carol for these times\u2026. \n(tune: Cranham – In the Bleak Midwinter)<\/em><\/p>\nBleak may be our winter, \ncold and harsh and dark. \nMany may be struggling \njust to play their part. \nYet, this age-old story, \nfraught with mother\u2019s pain, \npromises renewal: \nhope can live again.<\/p>\n
In that ancient kingdom, \ncrushed by despot\u2019s pow\u2019r, \npoor, displaced new parents \nreach their birthing hour. \nHere, within this story, \nthrough this mother\u2019s pain, \nGod is come among us: \nlove can live again.<\/p>\n
God as slave-descendant, \nGod as exiles\u2019 child, \nforced asylum seeker, \nin a world run wild. \nGod become our sibling, \nGod, our fragile friend, \nGod who understands us, \nwith us to the end.<\/p>\n
Here is hope to help us, \nhere is love to save, \nlight to end our darkness, \nlife to make us brave. \nGod, in weakness stronger \nthat each unjust pow\u2019r, \nGod, to conquer bleakness, \nbring fresh joy to flower.<\/p>\n
John Miller Campbell, 2\/12\/22, available without restriction<\/em>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This week, hymnwriter and URC Minister the Revd John Campbell has written three new songs in an attempt to straddle the gap between the Holy Land of Christmas and the current conflict in Israel and the occupied Palestinian Territories. Also included is a song he wrote for last Christmas. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":43053,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[152],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43050","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-news"],"acf":{"next_update":null},"yoast_head":"\n
Four New Christmas Songs for Testing Times - Â鶹´«Ã½ Church<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n