Hymns by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette
Blest are God's peacemaking ones, Sent to work in countless ways —
God's own daughters, God's own sons, Serving without seeking praise.
Yet like leaven in our bread, They persist to change us all.
By God's Spirit, they are led To pursue God's peaceful call.
Blessed are God's prophets, too, Called to challenge what we know —
Working for a world that's new, Calling us to change and grow.
Though the message that they bear Stands against what powers say —
It is Jesus' word they share, News of God's new breaking day.
God, through Jesus' love and grace, May we live what we profess.
In the challenges we face, May we know what makes us blest.
May we stand against the wrong; May our thirst for you increase.
Give to us a prophet's song! May we work to bring your peace!
Hymn Use Permission: Songs of Grace: New Hymns for God and Neighbor by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette (Upper Room Books, 2009) includes a permission note for those who own this book to use this hymn (along with the 76 other new hymns in the book) in their local church's worship services. People who do not own Songs of Grace are asked to contact Carolyn (bcgillette@comcast.net) for permission to use the hymn and to get a copy of the hymn formatted for worship bulletin use.
Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled ... Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God" (Matthew 5:6,9). See also Matthew 13:33 and Luke 13:20-21.
A few years ago, I heard a passing news story from the Pittsburgh area. It was about a kind, gentle man of faith who was killed in a violent, senseless attack in an apartment building. He had worked for years on behalf of people in that city who are poor. Since then, there have been other news stories of peacemakers in other communities who have put their lives on the line to share the good news of God's love with people who are hurting. Jesus said that peacemakers are blessed, for they will be called the children of God. He talked of people hungering and thirsting for righteousness. There are some among us who have the courage to stand and say and do what is right, even when it is unpopular or dangerous to do so. Jesus used the wonderful image of leaven in the bread. It just takes a little leaven to lighten the whole loaf. In the same way, a few determined, dedicated Christians sharing God's love can make a world of difference — in Pittsburgh, or in any community in the world.
Copied from Songs of Grace: New Hymns for God and Neighbor by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette (Upper Room Books, 2009).
- Check out the rest of this web site for other wonderful hymns.
- Consider buying Carolyn's two books of hymns that give permission to use the book's hymns in a local church: Gifts of Love: New Hymns for Today's Worship by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette (Geneva Press, 2000) and Songs of Grace: New Hymns for God and Neighbor by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette (Upper Room Books, 2009)
- Share the hymn and her hymns web site with people in your church and other online friends in other churches.
- Check out A Dozen Ways to Support Carolyn's Hymn-writing (including hymn use permission).