In October of 2022 I was a bundle of nerves as I prepared to attend a conference for aspiring hymn composers and text writers hosted by The Hymn Society of the United States and Canada. I was totally fascinated by the prospect of hymn writing and I had been spending more and more time experimenting, but I was not yet satisfied by my results. Was I about to embarrass myself in front of a crowd?
Knowing that I would have some writing time at the conference, I asked some clergy colleagues what kind of hymn they had looked for but couldn’t find. The Rev. Chris McArdle suggested an Easter Hymn that didn’t focus on victory. This was the idea that jumped out at me when I was looking for a new subject midway through the conference. Filled with excitement about new insights from Mary Louise Bringle and Sally Ann Morris, I started writing and then continued in the airport and on the plane home.
What a delight to have this text set to a gorgeous tune by Sally. Then, in a lovely surprise of the Spirit, Sally and I met for the second time on the Island of Iona during the summer of 2023. She was gracious enough to share our collaboration amongst the travelers at the Abbey for its first public outing. This song seemed particularly appropriate to sing there given the text’s focus on “greening power” and the spiritually enlivening green of that place.
You can find the text and music preview here along with a music track.