Resound Worship ran a competition in the first part of 2018 to find a new hymn of peace to mark 100 years since Armistice Day and the end of the First World War. The winner is a beautifully composed text to a familiar and poignant tune which covers themes of current conflict, political power, remembrance and PTSD. Alongside it they were able to produce a collection of 10 new Hymns of Peace and Remembrance.
There’s a useful article here in the Church Times where Ally Barrett (writer) is interviewed about the hymn: https://www.churchtimes.
The winning hymn text is below and the full 10 hymn collection and accompanying resources are on the Jubilate website: www.jubilate.co.uk/
Resound Worship are grateful to be supported by the Pratt Green Trust and Hymns Ancient and Modern in producing the search and resulting collection, and they’re looking forward to the hymn being sung in England’s two major cathedrals – St Paul’s and York Minster – in November, 2018.
—
1 Hope for the world’s despair:
we feel the nations’ pain;
can anything repair
this broken earth again?
For this we pray:
in every place
a spark of grace
to light the way.
we feel the nations’ pain;
can anything repair
this broken earth again?
For this we pray:
in every place
a spark of grace
to light the way.
2 Wisdom for all who bear
the future in their hand,
entrusted with the care
of this and every land.
When comes the hour,
O Lord, we pray,
inspire the way
we spend our power.
the future in their hand,
entrusted with the care
of this and every land.
When comes the hour,
O Lord, we pray,
inspire the way
we spend our power.
3 Honour for all who’ve paid
war’s painful, bitter price,
when duty called they made
the greatest sacrifice.
Their memory
will never cease
to cry for peace
and harmony.
war’s painful, bitter price,
when duty called they made
the greatest sacrifice.
Their memory
will never cease
to cry for peace
and harmony.
4 Ease for the troubled mind
in endless conflict caught,
each soul that cannot find
the peace beyond all thought.
May they be blessed
with healing balm
for inner calm
and perfect rest.
in endless conflict caught,
each soul that cannot find
the peace beyond all thought.
May they be blessed
with healing balm
for inner calm
and perfect rest.
5 Love for the human heart:
when hate grows from our fears
and inwardly we start
to turn our ploughs to spears.
Help us to sow
love’s precious seed
in word and deed,
that peace may grow.
when hate grows from our fears
and inwardly we start
to turn our ploughs to spears.
Help us to sow
love’s precious seed
in word and deed,
that peace may grow.
Ally Barrett
Winner of Jubilate’s Hymns of Peace competition 2018, to mark the centenary of Armistice Day and the end of the First World War.
Words © Ally Barrett / Jubilate
administered by Jubilate Hymns Ltd copyrightmanager@
administered by Jubilate Hymns Ltd copyrightmanager@
Tune: Love Unknown by John Ireland