Monday, December 8, 2014

Mountainsong better than Hillsong? Sacred and Spiritual Links Monday 8 December 2014 [UPDATED]

Last night I was able to be at the Horncastle Arena in Christchurch for the second half of the inter church festival service celebrating 200 years of the gospel in Aotearoa New Zealand - the first revelation of the gospel on these shores was the preaching of Samuel Marsden on Christmas Day 1814. Everything was superbly done - great music, well composed presentations and talks. Towards the end we sang the full version of our national anthem together. What a wonderful and very Christian song we have for our anthem when we work through all the verses!

The song leader at that point made a very witty, patriotic comment which Australians (at least) will appreciate - Hillsong is great but Mountainsong is better. See verse 5 ...

God Defend New Zealand


1
God of Nations at Thy feet,
In the bonds of love we meet,
Hear our voices, we entreat,
God defend our free land.
Guard Pacific's triple star
From the shafts of strife and war,
Make her praises heard afar,
God defend New Zealand.
2
Men of every creed and race,
Gather here before Thy face,
Asking Thee to bless this place,
God defend our free land.
From dissension, envy, hate,
And corruption guard our state,
Make our country good and great,
God defend New Zealand.
3
Peace, not war, shall be our boast,
But, should foes assail our coast,
Make us then a mighty host,
God defend our free land.
Lord of battles in Thy might,
Put our enemies to flight,
Let our cause be just and right,
God defend New Zealand.
4
Let our love for Thee increase,
May Thy blessings never cease,
Give us plenty, give us peace,
God defend our free land.
From dishonour and from shame,
Guard our country's spotless name,
Crown her with immortal fame,
God defend New Zealand.
5
May our mountains ever be
Freedom's ramparts on the sea,
Make us faithful unto Thee,
God defend our free land.
Guide her in the nations' van,
Preaching love and truth to man,
Working out Thy glorious plan,
God defend New Zealand.
From the 'Anglicans could learn from Presbyterians' department, head to Jason Goroncy's thoughts on corporate episcopacy here.

From the 'God Defend NZ from Ungodly Hateful Pastors' department I note - for the sake of honesty about appalling tendencies in people claiming to belong to God's church - this link.

Here are the links for this week supplied by a colleague in the UK:

SERMONS AND TALKS
1. Children of the Light - Vaughan Roberts - St Ebbe's Oxford Audio [1 Thessalonians 5:1-11]

2. Approved by God - Richard Bewes - The Sermon Video [2 Timothy 2]

3. Facing the Canon with Alister McGrath - J John - Philo Trust Video

Commentary for Sunday 7th December
4. Preaching Ideas and Commentary - Rev Peter Carrell

5. The Sunday Readings - Rev Stephen Trott

WORSHIP
6. The bells of St Mary and St Chad, Brewood in Staffordshire. - BBC Radio 4

7. Choral Evensong from Westminster Abbey - BBC Radio 3

8. Advent Carol Service from Trinity College Cambridge [webcasted]

9. Sunday Holy Communion livestreamed from St Helena's Church, Beaufort, South Carolina at 10:15 am Eastern Time, 3:15 pm London Time

10. Sunday Hour - BBC Radio 2

11. Choral services from the chapels of King's College Cambridge
and Trinity College, Cambridge
and St John's College, Cambridge
and New College, Oxford

PRAYER
Please pray for the Ebola Crisis and for those working for a cure; for Christians and all facing persecution and crime in Iraq; for the persecuted church and in particular in Nigeria, Kenya, Sudan, Egypt and Afghanistan; for peace in Ukraine, Israel and Gaza; and for the Diocese of South Carolina.

12. Topical Prayers - Church of England
Iraq: Canon White interviewed by CBN
Kenya: Al Shabaab kills 36 Kenyan Christians on Somali border – WWM
Christian churches in Kenya struggle after being targeted by Islamist group - Christian Today
Sudan: Church destroyed and young people arrested, pressure increases on Christians
Afghanistan: Taliban murder four humanitarian aid workers in Kabul
Egypt: Imprisoned Christian journalist who converted from Islam goes on hunger strike - Christianity Today
South Carolina: Prayers from Lent and Beyond

CURRENT AFFAIRS
13. Sunday Programme - with Edward Stourton - BBC Radio 4

Food for thought
14. Happy and Blessed Christmas from Bethlehem and Baghdad – Update from Canon Andrew White
The Egyptian Family House: Muslims and Christians, Holding Hands - dio Egypt
Grand Imam condemns Islamic State ideology and 'barbaric crimes' - Christian Today
Why Apologetics still matters - C Michael Hatton
Cathedral ruin photographers: 'There were no signs' - One news
John Stott's Right Hand - Tim Challies

FINALLY
15. Jonah and the Whale - Bible Society

16. Advent 2014 Week 1 - Michael Green - UCCF Video

17. A New Song - James MacMillan - Royal Holloway Choir

18. O Come O come Emmmanuel - The Piano Guys

1 comment:

Father Ron Smith said...

My pick! Number 8 on the list. Advent Carol & Lessons Service from Trinity College, Cambridge. A wonderful Advent Prose at the beginning. Thanks be to God!