AcWriMo 2: “Harringey”

I asked Doug Chaplin if he had any hymn texts suitable for AcWriMo, and he sent me this text, saying it’s not quite finished but I’m welcome to have a go:

From the Jordan to the desert,
from the crowd to barren place,
Spirit-driven, Satan-tempted,
Lord, you sought the Father’s grace:
show us now your pow’r, in weakness,
presence in the empty space.

Out of Egypt with God’s people,
freedom brings its testing stress:
what is right and what is truthful,
how the name of God confess?
Jesus, be our journey’s leader,
guide us through the wilderness.

Lack of food for empty stomach,
offered only cold hard stone;
scripture used to tempt and strengthen;
easy route to grasp the throne:
Bread of life, and Word incarnate
help us worship God alone.

In the search for loving justice,
in the quest for truth and right,
Jesus walk beside, before us,
hold your Cross of love in sight;
keep us in your Father’s presence,
guide us to your risen light.

This may be a work in progress but it’s a great text, ideal for use at the beginning of Lent (yes, I’m already thinking about Lent, I’m a church musician and someone has to plan ahead!).

AcWriMo 2 — Harringey — PDF
AcWriMo 2 — Harringey — MIDI

Robots again, though I may get around to recording this one later; I’m rather pleased with the modal cadences in the fourth bar and at the end, though I might just put a Picardy third in for the final chord in the last verse.

Doug Chaplin’s text is CC BY-NC — you can use it, but not for profit. The music is CC BY-SA as usual.