Triune God,

you have called us to live in unity with each other

and with our brothers and sisters around the world.

Help us to sense that our love for Jesus binds us together.

May our worship today be a witness

to the kind of unity that comes only

through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

May our Lord Jesus Christ,

who prayed that we would be one,

even as he and the Father are one,

so grace you with his Spirit

that you may grow in grace and fellowship

and discover joy in walking together as part of Christ’s body—

so that the world may know of God’s love for us in Christ.

We, your people, Lord,

are scattered around the world today.

Yet when we gather at your table, we become one.

Like grain from many fields becomes one loaf,

and grapes from many vines become one cup,

so we become one body here today.

and drink from one cup,

we are united together.

Remove the divisions that separate us,

heal the brokenness that too often marks us.

Make this time of sacrament

a celebration of our oneness with Christ

and with one another,

that the world may believe. Amen.

Baptized in the historic St. Bavo Church in Haarlem, Fred Kaan (b. Haaarlem, Netherlands, July 27, 1929; d. Penrith, Cumbria, England, October 4, 2009) began his theological education at the University of Utrecht but moved to England in 1952 and completed his studies at Bristol University. Ordained by the (now) United Reformed Church in 1955, he served the Windsor Road Congregational Church in Barry, Wales (1955-­1963), and the Pilgrim Church, Plymouth, England (1963-1968). From 1968 to 1978 he was initially minister-secretary of the International Congregational Council in Geneva, Switzerland, and then executive secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Church. He returned to England in 1978 to become the moderator of the Western Midlands Province of the United Reformed Church, after which he served the Central Church in Swindon and the Penhill United Reformed Church (1985-1989). As an ecumenist Kaan has associations with Christian communities and social action groups throughout the world. He began to write hymns because he wanted to "fill the gaps" not covered by traditional hymnals especially in the area of the social responsibility demanded by the gospel. Considered one of the important contributors to the recent "explosion" in English hymn writing, Kaan has written some two hundred hymns and translations. His hymns were collected in Pilgrim Praise (1968, 1972), Break Not the Circle (1975), The Hymn Texts of Fred Kaan (1985), and Planting Trees and Sowing Seeds (1989), as well as in most recent hymnals. Kaan's 1984 doctoral dissertation (Geneva Theological College) is called "Emerging Language in Hymnody."

David Evans (b. Resolven, Glamorganshire, Wales, 1874; d. Rosllannerchrugog, Denbighshire, Wales, 1948) was an important leader in Welsh church music. Educated at Arnold College, Swansea, and at University College, Cardiff, he received a doctorate in music from Oxford University. His longest professional post was as professor of music at University College in Cardiff (1903-1939), where he organized a large music department. He was also a well-known and respected judge at Welsh hymn-singing festivals and a composer of many orchestral and choral works, anthems, service music, and hymn tunes.