880

Take Our Silver and Our Gold

Scripture References

Confessions and Statements of Faith References

Further Reflections on Confessions and Statements of Faith References

When we sing about the offering of our gifts, we quickly find several thoughts interwoven with each other. The first is the foundational thought that God’s generosity in Christ has brought us salvation and all good things in life. God has “created heaven and earth and all other creatures from nothing” (Belgic Confession, Article 12) and he continues to “provide whatever I need in body and soul” (Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 9, Question and Answer 26). But God’s greatest act of generosity is shown in the gift of his Son “by a most perfect love” (Belgic Confession, Article 20) through whom we find the forgiveness of our sins and eternal life.

 

God’s children are called to be compassionately concerned for other humans and their needs, a call which expresses our obedience in living out our baptism. The Belhar Confession, Section 2 points out that the unity of the people of God is manifested as we love one another, know and share one another’s burdens and suffer with one another. Later, the Belhar Confession, Section 4 says, “God brings justice to the oppressed and gives bread to the hungry…supports the downtrodden…helps widows and orphans…” among other things, and we are to follow him in these actions. Our World Belongs to God, paragraph 11 calls us to “foster the well-being of all the living,” to “feed the hungry, bring water to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and free the prisoner” (paragraph 41).

880

Take Our Silver and Our Gold

Additional Prayers

A Prayer of Thanksgiving and Dedication
 
Gracious God, some of us have a lot and some of us a little, but we all have something to give and so have power to bless. We can bless the hungry and the homeless. We can bless the orphaned and the widowed. We can bless our loved ones. Thank you for lending us a little of your power to bless. With this power make us far-seeing and resolute for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
— Cornelius Plantinga, Jr.
880

Take Our Silver and Our Gold

Tune Information

Name
GOLFBURY
Key
E♭ Major
880

Take Our Silver and Our Gold

Hymn Story/Background

“Take Our Silver and Our Gold” is one of fourteen songs by Ken Medema included in his collection The Offering as Worship (2007, also available on CD). He worked with Mark Vincent of “Design for Ministry” who prepared additional resources revolving around the radical assumption: "Christ has made us Friends." Ken said: “All the songs in the series tried to focus on that notion that when one gives to a friend, it is a different matter than giving to a cause or an institution… That mind-blowing scriptural idea has everything to do with how giving is perceived and practiced in our churches.” The complete resource for congregations for stewardship emphasis includes worship ideas, liturgies, sermon suggestions, activities, prayers and Ken’s original songs as well as suggestions for traditional music. 
— Emily Brink

Author Information

Although her formal education was sporadic because of poor health, Frances R. Havergal (b. Astley, Worcestershire, England, 1836; d. Oystermouth, Glamorganshire, Wales, 1879) learned six foreign languages, including Greek and Hebrew, and was well read in many subjects. She began writing poetry at an early age and was also an accomplished singer and pianist. The daughter of a clergyman, she had a conversion experience at the age of fourteen and was confirmed in the Church of England in 1853. Taking seriously her own words "take my silver and my gold," she sent all her jewelry to the Church Mission Society to be sold. She also supported other charitable organizations. Her more than one hundred hymns were originally published in leaflets and later gathered into seven collections: Ministry of Song (1869), Twelve Sacred Songs for Little Singers (1870), Under the Surface (1874), Loyal Responses (1878), Life Mosaic (1879), Life Chords (1880), and Life Echoes (1883), as well as in one large volume, Poetical Works (1884).
— Bert Polman

Composer Information

Linda Missad is a musician who seeks to help others with their own musical abilities. Linda is an accomplished pianist, composer, and performer. She is also a professional score typesetter, engraver, and transcriber. She has worked with individuals, schools, churches, and other community groups to compose music for existing texts, alter musical formats for specific situations, and create recordings.
— Laura de Jong

Author and Composer Information

Ken Medema (b. Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1943) is a song writer, composer, recording artist, and story-teller through music. Blind from birth, Ken began playing the piano at age five and studied classical music by reading Braille. He graduated from Grand Rapids Christian High School and studied music therapy at Michigan State University in Lansing, Michigan. As a music therapist in both Indiana and New Jersey, he began writing songs for hurting teenagers, an experience that helped to launch a career of writing songs on Christian life that has taken him to venues large and small all over North America and beyond. He responds to what he hears and sees in his heart at particular events, often improvising songs on the spot, offering compassion, honesty and desire for integrity in both worship and life. In 1985 he began Brier Patch Music, which continues to publish his music and recordings, including 26 CDs. 
— Emily Brink

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