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God, You Give Us Recreation

Representative Text

God, you give us recreation, rest and play when work is through,
Game and sport and celebration, times that challenge and renew.
In the days we spend together, in the feasts that we prepare,
In the times of joy and laughter, may we know your loving care.

Yet, O Lord, we see you crying for the ones who know no rest,
For your children, hungry, dying, for the homeless and oppressed.
May we, as your sons and daughters, share with open heart and hand,
Till your justice flows like water to the poor throughout the land.

Bless, O Christ, our gifts of caring, for we know without a doubt:
Soup and bread are made for sharing, hands are made for reaching out.
Even in our times of playing, may we keep the vision clear:
Keep us serving, loving, praying, welcoming your kingdom here.

Source: Songs of Grace: new hymns for God and neighbor #67

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Author: Carolyn Winfrey Gillette

Carolyn Winfrey Gillette has been a pastor in rural, small town, suburban, and city churches; she has also served as a hospice chaplain, a hospital chaplain, and a school bus aide helping children with special needs. She and her husband Bruce are pastors of the First Presbyterian Union Church in Owego, NY. Carolyn is a gifted hymn writer who has written over 400 hymns. These hymns have been sung by congregations throughout the United States and around the world — from the Washington National Cathedral to St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland to St. George's Cathedral in Cape Town, South Africa to small town churches and small household congregations; they have also been sung at national church and international ecumenical meetin… Go to person page >

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Text Information

First Line: God, you give us recreation, rest and play when work is through
Title: God, You Give Us Recreation
Original Language: English
Author: Carolyn Winfrey Gillette (2000)
Meter: 8.7.8.7 D
Language: English
Publication Date: 2000
Copyright: Copyright © 2000 by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. All rights reserved
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Tune

IN BABILONE

IN BABILONE is a traditional Dutch melody that appeared in Oude en Nieuwe Hollantse Boerenlities en Contradansen (Old and New Dutch Peasant Songs and Country Dances), c. 1710. Ralph Vaughan Williams (PHH 316) discovered this tune as arranged by Julius Rontgen (b. Leipzig, Germany, 1855; d. Utrecht,…

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Instances

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Text

Songs of Grace #67

Songs of Grace #67
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