Voices Found in Spirit waters

Voices Found #58

Spirit of God

Spirit of God, you moved over the waters

whispering God's love to the whole of creation.

You breathe God's your life into God's sons and daughters,

giving us talents and your inspiration.

Spirit of God, by the prophets you sought us,

calling us back from from our pride filled behavior.

Through chosen leaders you reached us and taught us;

by your own gift we were given our Savior.

Spirit of God, like a dove you once rested,

showing God's joy on the day Christ was baptiszed.

You sent Christ out to the hills to be tested,

through you he called us to see God with new eyes.

Spirit of God, like a mighty wind blowing:

and suddenly Christians stopped hiding and fearing.

You gave them courage and love overflowing,

so they proclaimed you to all in their hearing.

Help us to see you still calling and caring,

help us to know you among us, creating and caring.

Spirit of God, give us courage and daring--

to share God's love with a world that is waiting.

Words: Carolyn Winfrey Gillette

Music: O Quanta qualia, melody from Antiphon, 1681

Carolyn Winfrey Gillette (b.1961)

Carolyn’s fa­ther is a re­tired col­lege pro­fes­sor, her mo­ther a lay lead­er in the Grace Unit­ed Me­tho­dist Church in Ha­gers­town, Ma­ry­land.

She mar­ried Bruce Gil­lette on May 26, 1984, and they have three child­ren: John, Cath­er­ine, and Sar­ah.

In 1985, she earned her Mas­ter of Di­vi­ni­ty de­gree from Prince­ton Theo­lo­gic­al Sem­ina­ry. She served as co-pastor at the First Pres­by­te­ri­an Church, Pit­man, New Jer­sey; co-pas­tor at the Lime­stone Pres­by­ter­ian Church, Wilm­ing­ton, De­la­ware, since 2004; and has a hymn Web site

 Voices Found #67

Crashing waters at Creation

Crashing waters at creation,

ordered by the Spirit's breath,

first to witness day's beginning 

from the brightness of night's death

Parting waters stood and trembled

as the captives passed on through,

washing off the chains of bondage

channel to a life made new.

Cleansing waters once at Jordon

closed around the one foretold,

opened to reveal the glory 

ever new and ever old.

Living water, never ending,

quench the thirst and flood the soul.

Wellspring, source of life eternal,

drench our dryness, make us whole.

Words: Sylvia G. Dunstan (1955-1993)

About the music

Two familiar melodies,  Halton Holgate and Omni die, may  be used  for congregational song.  Ellerton, by Sharon Hershey is used to set this text in Voices Found. It is a lovely setting for a small choir to sing as a simple anthem.

                                                     Crashing waters of the Atlantic

Sylvia G. Dunstan ( b. Simcoe, Ontario, Canada, 26 May 1955; d. 25 July 1993), author of "Crashing Waters," was raised by her grandparents, who had Methodist and Salvation Army backgrounds. She read History at York University, Toronto (BA, 1977), and then studied at Emmanuel College, University of Toronto (MDiv, 1980). In 1980 she was ordained in the United Church of Canada. Her first pastorate was in a two-point charge in Alma-Albert, New Brunswick. Following her return to Toronto she became duty chaplain of a maximum-security jail in Whitby, Ontario, and entered into a ThM degree programme at Emmanuel College, awarded with honours in 1986. At Emmanuel she was encouraged to use her poetic skills to write hymns to...

"Sylvia Dunstan." The Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology. Canterbury Press. Web. 13 Feb. 2024.<http://www.hymnology.co.uk/s/sylvia-dunstan>.

 Dunstan's words  highlight   women's experiences of living, cleansing, birthing  waters.  From  Miriam's  dance by the Red Sea, to the Samaritan woman's thirst for Jesus's  living waters, God's Spirit  arises in life giving waters.  For me, and likely  many mothers, I felt the Spirit's excitement as the   breaking waters of birth  heralded the appearance of my first child. Now  I share  wonder, love, and praise with all  mothers who give life and breath to our children: rejoicing that   we are co-creators with our Mothering God.

Reflection:

Voices Found #72

Mothering God, verse 1

Mothering God, you gave me birth

in the bright morning of this world.

Creator, source of every breath,

you are my rain, my wind, my sun.

Words: Jeane Wiebe Janzen, after Julian of Norwich (ca/ 1342-1416)

Music: French 17th c. melody; alt Ana Hernandez

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