Category: General

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Hymn: “This Child”

Tom Shelton, music director of children’s and youth choirs at PUMC, wrote the hymn “This Child” and composed its music.

The lyrics of this Christmas song makes it suitable for release during the Coronavirus pandemic. Says Tom: “The verses represent what many of us have felt during this period of isolation. We have to keep our faith and believe in This Child.”

Here are the lyrics of the chorus:

“Where do I run, where can I hide,

When the world comes crashing down. 

Where can I turn, who do I call,

When there’s no one else around. 

I turn to you; I call on my faith,

And the promise delivered that night –

This Child.”

Shelton played and sang “This Child” during worship on Sunday, September 13, 2020, as the children’s and youth choirs resumed their activities this week, meeting virtually (mostly). 

To follow our worship service on FaceBook and sing with us, click here

Written by Isabella Dougan

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Children’s Book: “God’s Dream”

At Children’s Time, during worship on Sunday, September 6, 2020, Pastor Jenny read aloud the children’s picture book, “God’s Dream.” Author Archbishop Desmond Tutu lives in South Africa. Coauthor Douglas Carlton Abrams lives in California. Illustrator LeUyen Pham, born in Vietnam, now lives in California. 

“God’s Dream,” a beautifully written story with delightful illustrations, featuring an international cast of children, speaks to the heart. The children play together, hold each other’s hands, but sometimes get angry with each other. Then, they reach out and say they are sorry and forgive each other. Desmond Tutu, Douglas Abrams, and LeUyen Pham,  different in many ways, remind everyone that human beings have many differences: we are different races, speak other languages, have different natures and behaviors, diverse religious practices, and various thoughts. Yet, we are all God’s children. 

God dreams that we will all learn to love each other, care for each other, and live in peace together, like any family, even though we look different and talk differently. Children don’t have to be friends with everyone; they don’t even have to like them, but they HAVE to be kind to everyone. They must also have hope and dreams, even in their most difficult times. It is a book for children of all faiths.

So, what now?

Says Pastor Jenny: “God is always trying to invite us, to tell us how to love the other person when they hurt us, even when we wrong them. How do we fix it? How does God fix it? Jesus and Paul in the Book of Romans tell us we have to keep learning to love, which is not always easy. But we keep trying and never quit. I wonder if you can dream with God, a little bit about how you can love that other person, even if they are the ones who hurt you, and you feel like you couldn’t love them back. Let’s pray about that together. I hope you’ll keep praying about it beyond today as well.”

To follow the worship service and listen to Pastor Jenny read, click here.

Click here to watch a reading of the entire book on YouTube video by Summer Book Club.

Written by Isabella Dougan

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Romans 13: 8-14 and Matthew 18: 15-20     

The scripture reading for Sunday, September 6, 2020, is from Romans 13: 8-14 and Matthew 18: 15-20. 

“If Another Sins Against You” is the title of Pastor Jenny Smith Walz’s sermon. 

“. . . and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  ~Romans 13:9b

“Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.”  ~Romans 13:8

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.’”       ~Matthew 18:20

To follow our worship service on FaceBook, hear the scripture, and listen to Pastor Jenny’s sermon, click here.

To watch interesting videos on YouTube of both scripture passages, click here and here.

On this September Communion Sunday, our Communion Offering this week goes to the Mercer Street Friends Food Bank. Please give this month as you are able for those whose need is so great. 

Written by Isabella Dougan

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HYMNS: “God Made From One Blood,” “Panis angelicus,” and “When God Restored Our Common Life”

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Thomas H. Troeger is the author of “God Made From One Blood.”  To watch a YouTube video of this hymn, click here

“Panis angelicus” (Latin for “Bread of Angels” or “Angelic Bread”) is the penultimate strophe of the hymn “Sacris solemniis” written by Saint Thomas Aquinas for the feast of Corpus Christi. Most famously, in 1872 César Franck set this strophe for tenor voice, harp, cello, and organ, and incorporated it into his Messe à trois voix. {Wiki}. To watch a YouTube video of this hymn, click here

“When God Restored Our Common Life” was written by Ruth C. Duck. To watch a YouTube video of this hymn, click here

To follow our worship service on FaceBook and sing with us, click here

Written by Isabella Dougan

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Children’s Book: “Someday is Now”

Pastor Jenny read aloud the children’s picture book “Someday is Now,” written by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich and Illustrated by Jade Johnson, at Children’s Time, on Sunday, August 30, 2020,

“Someday is Now,” a book on social justice in America, is about Clara Luper, a ‘superhero’ of the Civil Rights movement. It tells how Clara and her students led sit-ins in 1958, at the Katz lunch counters in Oklahoma City, to end racial segregation. The unjust laws at the time did not allow African Americans to eat at lunch counters inside the drugstore. They were forced to take their food outside. And so Clara and these children changed the laws!

Clara challenges young people to do what is right and stand up against something they know is wrong, even at a high cost, but without resorting to violence.

Pastor Jenny states, “Jesus taught us we are to follow him into hard places in this life and that we are to overcome evil with good all the time. In this story, we see real people who overcame evil with good. But it was hard!”

The lesson to be learned from this story is that young people must be prepared to make small sacrifices for justice and make changes in the world. Like speaking out and standing strong.

So, what now?

Says Pastor Jenny: “Carry this story with you into today, into the rest of the week, into the rest of our lives as you follow Jesus as well.”

To follow the worship service and listen to Pastor Jenny read, click here.

 

Written by Isabella Dougan

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Romans 12:9-21 and
 Matthew 16:21-28

The scripture for Sunday, August 30, 2020, is from Romans 12:9-21 and
 Matthew 16:21-28.          

“Take Up Your Cross” is the title of Pastor Jenny Smith Walz’s sermon. 

“Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.”  ~Romans 12:9-13

“Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’”  ~Matthew 16:24

To watch interesting videos on YouTube of both scripture passages, click here and here.

To follow our worship service, hear the scripture, and listen to Pastor Jenny’s sermon click here.

Written by Isabella Dougan

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“Joshua Fit de Battle of Jericho” and “Saranam, Saranam” 8/23/2020

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“Joshua Fit De Battle of Jericho” OR “Joshua Fought The Battle of Jericho“) is a well-known African American spiritual based on the story of Joshua in the Bible. The song tells how Joshua captured the city of Jericho when he ordered the Israelites to blow trumpets until the walls fell down. 

It is believed that slaves composed this song in the first half of the 19th century. It gave African-American slaves a strong sense of hope that their freedom would soon come – “And the walls came tumblin’ down.”

Later recordings of the song include those by Paul Robeson (1925), Mahalia Jackson (1958), Clara Ward, Laurie London, Hugh Laurie (2011), and Elvis Presley (1960) among many others.

Click here to enjoy the YouTube version of  “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho.” 

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“Saranam, Saranam” is a traditional Asian hymn for all Christians, translated by Daniel Thambyrajah Niles (1908-1970), a native of Sri Lanka. Niles encouraged the use of indigenous musical idioms for Western congregational songs.

“Saranam” a Tamil word for “refuge,” means to surrender oneself fully to the one, true God.  This prayerful song for refuge is rooted in texts like Psalm 61:1-2, “Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

Jesus, Savior, Lord, lo, to thee I fly:

Saranam, Saranam, Saranam;

Thou the Rock, my refuge that’s higher than I;

Saranam, Saranam, Saranam.

Click here to enjoy the American Folk Ensemble version of Pakistani/Indian Christian Hymn “Saranam, Saranam.”

To follow our worship service and sing with us, click here

Written by Isabella Dougan

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Books on the Steps

Many of us look forward to hearing the Children’s Time book that will preview the ensuing sermon. Books from past weeks are arrayed on the steps and are also featured on our website. How to find them: Go to PrincetonUmc.org and click on “blog,” on the top line at the right. Here are of the blog posts: 

Images of God for Young Children by Marie-Helene Delval  

The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander (8/16(

When God Made You by Matthew Paul Turner (8/9)

The Marvelous Mustard Seed by Amy Jill Levine and Sandy Eissenberg Sasso (7/26)

How Stars Fell into the Sky by Jerri Oughten (7/19)

The Curious Garden by Peter Brown (7/12)

Mr. Tiger Goes Wild, by Peter Brown (7.5)

I am Human (and) I Am Love by Susan Verde (6/7)

The Day When God Made Church  by Rebekah McCleod Hutto (5/31)

A Tale of Two Beasts by Fiona Roberton (5/24)

Carl and the Meaning of Life by Deborah Freedman (5/17)

Many of these posts on the blog include a “read aloud” version of the book. And Evangeline Burgers, director of children’s ministry, offers her own read aloud of  “The Other Side” for Father’s Day.  Tip: These books make great presents for grandchildren!  Do YOU have a favorite to suggest? Would YOU like to be filmed reading a book aloud? Tell Evangeline@PrincetonUMC.org

 

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“O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing:” Worship Music 8/23/2020

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Click here to enjoy “O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing My Great Redeemer’s Praise.” 

“O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing” is a Christian hymn written by Charles Wesley. While studying under Peter Boehler in London, Wesley suffered a bout of pleurisy, which led to the renewal of his faith on May 21, 1738.

Charles Wesley was concerned by extreme doubts about his faith during his sickness. On May 21, a gathering of Christians visited him and offered him testimony and health assistance, which strongly influenced him. He read from his Bible and found himself profoundly encouraged by the words, and at peace with God. Shortly his strength began to return. 

One year after this renewal, he decided to write a hymn to commemorate this event. This hymn praises God’s glory, as many of Wesley’s hymns did, and calls for worshippers of the Lord to come together in rejoiceful singing.

To follow our worship service and sing with us, click here

Written by Isabella Dougan