Good Day my Friends,

I hope you are feeling all merry and bright!

You know that idea of people singing in the shower, and giving it full blast? Well I am pleased to say that I don’t do that. I am more of a gentle humming sort of chap. I get a tune in my head, and let it flow, and eventually, after my shower I need to listen to it for real, otherwise is spins around my head all day.
Well, this morning I woke up to one of my favourites the Hothouse Flowers version of ‘I can see clearly now’. ( Have a listen, it is undoubtedly the best) I don’t know how it happened, but somehow in morphed in my singing / humming to ‘We have a Gospel to proclaim’! I was obviously letting the ideas flow!

Anyway it just so happens that we are singing that hymn on Sunday, so let’s remind ourselves of its beauty

We have a gospel to proclaim,

good news for all throughout the earth;

the gospel of a Saviour’s name:

we sing his glory, tell his worth.

2.  Tell of his birth at Bethlehem, 

not in a royal house or hall

but in a stable dark and dim:

the Word made flesh, a light for all.

3.  Tell of his death at Calvary,

hated by those he came to save;

in lonely suff’ring on the cross, 

for all he loved, his life he gave.

4.  Tell of that glorious Easter morn: 

empty the tomb, for he was free;

he broke the pow’r of death and hell,

that we might share his victory.

5.  Tell of his reign at God’s right hand, 

by all creation glorified;

he sends his Spirit on his church, 

to live for him, the Lamb who died.

6.  Now we rejoice to name him king;

Jesus is Lord of all the earth;

This gospel message we proclaim: 

we sing his glory, tell his worth.

It was written in only 1968, so is very modern compared to some other of our favourites. Edward Burns wrote it as a Call to Mission in the Blackburn Diocese. It is one of those hymns that takes us on a journey and without doubt, if we put our hearts into singing it, we will be moved to action.

Verse one reminds us that we are called to share the Gospel. We have heard it from others, and it is glorious to be able to share it. The message of Christ is inclusive, and to be heard the world over, and you and I play our part in making that happen.

The next four verses touch on the great themes of the story that needs telling: Incarnation, Crucifixion, Resurrection and Pentecost. Burns manages to transport us through the complete series seamlessly. 
Everyone loves the Christmas story, so its familiarity embraces the singer and hearer alike, but with a theology that speaks volumes ‘The Word made flesh, a light for all.’ The inclusive nature of ‘For all’ is perfect for a sense of Mission.

We move straight to Calvary. This is not to miss out everything that goes in between, but to encapsulate it with the meaning of the cross. ‘Hated by those he came to save’ – is the worldly response to his teaching, but ‘for all he loved, his life he gave’ is his response to that. It is incredible how Burns manages to exclude any sense of judgement and focus on Jesus’ love right through to the end.

The Resurrection is both Glorious in itself, but is also the route to freedom, and again it is inclusive. We get to share in the victory, not because of what we have done, but through the grace of God.

Verse five leads us to the sending of the Holy Spirit that the Church may live for him. 
Burns has taken us through the human events that led to Calvary, and replaced them with the Godly initiative that leads us to heaven.

The hymn works so well as outreach on a number of levels. It tells the story for those who don’t know. It reminds folk of the active part the God constantly plays. It reminds those who have thought about these things that there is huge depth beneath this story, and we do well to ponder on what each verse really means to us. And most importantly it makes it clear that we, led and inspired by the Spirit have a job to do. All of this leads us beautifully to the final verse during which we proclaim that Christ is our King, and indeed Lord of all the earth, and that we, that is you and I will do something with this Good News.

My Friends, sometimes when we sing, or say something that is very familiar we just internally acknowledge that we like it, and then move on to whatever comes next. But Edward Burns wanted this hymn to do more than that. He wanted those who sang it to believe that they were an integral part of the story, that they were involved in it all the way through. The first and last line both begin with ‘We’

If we don’t proclaim the Gospel who will?

This is our story, this is our song.

So, give it your best shot, and sing your hearts out.

Bless you, Bless you, Bless you,

Fr Marcus