New Hymnal Features My Hymn: "May God's Love Be Fixed above You"

Above: Me, in my office, holding the new "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism" hymnal.  Below, my hymn "May God's Love Be Fixed above You" on page 218 of the hymnal.

This brand new hymnal, entitled "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism" has just been published by the famous sacred music publisher, GIA.  GIA is the copyright holder of about 50 of my hymn texts, including the one that is featured in this new hymnal.  The hymn is called "May God's Love Be Fixed above You."  It is selection 218 in this new hymnal.  I received my author's copy in the mail yesterday and was glad to receive it.  The hymnal is quite handsome in design and it is an honor for my work to be part of it.  Here's hoping that the singing of my hymn will prove inspirational to congregations for many years to come.

You can buy this hymnal directly from GIA at this link: One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism

My hymn text "May God's Love Be Fixed above You" was written to be sung to the familiar hymn tune LAUDA ANIMA, with the meter 878787, in March of 1992.  It was written to be part of the first published anthology of my hymn texts,  “Come O Spirit” (published by EMI).  The words are based on the benediction that was used at our wedding, inspired by Psalm 91:1 and Psalm 121:5.  The hymn was first sung by a group at the Parish Resource Center in Mishawaka, IN, (no longer extant) gathered there to mark the introduction of my book in October of 1992. 

The hymn also has been published in the February 1993 issue of “Church Worship” magazine; in the Moravian Hymnal as selection #443 also set to LAUDA ANIMA; in The Covenant Hymnal as selection #669 to TANTUM ERGO.  In "Church Worship" again in 1998.  The hymn is published in the Presbyterian Church of Canada PCC hymnal, as selection #582. 

It was sung on 5/14/08 at the commencement ceremony of the Toronto School of Theology, on the campus of the University of Toronto, thanks to Professor John H. Derksen (Knox College); on 8/23/09 at the Knollbrook Covenant Church in Fargo, ND; on 5/13/07 at Augsburg Lutheran Church, in Winston Salem,  NC; on 6/22/08 at the Covenant Church in Springfield, VA; on 2/15/09 at St Giles Presbyterian Church, Ottawa CA; on 6/21/09 at Calvin Presbyterian Church, in Abbotsford, B.C.; on 6/24/09 at St Andrews Presbyterian Church in Guelph, Ontario; on 9/9/09 at St Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church, Stratford, NJ.

The hymn text was included in the Moravian Church’s annual devotional book, Daily Praise in 2010.  And in the anthology of my hymns called “Swift Currents and Still Waters” published by GIA, as selection #29. 

About One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism:

(From the GIA website): In creating the African American ecumenical hymnal, One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism it was imperative to the core committee that the hymnal serve as a needed resource for the many denominations in the African American Church. It was the committee’s strong desire that this hymnal would represent and preserve the rich theological, cultural, and musical heritages of these traditions and offer a full breadth of music representing historical as well as vibrant contemporary worship, while looking toward the future. It was also of utmost importance that this hymnal draw the body of Christ together so that it may be enlarged, enriched, and inspired to live and worship based on what unites us: “one Lord, one faith, one baptism.”