Hymns for Solitude and Silence

Moira River paddle this morning -- photo: Ruth Mundy

This was my second consecutive Sunday to "lead worship" for Trenton United Church while son Isaac, the pastor, was on vacation. Of course I wasn't in the building to provide leadership this morning. Instead we were out on the river. Earlier in the week I worked with congregational musician and techie, Dianne, to provide three videos with message, music and prayer, along with the print version of the message. I was outside when Ruth, my wife, recorded my reflection and prayer, and Dianne did a lovely job of recording a hymn I quoted with photos and printed words accompanying the music.

Actually, I incorporated the words of two hymns as I spoke and prayed about silence and solitude, both of which I find deeply meaningful. In the Quiet Curve of Evening and Come and Find the Quiet Centre, both in Voices United, our UCC music and worship resource.

1 In the quiet curve of evening,
 in the sinking of the days,
 in the silky void of darkness, you are there.
  In the lapses of my breathing,
  in the space between my ways,
  in the crater carved by sadness, you are there.
 You are there, you are there, you are there.

2 In the rests between the phrases,
 in the cracks between the stars,
 in the gaps between the meaning, you are there.
  In the melting down of endings,
  in the cooling of the sun,
  in the solstice of the winter, you are there.
 You are there, you are there, you are there.

3 In the mystery of my hungers,
 in the silence of my rooms,
 in the cloud of my unknowing, you are there.
  In the empty cave of grieving,
  in the desert of my dreams,
  in the tunnel of my sorrow, you are there.
 You are there, you are there, you are there.

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1 Come and find the quiet centre
  in the crowded life we lead,
 find the room for hope to enter,
  find the frame where we are freed:
 clear the chaos and the clutter,
  clear our eyes, that we can see
 all the things that really matter,
  be at peace, and simply be.

2 Silence is a friend who claims us,
  cools the heat and slows the pace,
 God it is who speaks and names us,
  knows our being, face to face,
 making space within our thinking,
  lifting shades to show the sun,
 raising courage when we're shrinking,
  finding scope for faith begun.

3 In the Spirit let us travel,
  open to each other's pain,
 let our loves and fears unravel,
  celebrate the space we gain:
 there's a place for deepest dreaming,
  there's a time for heart to care,
 in the Spirit's lively scheming
  there is always room to spare!

These two hymns are sermons in themselves, but you can check out what we're doing this week here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Tj7opDk8txVzeq78iiOhubeTniEgLZ3T/view