When You ____ From Here?

When you walk from here,

when you walk from here,

walk with justice, walk with mercy,

and with God's humble care.

Voices United 298

Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee.  He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

 “Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
    on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the gentiles—
 the people who sat in darkness
    have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
    light has dawned.”

Matthew 4 NRSVue

I led worship at Trenton United Church yesterday so I was responsible for choosing hymns and our sung Sending Forth. I like the tune and the words for When You Walk from Here by Linnea Good. I realized after including this piece that it likely wouldn't be acceptable to those who are creating a new, supplemental worship resource for the United Church which will be called Then Let Us Sing! This will be an online resource with a projected release date of 2025.

The ongoing commitment of the United Church is to be inclusive, including the language and the metaphors we use, and this is reflected in previous hymn books and supplements including Voices United and More Voices. When I was pastor at St. Andrew's UC in Sudbury we were a test congregation for Voices United and our music director was part of the country-wide team which reconsidered older hymns and gathered contemporary pieces. Some traditional hymns, even certain favourites, didn't make it into Voices United. "This is My Father's World" became "This is God's Wondrous World" -- better.  

Lots of these changes were worthwhile, from my perspective. I sense, though, that along the way we have de-emphasized the transcendence of God and become vaguer in our trinitarian theology. Some newer hymns and songs are a breath of fresh air, or the breath of the Holy Spirit. Others seem flat, deflated.  

There is "the importance of being earnest" tendency of the UCC. I'll admit that I do become exasperated at times, but this is no easy task. On the Thanksgiving weekend I chatted with one of my excellent sisters-in-law who is a congregational musician. One of her choir members submitted a hymn which had potential but was rejected because it included the word "walk." 

Later she shared a portion of an article in a recent Gathering magazine suggests to hymn writers:

 

. Instead of the word see, try experience, feel, notice or discover.

. Instead of the word hear, try receive, encounter or invite.

. Instead of the word walk, try journey , travel, trek, or accompany

. Instead of the phrase stand up, try join, share in, or present yourself.

. Avoid using dark or darkness for evil and light for good.

 

The hope is that these will “ aid inclusion, honour diversity, and assist with striving for equity and justice.”

Well, maybe. We had both read a new biography of Helen Keller who was deaf and blind, or lived with with visual and auditory challenges. Helen became a remarkable woman with a relentless commitment to social justice issues  which would “aid inclusion, honour diversity, and assist with striving for equity and justice.” She regularly scolded her detractors and opponents, saying that their deafness and blindness far exceeded hers. She understood the power of metaphors. 

While we need to be sensitive and inclusive in the language we employ, isn't it possible to become overly earnest? What will we do with the imagery and metaphors of scripture which don't fit the criteria? As the passage above shows, Jesus didn't pass muster. The oldy-goldie, Jesus Bids Us Shine is in Voices United, but should it be? 

1 Jesus bids us shine with a pure, clear light,

like a little candle burning in the night.

In this world is darkness, so let us shine,

you in your small corner, and I in mine.

I'll attempt to keep an open mind and endeavour to be an old dog learning new tricks. I do enjoy singing in worship without looking over my shoulder. Lots of hymn-writers have willingly altered the lyrics to hymns and songs to reflect the times, so that may happen for When You Walk from Here. I don't lead worship often and that may well be the last time I incorporate it. What might the alternative be?

When you journey from here,

when you travel from here,

trek with justice, trek with mercy,

and with God's humble care.

Hmm. Definitely needs some work...