Leading Congregations in Mission - Community of Christ

You Might Think It’s Strange
By Jane M. Gardner,
Quorum of High Priests president
You might think it is
strange for the newsletter of
the Quorum of High Priests
to print a hymn text and
tune. What does this have to
do with high priests?
First, the title of the
text may provide a clue.
As Ministers of Vision it is
refreshing to find a poet who
can help us articulate the
type of ministry to which we
are called. At times we might
feel satisfied with our ability to vision possibilities, yet this text
reminds us that the God of vision surveys a scope “greater
than all human scheming.”
Second, the author specifically talks about many themes
that are important to high priests (and the church at-large)
like diversity, perseverance, hope, sacrament, all are called,
and generously offering ourselves.
As we consider the year ahead leading to the 2013
World Conference, I am especially drawn to the text of the
third stanza. It is a prayer for vision at a time of decision making.
Here’s a suggestion: Use this text as devotional material
between now and next World Conference. Pray it. Sing it.
Breathe it. Ponder it. Share it.
Third, when I was asked to lead the Hymnal Steering
Team, I hesitated because of the enormous time commitment
the project would entail. I was concerned that it would
detract from my work in the quorum. However, in truth,
this is what I have found: The messages of the songs we sing
provide a principal vehicle for the vision of the church. We
will sing difficult and challenging concepts well before we will
attempt to live them. When we sing in this manner we are
“visioning” what might be.
So, there is a marvelous, important connection between
being a Minister of Vision and the next song resource for the
church. I was struck that this is not the first time such a connection
has been made between the Quorum of High Priests
and the denomination’s hymnal.
Hymnody
Here is a historical reference provided by High Priest
Richard Clothier in a draft of his paper, “Hymnody in Community
of Christ,” written for inclusion in the Canterbury Dictionary
of Hymnology, Carlton Young, editor, to be published
by Canterbury Press in London and Eerdmans in Grand
Rapids, Michigan. Geoffrey Spencer, cited in the article, was a
former president of the Quorum of High Priests.
One of the members of the committee for Hymns of
the Saints [1981] discovered a latent talent for hymn
writing, and as a result contributed 13 texts to that
collection. Geoffrey Spencer was a native of Australia,
and spent his life in ministry to the church, including
ten years as a member of the Council of Twelve
Apostles. As with most denominations, the hymnody
of Community of Christ has included its share of
hymns that tend to appeal more to the emotions
(the “heart”) than to the intellect (the “head”). Since
human beings are whole persons, both passion and
substance are important. Spencer’s texts are both
poetic and thoughtful, and one of them is particularly
appropriate to include in this essay because of its
significant content, beautifully expressed.
Spencer said he wrote this hymn in response to
questions from members about the Basic Beliefs of
the church. The idea was to encapsulate in a few
stanzas some of the important beliefs of the church;
he said that he would have liked to have included
more items, but did not want to make the hymn
any longer. Those that are incorporated in the five
stanzas are the concepts of: restoration, and the
living presence of divine power for the task (stanza
1); the sacredness of all things and the unity of spirit
and element (stanza 3); the power of our heritage,
and the experience of the God who calls us into the
future (stanza 5). The two stanzas not reproduced
here refer to the worth of all persons, stewardship of
the earth’s resources, the ongoing search for truth,
men and women together in ministry, and the role of
the church as sin-bearer.
Three of the verses, set to Lowell Mason’s tune,
WESLEY, are:
1. Let us give praise to the God of creation,
Lord of all history and source of all power,
Calling us now to the world’s restoration;
Granting us strength for the needs of this hour.
3 High Priests Newsletter