A new hymn to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday has been co-written by two clergy and a reader in the Diocese of Leeds.
‘Praise the Lord for faithful service’ is set to the well-known tune, Praise my soul the King of heaven and the four verses have been put together as part of a project to mark the special occasion.
The group which contributed included three women in ministry (or shortly to be so) in our diocese - Revd. Julie Bacon, assistant curate at St Peter’s, Shipley, Gill Robertson, Lay Reader at Christchurch, South Ossett and Revd. Leah Vasey-Saunders, soon to be Canon Precentor at Wakefield Cathedral.
The project was initiated and led by Revd. Ally Barrett, a tutor at Westcott House in Cambridge, in response to a request by a colleague for a special hymn to mark the Queen’s official birthday. Ally, who has written hymns celebrating many occasions, including the recent 20th anniversary of women’s ordination, posted her initial draft to a Facebook ministry support group, called Clergy Mummies, and invited members to help finish it.
It’s hoped that the new hymn (below) will be taken up by churches and cathedrals across the country over the weekend of June 11th/12th.
Praise the Lord for faithful service,
offered through each passing year,
Steadfast prayer, ‘May God preserve us’
Through the times of joy and fear.
Bless our Queen and bless her people,
Give us strength to persevere.
Praise the Lord for faithful vision,
keep life’s journey fixed in sight,
seek God’s will in each decision
Pray to choose the good and right.
Bless our Queen and bless her people,
In God’s way our shared delight.
Praise the Lord for faithful duty,
God has called: to this we cling,
live it out with grace and beauty,
in the tasks each day may bring.
Bless our Queen and bless her people,
As we seek to serve the King.
Praise the Lord for faithful living:
Seeking peace and just accord,
Trusting, hoping, still believing,
sharing faith in deed and word.
Bless our Queen and bless her people,
Fellow servants of One Lord.