Churches Uniting In Christ

CUIC INAUGURAL HYMNS

Two specially commissioned hymns will be used in the inauguration services for Churches Uniting in Christ. Both are protected under copyright law, but both authors have given permission for their use by congregations that are connected with COCU/CUIC. The tune is public domain.

Download PDF of the hymns.

CHRIST, THE CHURCH YOU GAVE IS BROKEN

One of the hymns was written by retired United Methodist bishop William Boyd Grove of Charleston, West Virginia. He has been committed to ecumenism and the Consultation on Church Union throughout his ministry as a pastor and as a bishop and was a member of the Executive Committee of COCU 1988-2000, and Ecumenical Officer of the Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church 1996-2000.

Asked about his contribution to the Memphis inauguration, he said, "The Inauguration of Churches Uniting in Christ is a deeply significant advance in the cause of Christian Unity for which all of us give thanks. I was deeply and profoundly honored to be asked to write a hymn for this event."
 
Dr. Grove invites you to make use of the hymn in worship, and would welcome a copy of the bulletin or some other notification of its use. He may be reached at:

William Boyd Grove, D. Min.
Bishop (retired), The United Methodist Church
109 McDavid Lane
Charleston WV  25311
Phone  304-344-1384
Fax       304-344-3717
Email    This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CHRIST, THE CHURCH YOU GAVE IS BROKEN

A Hymn for the January 20, 2002 Inaugural Celebration of Churches Uniting In Christ
Tune-Cwm Rhondda (God of Grace and God of Glory/Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehova)

Christ, the church you gave is broken,
Mend it now through us, we pray;
That the message it has spoken
May be heard through us today.
Make us one now, make us one now,
In this troubled, frightened hour,
In this troubled, frightened hour.

We are hands and feet of Jesus,
His new Body now are we;
Ears and eyes to do his bidding
That our world at peace might be.
Make us one now, make us one now,
For God’s witness in our time,
For God’s witness in our time.

Holy Spirit, come and bless us,
Give a vision for our day;
Give a vision large and mighty
To your people now, we pray.
Make us one now, make us one now;
Spirit, come and make us whole,
Spirit, come and make us whole.

Christ, the church you gave is broken,
Mend it now through us, we pray;
That the message it has spoken
May be heard and lived always.
Make us one now, make us one now,
For the glory of your Name,
For the glory of your Name.

-William Boyd Grove
John 17:20-21; I Corinthians 12:27

Commissioned for the Inaugural Celebration of Churches Uniting in Christ
Memphis TN-January 2002

copyright pending

YOU'VE CALLED US TOGETHER

In March of 2001, the executive committee of the Consultation on Church Union commissioned Carolyn Winfrey Gillette to compose an inaugural hymn for CUIC. The words are inspired by "authentic expressions of the one church of Jesus Christ" phrases in the "Visible Marks of Churches Uniting in Christ" (Report of the 18th Plenary of COCU, Section IV). A familiar hymn tune was chosen because it is easier for people to sing a new hymn to a well-known tune. The particular tune, long associated with "To God Be the Glory," was selected because of its joyful nature.

Carolyn Winfrey Gillette is the author of Gifts of Love:  New Hymns for Today's Worship (Geneva Press, 2000) and co-pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Pitman, NJ. A complete list of her hymns can be found online at http://www.firstpresby.org/hymnlist.htm.  Printable PDF file "You've Called Us Together" with music.

YOU'VE CALLED US TOGETHER

A Hymn for the January 20, 2002 Inaugural Celebration of Churches Uniting In Christ
TO GOD BE THE GLORY 11.11.11.11 with refrain

You've called us together, O God, by your grace;
In grateful obedience, we've come to this place.
Our new common mission has only begun;
We're learning the blessings of serving as one.

Refrain:

We are called!  We are freed!
We are baptized as one.
In the Church, all we need
Can be found in your Son!
With Christ to unite us, and born from above,
We witness together to your wondrous love.

We're one in the faith, and in creeds that we share,
In worship and sacraments, scripture and prayer.
We're one in our seeking to follow Christ's way,
In Spirit-led ministry, day after day.

Refrain:

We are called!  We are freed!
We are baptized as one.
In the Church, all we need
Can be found in your Son!
With Christ to unite us, and born from above,
We witness together to your wondrous love.

There's much to rejoice in, yet much to be done;
While some are excluded, we can't live as one.
May we as your churches uniting now see
That justice is needed for true unity.

Refrain:

We are called!  We are freed!
We are baptized as one.
In the Church, all we need
Can be found in your Son!
With Christ to unite us, and born from above,
We witness together to your wondrous love.

Tune:   William Howard Doane, 1875.   The tune is in public domain.
Text: Copyright (c) 2001 by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette.  All rights reserved.
305 South Broadway, Pitman, NJ 08071;  Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Carolyn Winfrey Gillette is the co-pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Pitman, NJ and author of Gifts of Love: New Hymns for Today's Worship (Geneva Press, 2000).  A complete list of her hymns can be found at http://www.firstpresby.org/hymnlist.htm