Summer Hymn Sing : Our Theorem : There are times when love and faith are best said in song and poetry...

 ( written by Harley Bye read by E. Waller)

 Pastoral Prayer 
God of the Universe, superlative metaphore, Cosmic Mystery, how should we address thee? Your reality is revealed to us by the amazing harmony observed every where- from the infinitely small components of the atom to the mind boggling distant galaxis. Such knowledgecompell to proclaim the words of the Psalmist : " The heavens declare the glory of God, our planet demonstrate his handiwork. Such a confluence of theology and astronomy teases the mind and fires the imagination. Lord God, we are deeply grateful for today, and for this assembly of apostles....We thank you God for us.
Expand our understanding of how best to use each golden hour alotted to us. Sparks fly upwards, a compass points North, and the River of time flows onward.
For this unique hour, we share Today this morning, we say again "Thank you"
May the Joy of the Lord be with us today and forever....Amen`



The scripture : Song of Songs Chapter 2 : 8-13

8 Listen! My beloved!
    Look! Here he comes,
leaping across the mountains,
    bounding over the hills. 
9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. 
    Look! There he stands behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
    peering through the lattice.
10 My beloved spoke and said to me,
    “Arise, my darling,
    my beautiful one, come with me.
11 See! The winter is past;
    the rains are over and gone.
12 Flowers appear on the earth;
    the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
    is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree forms its early fruit; 
    the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come, my darling;
    my beautiful one, come with me.” 


Hymns of choice : Gordon Rennie
Part of the family
How great Thou art
To God be the Glory

The commentary

The scripture today is called the Song of Songs. It is a book of the Old Testament.It is a narative poem about a young man and his sweetheart.
In the poem, they speak back and forth, sharing their feeling of love.

A theorem is  a  proposition open to further though and study.
It is our theorem today that love and faith are best expressed in song and poetry. The hymns of the church combine the Two= the words are always poetry, and the tune is the music. Together is said what often cannot be expressed otherwise.


We are beings with a vast ocean of memories and feelings, dimley felt which ordinarary prose cannot find the words to express.
So much happens in life that is irrational the we echo the thoughts of Bruce Springsteen
 "I don't know what to believe"
The text today is verse 12 of Song of Songs, Chapter 2 " flowers appear on the earth, and the season for singing has come"
The peotry of love is made into songs of love, and love is everywhere- whether  romantic love, the love of life, the love of friends, love of country, or love of God. 

This is the time for singing, says the author.

The "song of songs" is the title of this book. In some translations it is called the Songs of Solomon. Most people have never read this book. It is never read in churches. Song of Songs is a poem about romantic love and physical intimacy. We do not know who wrote it ( Tradition says it was Solomon) nor who first published it, and certainly , we do not know why the bishops of the church included it as part of the Canon of Holy Scripture. ( Perhaps a little erotica seemed natural to them- nowadays some bishops have been indited for excessive erotica)
At any rate, this book is a beautiful picture of physical and romantic love, and reminds us that God made man and woman as we are, Sensuous love and intimacy are part of a healthy life and according to this author, something to sing about. Yes! love is something to sing about, weather romantic love between man and his wife, or about friendships and most of all about God and about country.
The beloves ( the woman) says in today's text - " arise my darling, flowers have appeared on earth, the season for singing has come....AMEN

Hymns of choice : Betty Waller
In the bulb there is a flower
I'll fly away
Old rugged cross


By Norm Rennie and Rob Ireland
Time is filled with swift transition,
Naught of earth unmoved can stand,
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand. 

Refrain:
Hold to God’s unchanging hand,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand;
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand. 

Trust in Him who will not leave you,
Whatsoever years may bring,
If by earthly friends forsaken
Still more closely to Him cling. 

Covet not this world’s vain riches
That so rapidly decay,
Seek to gain the heav’nly treasures,
They will never pass away. 

When your journey is completed,
If to God you have been true,
Fair and bright the home in glory
Your enraptured soul will view. 


Hymns of choice : Eric Pritchard
Wings of a dove
God sees the little sparrow fall
Battle hymn of the republic
Beyond the Sunset


Amen