Hymn Meditation for The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost (July 18, 2021)

Organist Jason Klein-Mendoza offers a weekly hymn reflection on last Sunday’s sermon. Hymn: Thine Arm, O Lord | ST. MATTHEW While taken from our hymnal, The Hymnal 1982, this tune and text are not commonly sung in the Episcopal Church, though are more common in the Church of England. In The New English Hymnal, this tune appears two times. Written by William Croft, this tune is quintessentially English. Croft was a well-respected 18th century musician having succeeded Jeremiah Clarke and John Blow as Organist at Westminster Abbey. Edward H. Plumptre was an Oxford educated priest and biblical scholar. While this text is not as familiar as “Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart,” it is full of imagery describing a healing and loving God that Rev. Gethin Wied spoke of in his Sermon on Sunday. Check our web page for the full sermon. The second verse refers to a town that we don’t often talk about in hymnody. Gennesaret was a town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. As always, we invite you to either sing along at home or just follow along with the text and music as you continue your week in prayer.