Transformed by Christ: Prayerful, Pastoral, Prophetic
On Advent Sunday 2020, Bishop Graham Usher launched a new Vision for the Diocese of Norwich and shared with us the words above. Those three ‘P’ words, describing the ways in which he envisaged us being transformed by Christ, have proved to be powerfully memorable and have characterised much of our diocesan life ever since.
For the first year of the Vision, the focus was on Prayerful, the focus in the second year was Pastoral and in this, the third year, the focus is Prophetic. A range of resources has been offered to support each year’s focus and, as part of that resourcing, I have written three hymns each set to already well-known tunes. Please feel free to use them, whatever your context might be.
Vision hymn for Year 1: Prayerful.
Transform, O Christ, your people assembled in this place;
our longing to be prayerful is gathering depth and pace:
just as those first disciples, we too make our request -
‘Teach us to pray, Lord Jesus, and lead us on our quest.’
We glimpse you in the gospels before the break of day,
alone there in the shadows and making time to pray:
inspired by your example, give us the grace to dare
to deepen our discipleship through deepening times of prayer.
Who knows how this will change us? What challenges await?
Who knows where prayer might lead us? What love might come from hate?
So light the fire within us, stir us afresh to pray;
we’re frail but long for faithfulness: transform us, Christ, today!
We long for peace and plenty where all we see is war;
we long to feed the hungry, to change the global law
which keeps the poor from thriving and elevates the rich;
we long for holy justice: teach us to pray for this.
We long to heal the forests, protect the suffering seas,
to halt the melting ice-caps, increase the hum of bees;
we know our need for wisdom (so close to the abyss),
for unity, humility: teach us to pray for this.
Transform, O Christ, your people assembled in this place,
attune us to your presence, still us in your embrace:
then grace us as we listen, hearts opening until,
with boldness and with vision, we’re nerved to do your will.
Susanna Gunner
November 2021
N.B. Can be sung to any of the tunes used for O Jesus I have promised
e.g. Wolvercote, Thornbury or Hatherop Castle
Vision hymn for Year 2: Pastoral
The charcoal fire, alight with love and welcome,
burned by his risen master on the beach;
and then three times, the soft, heart-stopping question,
“O Peter, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord, I do, you know I love you deeply,
you have my loyalty, my life, my all.”
“Then tend my lambs, the lost, the least, the lonely.
Let me transform you! Be a shepherd! Hear my call!”
Transform us too! O living Lord, inspire us
to turn our hearts towards a wounded world,
and with your Spirit’s blazing passion fire us
to bind the broken, feed, protect, enfold.
Teach us to find the pattern of our calling
in you, O Christ, our Shepherd and our Friend:
until like you, we lose ourselves in serving,
like you inclusive, tender, loving to the end.
John 21
Susanna Gunner
September 2022
Tune: Londonderry Air (O Danny Boy...)
Vision hymn for Year 3: Prophetic
In ancient times you called them, those prophets of our past,
reassured, emboldened, stirred them to step up to the task.
But first they had to listen, to ponder what they’d heard
and make divine connections between your Word and world:
then, Spirit-filled and singing your song of change and choice,
they challenged sin and suffering and lifted up their voice.
They pleaded for the widow, the orphan and the poor;
they stood up for the foreigner, for those oppressed by war;
in times of violation, your fairness was their dream,
envisioning your justice, an ever-rolling stream.
We need those waters still, Lord, to wash our sullied world:
Where are your prophets now, Lord? O let us hear your Word!
Then suddenly we realise, their call is also ours –
to scatter seeds of righteousness, to speak your truth to power.
Transform our lack of courage that, Spirit-filled, we too
may live our faith and find our voice to share your hope anew.
Until creation is restored, until all sufferings cease,
we vow to strive for healing, for freedom and for peace.
Susanna Gunner
November 2023
To be sung to the tune Thaxted (I vow to thee my country).