Hymn suggestions for Sunday 5 January 2025

Second Sunday of Christmas

For many Methodist congregations, the first Sunday of the new year is marked as Covenant Sunday. See The Covenant Service to read how the original service came about and reflect on Methodist understanding of the prayer at its centre. The complete Covenant Service is available in the Methodist Service Book, or you can download it here.

Two helpful hymns published on the website are:

No longer my own but yours by Andrew Orton (paraphrases and reflects upon the central prayer of the Covenant Service)
Covenant of Grace by Barbara Honeyball Young (a shorter, metered setting of the Covenant Prayer)

For suggestions of other hymns for this service, see Covenant and renewal - hymns to explore

Hymns marked with an asterisk (*) are suggested for more than one reading

Today is also the final Sunday in the Methodist Church's Hush the Noise worship resource for Advent and Christmas worship. Download and explore all Hush the Noise resources.

The theme for today is: Jesus, the Love Song

The year is new, the day is new,
The light is newly shining,
The song is newly sung,
Let’s share the song,
With angels let us sing.

General

Captain of Israel’s hope, and Guide (StF 459)
*Great is our redeeming Lord (StF 683)
May the Sending One sing in you (StF 472)
The world we thought we knew (website only)
We gather round this table (website only) communion
You call us, as you called the twelve (website only)

Jeremiah 31: 7-14

Best of all is God is with us (StF 610)
Gather us in (“Here in this place a new light is streaming”) (Marty Haugen songlyrics.com/marty-haugen/gather-us-in-lyrics/ Also e.g. Church Hymnary 4 #623 / Ancient and Modern #363) More information at Hymnary.org, including other hymn books where text can be found
*O God of Bethel, by whose hand thy people still are fed (StF 475)
Praise, my soul, the King of heaven (StF 83)
The Lord’s my shepherd, I'll not want (StF 481) Townend ver.
When I’m feeling down and sad (StF 642)
When we are living, we are in the Lord (StF 485)
You shall go out with joy (StF 487)
You showed us mercy (StF 488)
Your ceaseless, unexhausted love (StF 438)

Psalm 147: 12-20

Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King (StF 77)
*Great is our redeeming Lord (StF 683)
Sing praise to God who reigns above (StF 117)

Ephesians 1: 3-14

All my days I will sing this song of gladness (StF 343)
Father God, I wonder how I managed to exist (StF 72)
My God, I am thine (StF 80)
My Jesus, my Saviour (StF 363)

John 1: (1-9) 10-18

Before the world began, one Word was there (StF 101)
Christ is the world’s light, Christ and none other (StF 346)
Light of the world, you stepped down into darkness (StF 175)
On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry (StF 182)
Of the Father’s love begotten (StF 181)

OR

Sirach/Ecclesiasticus 21: 1-12

Father, we have sinned in word, and deed, and thought (StF 422)
God of forgiveness, your people you freed (StF 425)
Lord, we turn to you for mercy (StF 429)
The prophets’ voice comes down the years (StF 162)

Canticle: Wisdom of Solomon 10: 15-21

God who sets us on a journey (website only)
Guide me, O thou great Jehovah (StF 465)
Lord, for the years your love has kept and guided (StF 470)
*O God of Bethel, by whose hand thy people still are fed (StF 475)

Ephesians 1: 3-14

as above

John 1: (1-9) 10-18

as above