Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, parish associate pastor at the First Presbyterian Union Church in Owego, likes to write hymns. She has written over 400 of them, but she has never before gotten the reaction that she received when she wrote a new hymn during the week before Holy Week.
“This Easter Celebration” acknowledges that this Easter will not be like those that we are used to celebrating. The hymn includes a reference to individual isolation early on and, later, to the impact of the coronavirus: “In all the grief and suffering.”
The hymn reminds us to focus on Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection on the Church’s most important day and to respond by continuing to serve in these challenging times.
Carolyn gives permission for free use of this hymn by churches. Approximately 13,000 pastors, church musicians and others have shared the new hymn. The posting on Carolyn’s Facebook reached over 800,000 people.
The hymn has been translated into Cantonese, Mandarin, and Norwegian Rwandan, Spanish, Swedish and Taiwanese languages.
This Easter Celebration
AURELIA 7.6.7.6 D (“The Church’s One Foundation”)
This Easter celebration is not like ones we’ve known.
We pray in isolation, we sing the hymns alone.
We’re distant from our neighbors – from worship leaders, too.
No flowers grace the chancel to set a festive mood.
No gathered choirs are singing; no banners lead the way.
O God of love and promise, where’s joy this Easter Day?
With sanctuaries empty, may homes become the place we ponder resurrection and celebrate your grace.
Our joy won’t come from worship that’s in a crowded room, but from the news of women who saw the empty tomb.
Our joy comes from disciples who ran with haste to see – who heard that Christ is risen and then, by grace, believed.
In all the grief and suffering, may we remember well: Christ suffered crucifixion and faced the powers of hell.
Each Easter bears the promise: Christ rose that glorious day!
Now nothing in creation can keep your love away.
We thank you that on Easter, your church is blessed to be a scattered, faithful body that’s doing ministry.
In homes and in the places of help and healing, too, we live the Easter message by gladly serving you.
Tune: Samuel Sebastian Wesley, 1864
Text: Copyright © 2020 by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette.
Email: carolynshymns@gmail.com.
New Hymns: www.carolynshymns.com.
The musically gifted Dove family (parents William and Jennifer; children Jordan, Abigail and Jacob) have done a recording of the hymn that will be used to lead the congregation singing the new hymn in the streaming Facebook Live and YouTube worship service at 10 a.m. on Easter Sunday.
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