AN OLD IRISH HYMN

Some say the lyrics of this hymn go back to the time of Patrick - fifth century Ireland - or perhaps later - to the eighth century - but the melody we now sing is certainly more modern. Does anyone know more about when the melody was invented? Whatever the accurate times of the melody, this is one of the older hymns of the Christian faith. I hope you enjoy it as much as do I.

(These words vary a bit from the video, but you'll get the idea.)
Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
2. Be Thou my Wisdom, Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee, Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
3. Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
4. High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heav'ns Son!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O ruler of all.

LISTEN TO IT ON YouTube . . . NICE

EMMANUEL IN THE CITY

Here is one of our new "presentation" cards. There are a series of these coming your way in the next few weeks and months. If you click on this image you will be able to see the card in detail. We hope you enjoy it, and that it piques your interest a bit.

Things are progressing well in Emmanuel. We continue to move forward with this unique church plant. Why is Emmanuel unique, because we at Emmanuel are geared to engage our culture through creativity in the arts. Emmanuel is a group of imperfect people who are learning to love God and to love each other. We are serious about living our lives together. We enjoy good music and all sorts of art . . . a lot. If you are a Christ-follower who loves art, and would like to be part of a launch team for his new church, join us.

Or, if you would simply like to know more about us, or if you would like to attend one or more of our gatherings, by all means contact us. You are welcome in our home group that meets at the Rice's house in Kirkland, Washington. Call Dan or Connie Rice at 425.889.6936 for details. If the description of Emmanuel on our presentation card appeals to you, join us on Sunday evenings for food, discussion and worship. In a few weeks we believe we will have some pretty good news about new locations, and some unique activities coming your way. Stay tuned.

BELONG / BECOME

Hello and welcome to this first blog posting for EMMANUEL, a gathered community of Christ followers who desire to live our lives in faithful interdependence on the will of God, spiritual intimacy, creative expression and living relationships with others. Our focus is on presenting Christ to others through the arts and culture.


In the next several postings we will attempt to articulate our vision, goals and hopes for EMMANUEL, and to introduce ourselves to all those who wish to know more about us. If you are looking for a place to grow in Christ, a place to find spiritual intimacy, come visit us as we embark on this journey together. Come on along. You are welcome to join us on this pilgrimage of faith.


NEXT: Our goals, values and visions for the future.