UU Hymn Videos

While our hymnal, Singing the Living Tradition, does not list an author for this hymn, #395, our search found that the hymn was actually composed by William B. Bradbury (1816-1868), (see Bradbury info).

The message of this song is simple, but encouraging: Sing! Rejoice! This hymn reminds us to find joy in our lives no matter what else is going on.

This recording is done as a round, and the lyrics are posted on the video. The recording is by Les Tacy, Music Director of Heritage, and the video and sound mixing is by Steph Tacy. Enjoy this simple, uplifting hymn this week!

On YouTube: Sing and Rejoice

Our Hymn of the Week this week is #1064. This rendition is performed by Michael Tacy, Music Director of the Gathering at Northern Hills. The lyrics were written by Peter Mayer, https://www.petermayer.com/, a guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and recording artist in Nashville. The musical composer for this hymn is Rowland H. Prichard (1811-1887), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowland_Prichard. He composed this tune, called “Hyfrodol”, in 1830. The tune is published in many hymnals and Welsh periodicals.

Enjoy this beautiful hymn. The lyrics are on the video if you want to sing along. On YouTube, enjoy Blue Boat Home.

“Doxology” is a hymn we sing quite often at Heritage Church. The lyrics we use were written by Rev. Bill Gupton. The vocals (melody, tenor and bass), guitar, and piano parts are performed by Les Tacy, and the video work is done by Steph Tacy. The tune to this hymn can be found in our hymnal #371.

Enjoy singing along or meditating on the YouTube video for Doxology.

Les Tacy, Music Director, sings hymn #325, “Love Makes a Bridge.”

The lyrics of this hymn, which you can follow on the video, are by Brian Wren. Wren is an internationally published hymn-poet whose work appears in many hymnals. Ordained in Britain’s United Reformed Church, he is now Professor Emeritus of Worship at Columbia Theological Seminary. For more information on Brian Wren, see this Wikipedia article.

The music is by Gerald Wheeler, long time church organist and choir director. Gerald says his father wanted him to be a bank clerk, but he told him he wanted to be an organist. After his return from serving in WWII, he enrolled at the Royal College of Music in London where he was trained as a pianist. To get more information on Wheeler, see this link to an article about his recent retirement: https://islandadvantages.com/news/2019/oct/4/gerald-wheeler-longtime-church-organist-choir-dire/#.YQ_xqohKhPY

Watch the YouTube video and sing along with Love Makes a Bridge.

Les Tacy, Music Director, sings Hymn #44, “We Sing of Golden Mornings.”

The words to this hymn are written by Ralph Waldo Emerson (see Wikipedia article). The music is from William “Singin’ Billy” Walker’s “The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion” work (see Wikipedia article on Southern Harmony).

We are grateful for the writings of Emerson, and the preservation of old folk tunes by Walker, and that the two efforts by these artists have found a union in this beautiful hymn.

The lyrics are inserted on the video for you to sing along with if you so desire.

Enjoy the YouTube video, We Sing of Golden Mornings.

Our hymn is #362, “Rise Up O Flame.” Performing this is Michael Tacy, Music Director of The Gathering at Northern Hills.

This is one of the short hymns in our the UU hymnal. Often used as an introductory or gathering hymn, the lyrics of this song goes along well with the common practice of using candles in our church services. This is often sung while the chalice is being lit at the beginning of services.

The words are from an anonymous source, and the melody is by Michael Praetorius, a German composer, organist, and music theorist.

The lyrics are simple but direct: “Rise up, O flame, by thy light glowing. Show to us beauty, vision, and joy.”

Since this hymn is so short, please listen to it first, then sing along with it. Then you may want to sing or listen to it over and over a few times as a form of meditation.

On YouTube: Rise Up O Flame.

Our hymn is “We Are a Gentle, Angry People”, number 170. This song is written by Holly Near, an American singer-songwriter, actress, teacher, and activist.

This song is a call to action. The lyrics show everyone that we will not be moved, and while we are angry, we are also loving and gentle in our hopes to make positive social change.

At Heritage Church, we sang this hymn Sunday, May 30, 2021, in remembrance of those who suffered due to a racially motivated massacre. To quote the History Channel’s website, history.com, “On June 1, 1921, a white mob attacked residents, homes and businesses in the predominantly Black Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The event remains one of the worst incidents of racial violence in U.S. history, and, for a period, remained one of the least-known: News reports were largely squelched, despite the fact that hundreds of people were killed and thousands left homeless” – https://www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties/tulsa-race-massacre.

Please join in singing, or listening to, this notable hymn. On YouTube: We Are a Gentle, Angry People

Our hymn is a combination of two hymns, a medley of the Finlandia tune, numbers 159 and 318. The composer of this Finnish tune is Jean Sebelius. It is considered the national anthem for many in Finland, and its most important song.

The lyrics of hymn 159 are by Lloyd Stone, written as a prayer of peace. The lyrics of hymn 318 are written by Unitarian minister Samuel Anthony Wright, for the Unitarian and Universalist youth at their Continental Convention of 1953-54. His lyrics bring into focus the concept of Oneness, less than a decade before the Unitarian and Universalist faiths would indeed join as one.

We are graced to have Joan Stoffregen lead this medley, singing the alto and soprano lines, while Les Tacy sings the tenor and bass lines.

Enjoy and sing along as this medley combines the important lyrics of both hymns.

Enjoy the YouTube video: Finlandia Medley