We Are Light
At West Hill, one of our main “metaphors” is that of light. During our Longest Night service in December, an annual celebration that takes place on the night of the Winter Solstice and has allowed us to discontinue Christmas services, each person in attendance is given a candlewick bracelet and reminded that they are the […]
Trentham: A Hymn for My American Friends
An election night like no other The night ended late. Scott and I stumbled to bed after too many hours of the American election and hearts that were heavy with the result. We weren’t shocked. Not as shocked as some. Perhaps watching it unfold from this northern vantage point had already scared us more than […]
Half the World
West Hill was privileged to host a fundraiser this past weekend to raise money for Bangladeshi asylum seekers. The situation in Bangladesh is terrifying for secular authors and bloggers who each risk a brutal death whenever they are in public. Some have fled the country, others remain hidden. If you’d like to make a donation […]
Here All Belong
It has been months since I wrote new words to a well-loved tune but yesterday morning, three hours before the service started at West Hill United, I felt inspired to do so. It is the first song I’ve been able to write since the review of my effectiveness was initiated by The United Church of […]
Love, Again
This week opened with the wonderful news that a tumor in the lung of a much-loved friend and member of West Hill was benign. A week or so ago, as the medical diagnosis was still pending, that friend asked me to rewrite the song Amazing Grace. Since Scott has already adapted the original words for use […]
nothing once, for all
A new hymn written to the tune Blaenwern, one of the tunes most often used for Love Divine. Scott named it this morning as one he wanted new words for, so this is what came in the late afternoon. I’ve been preparing for Sunday’s reflection on Into the Woods, the first film I’ve ever picked for […]
in love, we all belong
I have totally fallen off my “hymn rewrite a week”, but here is one I had written a few weeks ago but didn’t introduce to West Hill until this past Sunday. Yeah, I know. It makes you want to swing a stein as you’re singing the chorus, but I didn’t write the music! The tune […]