Blue Skies All Over

Last Sunday we had a multi-cultural gathering during worship, and not necessarily intentionally. We had one set of visitors from Denmark and another family visiting from Germany. Our intern was raised in England and we sang tunes from Ireland and Latin America. My kind of gathering! It would have been perfect timing to include the hymn "This Is My Song" to the tune of Finlandia. But it's the words that make it another favorite of mine (plus it's in a minor chord...); it speaks of peace, of respect, and recognition of a world bigger than my own.

This Is My Song
This is my song, O God of all the nations,
A Song of peace for lands afar and mine.
This is my home, the country where my heart is;
here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine;
but other hearts in other lands are beating
with hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.

My country's skies are bluer than the ocean,
and sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine;
but other lands have sunlight too, and clover,
and skies are everywhere as blue as mine.
O hear my song, thou God of all the nations,
a song of peace for their land and for mine.

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, the hymn's third verse is my prayer for each person and for our church. Let us be ambassadors of your kingdom promoting peace and good will, and building relationship with all nations, their inhabitants, and their cultures.

This is my prayer, O Lord of all earth's kingdoms:
Thy kingdom come; on earth thy will be done.
Let Christ be lifted up till all shall serve him,
and hearts united learn to live as one.
O hear my prayer, thou God of all the nations;
myself I give thee; let thy will be done.