Page 10 Christian Unity; May They be One; Onward, Christians, Onward

Hymn Texts

Live In Unity

(Galatians 3: 28)

In Jesus Christ we all can be one,

barriers he breaks of tribe and race.

He bids us welcome all who would come

each child of God let love embrace.

This is our prayer, our heartfelt plea

That all may live in unity.

In Jesus Christ we all can be one,

barriers he breaks of wealth and class.

Both poor and rich, all those who come,

are equals in the sight of God.

This is our prayer, our heartfelt plea

That all may live in unity.

In Jesus Christ we all can be one,

barriers he breaks of gender too.

Discrimination is undone,

equality is each one’s due.

This is our prayer, our heartfelt plea

That all may live in unity.

This is our prayer, our longed for hope,

that we, in Christ, will live as one.

Set free from prejudicial strife,

so that, in love, God’s will is done.

This is our prayer, our heartfelt plea

That all may live in unity.

Words © Norman E Brookes

CCLI ID 7144017

Tune: St Catherine H&P 747, MHB 558

John Wesley: “Though we cannot think alike,

may we not love alike?”

May They Be One

(John 17:11)

“May they be one”, this was his word, his plea,

strengthen the bonds, the links of unity,

so that the world might see, and seeing know

deep, true communion, from our faith can flow.

“May they be one”, as God is Three in One,

bonded in love, through union with the Son.

This was Christ’s hope: let my disciples be

signs in this world of God’s true unity.

“May they be one”. But even in Christ's day,

some soon betrayed him, others fled away.

Then when his Church itself was broken too,

God’s unity was lost from human view.

“May they be one”, is still Christ’s heartfelt plea

one round his table in humility,

and in that oneness, frail though it can be,

may hope be found for our world’s unity.

“May they be one”, one in this common meal,

as bread is broken, wine is supped, reveal

that barriers now can fall and broken be,

through Christ the giver of true unity.

CCLI ID 5953343

Tune: Marjorie Spicer. 50 in With Heart and Voice.

Alt Tune: Ellers MHB 691

Onward, Christians Onward

Onward, Christians onward, till our task is done,
when all barriers broken we are truly one.
One in Christ who leads us, saviour, guide and friend:
calls us into union, till divisions end.
Onward, Christians onward, till the task is done,
When all barriers broken we in Christ are one.

Onward, Christians onward, Jesus showed us how,
learn to love each other, live in oneness now.
If the world’s to listen, respond and believe,
then those old divisions we must clearly leave.
Onward, Christians onward, till the task is done,
When all barriers broken we in Christ are one.

Onward, Christians onward, learn from what is past,
how divided Churches became one at last.
Leaving pride behind them, setting power aside,
partners in the Gospel, walking side by side.
Onward, Christians onward, till the task is done,
When all barriers broken, we in Christ are one.

Onward, Christians onward, there’s more work to do,

Barriers still divide us, split God’s Church anew.

End these fraught division, let us live as one,

Till in Christ united, see God’s kingdom come.

Onward, Christians onward, till the task is done,

When all barriers broken, we in Christ are one.

CCLI ID 6339399

Tune: St Gertrude MHB 822

NOTE: In 1913 the union of the Methodist Churches in New Zealand was

celebrated by singing Onward, Christian Soldiers as those at the

Conference marched through Wellington. The above hymn

was originally written (since modified) to celebrate that occasion

a hundred years later at Conference 2013 in Wellington.