BECAUSE WE BEAR YOUR NAME

1. Lord Jesus, we belong to you, you live in us, we live in you; we live and work for you —
because we bear your name.

2. Help us receive each other, Lord, for you receive the least of us and come to us in them —

3. Bless those who give us any gift, because they know that we are yours; reward them with your grace —

4. Let us acknowledge those as friends who use your name to right a wrong but have not joined us yet —

5. Let nothing that we do or say offend the weak so that they fall and lose their faith in you —

6. Keep us from missing out on life; give hands that help, and single sight, and feet that walk your way —

7. You are the salt that cleanses us, so clean us out, and make us fit for common life with you —
because we bear your name.

1985. Dr John Kleinig, lecturer at Luther Seminary in Adelaide, preached at the monthly student service at St Stephen's in October 1985. He not only prepared a sermon on Mark 9:38–50 but also this powerful set of lyrics for which I wrote the melody. We always start it very simply — a single instrument — and build it to a huge conclusion, the bigger the better. The text from Mark seems like a collection of disconnected teachings, but John wove these together beautifully under the theme spelled out in verse 41 (anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ). The tune owes something to Joe Jackson's Body and Soul album, especially the song Be my number two.

 

ALWS 5/10/23

To say I've been inactive on my website is a serious understatement! I've written nothing here since early 2021. 

So, does this mean the world has stopped for us, that nothing is happening?
A major event for us in 2022 was moving house in October. We had been in Modbury Heights since July 1993.Now we're back in Klemzig.

In May we travelled to the Mentawai Islands in Indonesia, seeing work supported by Australian Lutheran World Service. Dorothy and I are Ambassadors for the ALWS programme, Lives You Touch. We are encouraging people to leave money in their will for the work of ALWS. We committed to leave a third of our will many years ago and hope many others can touch lives in this way.
Since then we have visited Box Hill & Loxton with Jonathan & Julie Krause as part of the Asante presentations, promoting the cause of ALWS. Still to come this year are Asante events in Toowoomba & Rochedale (Nov 26 & 27) and Perth (Dec 10)

Looking forward to seeing many people on these occasions.