FATHER WELCOMES

Father welcomes all his children
to his family through his Son.
Father giving his salvation,
life forever has been won.

1. Little children, come to me, for my kingdom is of these;
    life and love I have to give, mercy for your sin.

2. In the water, in the word,

in his promise be assured:
those who are baptised and believe shall be born again.

3. Let us daily die to sin,
let us daily rise with him —
walk in the love of Christ our Lord, live in the peace of God.

Father welcomes all his children
to his family through his Son.
Father giving his salvation,
life forever has been won.

1973. The day before our daughter was born, I had a tune running round my head. Kristin was finally born, by caesarean section, on the evening of Thursday 12 July, and John Sabel, student chaplain and good friend, suggested I write a baptism song for her. The tune in my head became the chorus, and I recall consulting Luther's Large Catechism for the verses and playing the song on the Sabels’ piano that Sunday. Dorothy wasn't feeling much like songs at the time, but even she was pleased at the result when I sang it to her in the Ashford Hospital. It's been the most popular and widely used song of any I've written, and I'm not sorry about that. The experience of having a child, of being a parent, led to a joy that completely took me by surprise. Mixed with the other main ingredients — the parable of the prodigal son and the sacrament of baptism — that joy was transformed into this song. It pleases me that it has become a kind of signature tune. Thanks, Kristin and Dorothy!

 

ALWS 29/5/24

In May 2023 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.

Last year we visited churches in SA, Vic, Qld and WA with Jonathan & Julie Krause promoting the cause of ALWS.

Coming up soon:

* Nuriootpa (St Petri) Saturday June 22, 4 pm

To be confirmed:
Bordertown July 28,
Everton Park (Qld) August 17,
Canberra August 24 

Looking forward to seeing you at one of these events