John Maunder
Following the death of my sister Valerie in 2001, I wrote the hymn There is season (based on Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) which used the hymn tune, Sandon. Subsequently, in 2006 I was asked to write a hymn for the centenary of the Otago Presbyterian Support Services called We give God thanks for people helping people to the hymn tune, O Perfect Love.
My new hymn In the beginning is based on Genesis 1:1-25 and The Miners’ Hymn which was written following a mining disaster in Wales in the 1930s when 266 miners were killed. The hymn tune Gresford was named after the town where the disaster occurred. My part Welsh heritage means that the hymn is particularly meaningful to me.
1. In the beginning God made ev’rything Whose grace has blessed us from our day of birth Darkness did cover the face of the deep Now hear our prayer for this our time. 2. Creator God, with marvellous design The earth lacked form and emptiness prevailed Came lofty mountains, and expansive seas Ev'ning and morning made day one3. Lord of the oceans, and expansive sky God called the dry land Earth and waters seas Look with compassion and always with great love God saw that ev’rything was good. 4. God made two lights, for day and for the night The world and all within it He did make God also made all the stars in the night sky Ev’ning and morning made day four. 5. Creator God with marvellous design The earth was without animals and birds Look with compassion and always with great love Now hear our prayers for this our time. 6. In the beginning God made ev’rything The world and all within it He did make And there was ev’ning with morning to follow God saw that ev’rything was good
© John Maunder
The hymn was first sung at Wesley Methodist Church on September 18 2022, and is available on youtube.
