My Neighbor

Heart & Voice associate Rev. John Fleischmann (pastor of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, East Moriches, NY) wrote the hymn below recently, one of many songs he has written. Once we get rolling we hope to feature other Psalms & Hymns, not only by Pastor Fleischmann and Pastor Penney, but other composers and lyricists as well. If you, dear reader, would like to submit any original compositions, or if you know of someone who might, please contact me: blp22@optonline.net

This blog, we hope, will be just a beginning of our modest attempts at encouraging liturgical renewal and reformation.

Blessings,

Rev. Brian L. Penney
Christ Covenant Church
Copiague, NY

My Neighbor

Unclean and battered, torn by sin,
By things I do, my thoughts within,
I lie there bloodied on life's road
With death and hell my only load.

Across that road the world passed by
Turning a deaf ear to my cry,
No help to give, they could not save
And so they left me for my grave.

And, what of me, when I saw need,
did I my Savior's bidding heed?
Too often on the other side
I've walked away because of pride.


Sin bleeds from me and stops my breath,
In Adam all I know is death,
My works are rags, my offerings vain,
From dust I came, in dust remain.

But in my need my Savior died,
Not passing on the other side.
Re-breathed His Spirit in my dust,
Bound up my wounds, declared me just.

Now, safe within His Church I'm free;
Blood, Water, Spirit plead for me,
The Ark of God, the Inn of Grace,
Where I behold the Father's Face.

May I in Christ my neighbor know,
Binding wounds serves Christ below;
Make me Your Arms, Your Hands, Your Eyes,
So that in You he may arise.

You loved me when I could not love,
For my sin barred me from above;
In Christ my love is now set free,
O praise and bless the Trinity!

Text: John George Fleischmann, b. 1960
Tune: Tallis' Canon