A library of resources for funerals

Follow Me, Follow Me, Leave Your Home And Family

Michael Cockett (born 1938)

Follow me, follow me, leave your home and family,
leave your fishing nets and boats upon the shore.
leave the seed that you have sown,
leave the crops that you have grown,
leave the people you have known and follow me.

The foxes have their holes
and the swallows have their nests,
but the Son of man has no place to lay down.
I do not offer comfort,
I do not offer wealth,
but in me will all happiness be found.
Chorus

If you would follow me,
you must leave old ways behind.
You must take my cross
and follow on my path.
You may be far from loved ones,
you may be far from home,
but my Father will welcome you at last.
Chorus

Although I go away
you will never be alone,
for the Spirit will be
there to comfort you.
Though all of you may scatter,
each follow his own path,
still the Spirit of love will lead you home.
Chorus

For All The Saints Who From Their Labours Rest

William H How (1823 – 1897)

For all the saints who from their labours rest,
who thee by faith before the world confessed,
thy name, O Jesu, be for ever blest.
Alleluia!

Thou wast their rock, their fortress and their might;
thou, Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight;
thou, in the darkness, still their on true light.
Alleluia!

O may Thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold,
Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,
And win with them the victor’s crown of gold.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

O blest communion, fellowship divine!
we feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
yet all are one in thee, for all are thine.
Alleluia!

And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,
steals on the ear the distant triumph-song,
and hearts are brave again and arms are strong.
Alleluia!

The golden evening brightens in the west;
Soon, soon to faithful warriors comes their rest;
Sweet is the calm of paradise the blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

7 But lo, there breaks a yet more glorious day;
the saints triumphant rise in bright array:
the King of Glory passes on his way.
Alleluia!

8From earth's wide bounds, from ocean's farthest coast,
through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Alleluia!

For The Beauty Of The Earth,

Folliott Sandford Pierpoint (1835-1917)

For the beauty of the earth,
for the beauty of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies:
Christ our God, to thee we raise
this our sacrifice of praise.

For the beauty of each hour
of the day and of the night,
hill and vale, and tree and flower,
sun and moon and stars of light:
Chorus

For the joy of ear and eye,
for the heart and brain's delight,
for the mystic harmony
linking sense to sound and sight:
Chorus

For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth, and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild:
Chorus

For each perfect gift of thine
to our race so freely given,
graces human and divine,
flowers of earth and buds of heaven:
Chorus

For thy Bride that evermore
lifteth holy hands above,
offering up on every shore
this pure sacrifice of love:
Chorus

7For the Martyrs' crown of light,
for the Prophets' eagle eye,
for thy bold Confessors' might,
for the lips of Infancy:
Chorus

8For the Virgins' robes of snow,
for thy Maiden-mother mild,
for thyself, with hearts aglow,
Jesu, Victim undefiled:
Chorus

For the fruits of all creation

Fred Pratt Green 1903-2000

For the fruits of all creation,
Thanks be to God;
For the gifts to every nation,
Thanks be to God;
For the ploughing, sowing, reaping,
Silent growth while we are sleeping,
Future needs in earth's safe-keeping,
Thanks be to God.

In the just reward of labour,
God's will is done;
In the help we give our neighbour,
God's will is done;
In our world-wide task of caring
For the hungry and despairing,
In the harvests we are sharing,
God's will is done.

For the harvests of the Spirit,
Thanks be to God;
For the good we all inherit,
Thanks be to God;
For the wonders that astound us,
For the truths that still confound us,
Most of all that love has found us,
Thanks be to God.

For Those We Love Within The Veil

W. Charter Piggott (1872-1943)

For those we love within the veil,
Who once were comrades of our way,
We thank thee, Lord; for they have won
To cloudless day;

And life for them is life indeed,
The splendid goal of earth's strait race;
And where no shadows intervene
They see thy face.

Not as we knew them any more,
Toilworn, and sad with burdened care:
Erect, clear-eyed, upon their brows
Thy name they bear.

Free from the fret of mortal years,
And knowing now thy perfect will,
With quickened sense and heightened joy,
They serve thee still.

O fuller, sweeter is that life,
And larger, ampler is the air:
Eye cannot see nor heart conceive
The glory there

Nor know to what high purpose thou
Dost yet employ their ripened powers,
Nor how at thy behest they touch
This life of ours.

7There are no tears within their eyes;
With love they keep perpetual tryst;
And praise and work and rest are one
With thee, O Christ.

For Ever With The Lord!

James Montgomery (1771-1854)

For ever with the Lord!
Amen; so let it be:
Life from the dead is in that word,
'Tis immortality.
Here in the body pent,
Absent from Him I roam,
Yet nightly pitch my moving tent
A day's march nearer home.

My father's house on high,
Home of my soul, how near
At times, to faith's foreseeing eye,
Thy golden gates appear!
Ah! then my spirit faints
To reach the land I love,
The bright inheritance of saints,
Jerusalem above.

For ever with the Lord!
Father, if 'tis Thy will,
The promise of that faithful word
Even here to me fulfil.
Be Thou at my right hand,
Then can I never fail;
Uphold Thou me, and I shall stand;
Fight, and I must prevail.

So when my latest breath
Shall rend the veil in twain,
By death I shall escape from death
And life eternal gain.
Knowing as I am known,
How shall I love that word,
And oft repeat before the throne:
For ever with the Lord!

Forth In Thy Name, O Lord, I Go

Charles Wesley (1707-1788)

Forth in thy name, O Lord, I go,
My daily labour to pursue,
Thee, only thee, resolved to know
In all I think, or speak, or do.

The task thy wisdom has assigned
O let me cheerfully fulfil,
In all my works thy presence find,
And prove thy good and perfect will,

Preserve me from my calling's snare,
And hide my simple heart above,
Above the thorns of choking care,
The gilded baits of worldy love.

Thee may I set at my right hand,
Whose eyes my inmost substance see,
And labour on at thy command,
And offer all my works to thee.

Give me to bear thy easy yoke,
And every moment watch and pray,
And still to things eternal look,
And hasten to thy glorious day;

For thee delightfully employ
Whate'er thy bounteous grace has given,
And run my course with even joy,
And closely walk with thee to heaven.

From Greenland’s icy mountains

Reginald Heber (1783-1826)

From Greenland's icy mountains,
from India's coral strand,
where Afric's sunny fountains
roll down their golden sand,
from many an ancient river,
from many a palmy plain,
they call us to deliver
their land from error's chain.

What though the spicy breezes
blow soft o'er Java's isle,
though every prospect pleases
and only man is vile:
in vain with lavish kindness
the gifts of God are strown;
the heathen in his blindness
bows down to wood and stone.

Can we, whose souls are lighted
with wisdom from on high,
can we to men benighted
the lamp of life deny?
Salvation! O salvation!
the joyful sound proclaim,
till each remotest nation
has learned Messiah's name.

Waft, waft, ye winds, his story,
and you, ye waters, roll,
till, like a sea of glory,
it spreads from pole to pole;
till o'er our ransomed nature
the Lamb for sinners slain,
Redeemer, King, Creator
in bliss returns to reign.

From Heaven You Came Helpless Babe

Graham Kendrick (born 1950)

From heaven you came,
Helpless babe,
Entered our world,
Your glory veiled;
Not to be served
But to serve,
And give Your life
That we might live.
This is our God,
The Servant King,
He calls us now
To follow Him,
To bring our lives
As a daily offering
Of worship to
The Servant King.

There in the garden
Of tears,
My heavy load
He chose to bear;
His heart with sorrow
Was torn,
'Yet not My will
But Yours,' He said.
Refrain

Come see His hands
And His feet,
The scars that speak
Of sacrifice;
Hands that flung stars
Into space
To cruel nails
Surrendered.
Refrain

So let us learn
How to serve,
And in our lives
Enthrone Him;
Each other's needs
To prefer,
For it is Christ
We're serving.
Refrain

From Heavenly Jerusalem's Towers

David Charles (1762-1834)

From heavenly Jerusalem's towers,
The path through the desert they trace;
And every affliction they suffered
Redounds to the glory of grace;
Their look they cast back on the tempests,
On fear, on grim death and the grave,
Rejoicing that now they're in safety,
Through Him that is mighty to save.

And we, from the wilds of the desert,
Shall flee to the land of the blest;
Life's tears shall be changed to rejoicing,
Its labours and toil into rest.
There we shall find refuge eternal,
From sin, from affliction, from pain,
And in the sweet love of the Saviour,
A joy without end shall attain.

Give Me Joy In My Heart, Keep Me Praising

Give me joy in my heart, keep me praising,
give me joy in my heart, I pray;
give me joy in my heart, keep me praising,
keep me praising till the break of day.
Sing hosanna, sing hosanna,
sing hosanna to the King of kings!
Sing hosanna, sing hosanna,
sing hosanna to the King!

Give me peace in my heart, keep me loving,
give me peace in my heart, I pray;
give me peace in my heart, keep me loving,
keep me loving till the break of day:
Chorus

Give me love in my heart, keep me serving,
give me love in my heart, I pray;
give me love in my heart, keep me serving,
keep me serving till the break of day:
Chorus

Glad That I Live Am I

Lizette Woodworth Reese (1856-1935)

Glad that I live am I;
That the sky is blue;
Glad for the country lanes,
And the fall of dew.

After the sun, the rain;
After the rain, the sun;
This is the way of life,
Till the work be done.

All that we need to do,
Be we low or high,
Is to see that we grow
Nearer the sky.

Glorious Things Of Thee Are Spoken

John Newton (1725-1807)

Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God;
he whose word cannot be broken
formed thee for his own abode.
On the Rock of Ages founded,
what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded,
thou may'st smile at all thy foes.

See, the streams of living waters,
springing from eternal love,
well supply thy sons and daughters,
and all fear of want remove.
Who can faint while such a river
ever flows their thirst to assuage-
grace which, like the Lord the giver,
never fails from age to age?

Round each habitation hovering,
see the cloud and fire appear
for a glory and a covering,
showing that the Lord is near.
Thus deriving from their banner,
light by night and shade by day;
safe they feed upon the manna
which he gives them when they pray.

Blest inhabitants of Zion,
washed in the Redeemer's blood;
Jesus, whom their souls rely on
makes them kings and priests to God.
'Tis his love his people raises
over self to reign as kings;
And as priests, his solemn praises
each for a thankoffering brings.

Saviour, if of Zion's city
I through grace a member am,
let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in thy name.
Fading is the worldling's pleasure.
all his boasted pomp and show;
solid joys and lasting treasure
none but Zion's children know.

Glory to God! all heaven with joy is ringing

John E Bowers (b.1923)

Glory to God!' all heaven with joy is ringing;
angels proclaim the gospel of Christ's birth -
'Glory to God!', and still their song is bringing
good news of God incarnate here on earth.

Lowly in wonder shepherds kneel before him,
no gift to bring save love of heart and mind.
Come like those shepherds, sing his praise, adore him,
a babe so weak, yet Saviour of mankind.

Humble, yet regal, wise men kneel before him,
gold, incense, myrrh, their gifts to Christ they bring.
Come like those wise men, sing his praise, adore him,
a babe so poor and modest, yet a King.

Though now no crib or cradle is concealing
Jesus our Lord in that far-distant shrine,
Christ at each eucharist is still revealing
his very self in forms of bread and wine.

Glory To Thee, My God, This Night

Thomas Ken (1637-1711)

Glory to thee, my God, this night
for all the blessings of the light;
keep me, O keep me, King of Kings,
beneath thy own almighty wings.

Forgive me, Lord, for thy dear Son,
the ill that I this day have done,
that with the world, myself, and thee,
I, ere I sleep, at peace may be.

Teach me to live, that I may dread
the grave as little as my bed;
teach me to die, that so I may
rise glorious at the aweful day.

O may my soul on thee repose,
and may sweet sleep mine eyelids close,
sleep that may me more vigorous make
to serve my God when I awake.

When in the night I sleepless lie,
my soul with heavenly thoughts supply;
let no ill dreams disturb my rest,
no powers of darkness me molest.

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,
praise him, all creatures here below,
praise him above, angelic host,
praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

God be in my head

Book Of Hours (1514)

God be in my head
and in my understanding;

God be in mine eyes,
and in my looking;

God be in my mouth,
and in my speaking;

God be in my heart,
and in my thinking;

God be at mine end,
and at my departing

God Be With You Till We Meet Again (Tune: Randolph)

Jerimiah Earnes Rankin (1828 – 1904)

God be with you till we meet again;
By his counsels guide, uphold you,
With his sheep securely fold you:
God be with you till we meet again.

God be with you till we meet again;
'Neath his wings protecting hide you,
Daily manna still provide you:
God be with you till we meet again.

God be with you till we meet again;
When life's perils thick confound you
Put his arm unfailing round you:
God be with you till we meet again.

God be with you till we meet again;
Keep love's banner floating o'er you,
Smite death's threatening wave before you:
God be with you till we meet again.

God Holds The Key Of All Unknown

Joseph Parker (1830-1902)

God holds the key of all unknown,
And I am glad:
If other hands should hold the key,
Or if He trusted it to me,
I might be sad.

What if tomorrow's cares were here
Without its rest?
I'd rather He unlocked the day,
And, as the hours swing open, say
'My will is best.'

The very dimness of my sight
Makes me secure;
For, groping in my misty way,
I feel His hand; I hear Him say,
'My help is sure.'

I cannot read His future plans;
But this I know:
I have the smiling of His face,
And all the refuge of His grace,
While here below.

Enough: this covers all my wants;
And so I rest!
For what I cannot, He can see,
And in His care I saved shall be,
For ever blest.

God is Love: let heaven adore him

Timothy Rees (1874-1939)

God is Love: let heav'n adore him;
God is Love: let earth rejoice;
let creation sing before him,
and exalt him with one voice.
He who laid the earth's foundation,
he who spread the heav'ns above,
he who breathes through all creation,
he is Love, eternal Love.

God is Love: and he enfoldeth
all the world in one embrace;
with unfailing grasp he holdeth
every child of every race.
And when human hearts are breaking
under sorrow's iron rod,
then they find that selfsame aching
deep within the heart of God.

God is Love, and though with blindness
sin afflicts the souls of men,
God's eternal loving-kindness
holds and guides them even then.
Sin and death and hell shall never
o'er us final triumph gain;
God is Love, so Love for ever
o'er the universe must reign.

God Is Our Strength And Refuge

After Psalm 46, Richard Bewes (born 1934)

God is our strength and refuge,
our present help in trouble,
and we therefore will not fear,
though the earth should change!
Though mountains shake and tremble,
though swirling floods are raging,
God the Lord of hosts is with us evermore!

There is a flowing river
within God's holy city;
God is in the midst of her-
she shall not be moved!
God's help is swiftly given,
thrones vanish at his presence-
God the Lord of hosts is with us evermore!

Come, see the works of our maker,
learn of his deeds all-powerful:
wars will cease across the world
when he shatters the spear!
Be still and know your creator,
uplift him in the nations-
God the Lord of hosts is with us evermore!

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