Song: For Love Of All Who Gather (Reprise) – Spirit Call (Closing the Circle)
Artist: S.J. Tucker
Album: Blessings
By our very will, the rite is done
with Lord and Lady watching, hand in hand
By power of earth and rain, flame and wind,
for love of all who gather,
let the circle open.
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by Nancy Shaffer
Because she wanted everyone to feel included in her prayer,
she said right at the beginning several names for the Holy:
“Spirit,” she said. “Holy One, Mystery, God.”
But then thinking these weren’t enough ways of addressing THAT which cannot fully be addressed… she added Particularities.
Saying…
“Spirit of Life,
Spirit of Love,
Ancient Holy One,
Mystery We Will Not EVER Fully Know, Gracious God,”
And also “Spirit of this Earth,
God of Sarah,
Gaia,
Thou.”
And then, tongue loosened, she fell to naming superlatives as well:
“Most Creative One,
Greatest Source,
Closest Hope”
— even though superlatives for the Sacred seemed to her probably redundant;
But then she couldn’t stop:
“One Who Made the Stars,” she said,
(although she knew technically a number of those present didn’t believe the stars had been made by anyone or anything but just luckily happened.)
“One Who Is an Entire Ocean of Compassion,” she said, and no one laughed.
“That Which Has Been Present Since Before the Beginning,” she said, and the
room was silent.
Then although she hadn’t imagined it this way, others began to offer names.
“Peace,” said one.
“One My Mother Knew,” said another.
“Ancestor,” said a third.
“Wind.”
“Rain.”
“Breath,” said one near the back.
“Refuge.”
“That Which Holds All.”
A child said, “Water.”
Someone said, “Kuan Yin.”
Then “Womb. Witness. Great Kindness. Great Eagle. Eternal Stillness.”
And then, there wasn’t any need to say the things she’d thought would be important to say.
And everyone sat hushed until someone said “Amen.”
Words by Gordon Johnstone and music by Carl Hahn
LYRICS
I know a green cathedral, a shadowed forest shrine,
Where leaves in love join hands above and arch your prayer and mine;
Within its cool depths sacred, the priestly cedar sighs,
And the fir and pine lift arms divine unto the pure blue skies.
In my dear green cathedral there is a flowered seat,
And choir loft in branched croft, where songs of bird hymns sweet;
And I like to dream at evening, when the stars its arches light,
That my Lord and God tread its hallowed sod in the cool calm peace of night.
NOTES:
Used as wedding processional in 20th anniversary handfasting / vow renewals.
SHEET MUSIC
https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/sheetmusic/id/3355
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Artist: The Weepies
Album: Happiness
Rain turns the sand into mud
Wind turns the trees into bone
Stars turning high up above
You turn me into somebody loved
Night’s when the heat had gone out
We danced together alone
Cold turned our breath into clouds
We never said what we were dreaming of
But you turned me into somebody loved
Someday when we’re old and worn
Like two softened shoes
I will wonder on how I was born
The night I first ran away from you
Now my feet turn the corner back home
Sun turns the evening to rose
Stars turning high up above
You turn me into
You turn me into
You turn me into somebody loved
Somebody loved
Somebody loved
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Album: Welcome to Annwfn
℗ 1986 Deborah and Rick Hamouris
Oo, oo, I come to you, singing as I’m strolling
Oo, oo, I come to you, with loving and alarming
Oo, oo, I come to you, underneath the moonlight
Oo, oo, I come to you, gazing at the stars bright
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Sixth track from Sysyphe’s (Philip Contamin) 2010 debut album “Running Up That Hill”, released on Hadra Records.
by Tuatha Dea and Damh the Bard
Side by Side/ Ties that bind
Your hand/ My hand/ Hearts intertwined
My best friend Til the end
As long, As long as love shall last
Bride and Groom jump the broom
One heart, two hearts/ Two become one
I will love you (repeated)
I will love you (repeated)
Hearts and Hands (repeated)
Take me as I am
My heart is in your hands
I’ll follow
(repeated)
music & lyrics © Deborah Ann Taylor Nielsen (ASCAP) 2018
https://pagansong.com/seasons/join-together-the-handfasting-song/
Fire and Air come together tonight making the world a most beautiful sight;
Fire and Air join together as one in the light of the moon and the sun.
Celebrate, celebrate, celebrate the love.
Celebrate, celebrate, celebrate with us.
Dance with us in the circle tonight! Join in the healing we create in this rite.
When we’re together we connect to the light as we rejoice in the pleasure of love.
Fire and Air come together tonight making the world a most beautiful sight;
Fire and Air join together as one in the light of the moon and the sun.
Celebrate, celebrate, celebrate the love.
Celebrate, celebrate, celebrate with us.
The beauty of Earth, the white Moon and her Stars call upon you to celebrate all
The compassion and power of the joy we have found In the ecstasy of Spirit and the wine of life
Fire and Air come together tonight making the world a most beautiful sight;
Fire and Air join together as one in the light of the moon and the sun.
LISTEN
(Jethro Tull – 1976)
Now is the solstice of the year,
winter is the glad song that you hear.
Seven maids move in seven time.
Have the lads up ready in a line.
Ring out these bells.
Ring out, ring solstice bells.
Ring solstice bells.
Join together beneath the mistletoe.
by the holy oak whereon it grows.
Seven druids dance in seven time.
Sing the song the bells call, loudly chiming.
Ring out these bells.
Ring out, ring solstice bells.
Ring solstice bells.
Ring out, ring solstice bells.
Ring out, ring solstice bells.
Praise be to the distant sister sun,
joyful as the silver planets run.
Seven maids move in seven time.
Sing the song the bells call, loudly chiming.
Ring out those bells.
Ring out, ring solstice bells.
Ring solstice bells.
Ring on, ring out.
Ring on, ring out.
Ring on, ring out.
Ring on, ring out.
Ring on, ring out.
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