Christmas Hymn to be sung to the tune of “The Ash Grove”

When Joseph and Mary so wearily wended

Their way from their cottage in Nazareth’s street,

Then slept with the oxen in Bethlehem’s stable,

And laid in a manger their Baby so sweet,

Enduring discomfort and squalor and hardship,

Compelled by a merciless tyrant’s decree,

Few were there on earth who in such tribulation

God’s greatness and goodness and glory could see.

God’s glory we see in the sun, moon and planets,

In river and ocean, in mountain and plain,

In flowers and butterflies, forests and gardens,

In moors with their heather and fields full of grain.

But angels sang “Glory” when in great privation

Our Lord came in Bethlehem’s manger to lie;

For His greatest glory’s the glory of loving,

That led Him to suffer, that led Him to die.

Lord, give us Your glory, the glory of loving,

A love for all people, the great and the small,

For saints and for sinners, for friends and for strangers,

For black folk and white, like Your love for us all,

A love like Your own that for others is ready

To suffer great hardship if that should ensue;

You said that whenever we love other people

We also, in doing so show love to You.

Roland Howorth.

Rathmell, North Yorkshire

This was a winner in the hymn competition in October 2000 organised by Settle Methodist Circuit. The theme was simply Christmas, and the tune had to be The Ash Grove.

And just for fun in days gone by!

'while shepherds washed their socks by night, all watching itv, an angel of the lord came down and said watch bbc'

i think..

and

'we three kings of orient are, one in a taxi, one in a car, one on a scooter, beeping his hooter, smoking a Hamlet cigar.'

oh star of yonder, star of light, sit on a box of dynamite, light the fuse and off we go, all the way to Mexico.'

The things kids come up with...