John Stainer (1840–1901) was an English composer and organist. His music, although rarely performed today, was quite popular during his lifetime. Let me share some key points about him:

1. Early Years:

   • Born in Southwark, London, in 1840, Stainer was the eighth of nine children.
   • He became a chorister at St. Paul’s Cathedral at the age of ten.
   • His exceptional musical abilities led him to sing in the first English performance of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion.
   • Stainer received a solid education at St. Paul’s Cathedral, where he excelled in various subjects.

2. Career Highlights:

   • Stainer served as an organist at Magdalen College, Oxford, and later at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
   • His work as a choir trainer and organist set standards for Anglican church music that continue to influence the field.
   • Notably, his composition “The Crucifixion” is still heard during Passiontide in some Anglican churches.

3. Legacy:

   • Stainer’s contributions extended beyond music. He became the Heather Professor of Music at Oxford University.
   • Unfortunately, he passed away unexpectedly while on holiday in Italy in 1901.

Despite the relative obscurity of his music today, Stainer’s impact on Anglican church music remains significant1. If you’d like to explore more, you can visit the John Stainer Wikipedia page or learn about his hymns on Hymnary.org

A ‘Garland’ Shadorma I shall speak of togetherness; I shall seek out shared light; I shall focus on the truth of one humankind let’s share our words of unity; let’s find strength in our love; let’s hold one another now when we need it most perhaps life belies perceptions; perhaps, if so, all’s well? perhaps concern […]

Losing my religion, or: Don’t stop believin’

God’s love and care is ever present, guiding us through life with His goodness and kindness.

Lovingkindness–Praying through Psalm 23

May’s Blessings and Reminders

There is No Listener Like Jesus

I am almost positive I have covered the passage of scripture before because a lot of my posts are based on hymns in my hymnbook and there is a verse of scripture above each hymn. When i was preparing todays post my hymn book fell open at ” O Christ you wept when grief was raw” So let me apologise in advance if you have seen a simalar post and I am repeating myself!

John 11 New International Version

Jesus Comforts the Sisters of Lazarus

¹⁷ On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. ¹⁸ Now Bethany was less than two miles^[b] from Jerusalem, ¹⁹ and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. ²⁰ When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

²¹ “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. ²² But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

²³ Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

²⁴ Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; ²⁶ and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

²⁷ “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

²⁸ After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” ²⁹ When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. ³⁰ Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. ³¹ When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

³² When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

³³ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. ³⁴ “Where have you laid him?” he asked.

“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.

³⁵ Jesus wept.

³⁶ Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

³⁷ But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

Verse 1
O Christ, You wept when grief was raw,
and felt for those who mourned their friend;
Come close to where we would not be
and hold us, hold us, hold us,
hold us numbed by this life’s end.

Verse 2
The well-loved voice is silent now
and we have much we meant to say;
collect our lost and wandering words
and keep them, keep them, keep them,
keep them till the endless day.

Verse 3
We try to hold what is not here
and fear for what we do not know;
Oh, take our hands in Yours, good Lord,
and free us, free us, free us,
free us to let our friend go.

Verse 4
In all our loneliness and doubt
through what we cannot realise,
address us from Your empty tomb
and tell us, tell us, tell us,
tell us that life never dies.