St Luke's Church Eccleshill - Articles from "The Link"

The world needs bread

The world needs bread to feed the hungry
there is enough if all would share.
Thank you, Lord God, that you've provided all
that we need to show your care:
and so if we
will gen'rous be,
we'll make a diff'rence when we dare.

We rich have bread in stocks and savings:
we trade in goods to gain still more.
We hold the strings of power which keep in place
all the debt which makes men poor.
Help us destroy
this evil ploy,
so justice from your throne may pour.

"I am the bread of life," said Jesus;
"Come follow me and you will live.
I give my life that you might find God's peace:
an eternal home you'll have."
But will we trust
that you are just,
that you'll preserve us when we give?

We share the bread and wine in worship,
express our trust in all you've done.
We know you hold our future in your hands,
you've looked after saints who've gone:
and so we place
before your face
our welfare as we trust your Son.

Here’s the hymn we used as an anthem on Harvest Sunday this year. The tune can be found on our web site in sheet music and also as a “midi” file (if your computer has a sound-card).

I wrote the hymn after a conversation with one of the Christian Aid staff workers. “Bread” is the theme chosen for this me for this harvest, and I wanted to get into the song the different ways we use the word “bread” - as a slang for money, as Jesus’ picture of satisfaction in life, and as communion with God. I wanted to express the fact that we are so rich ... at the expense of the poor in this world ... and we can do something about this if we want. And what stops us? We aren’t sure if we can trust God to look after us if we really do give away to the needs of those poorer than we are.

In the event the song was written too late to be included with Christian Aid’s materials, but of course there’s always next year ... and the year after that! In the mean time I’m very grateful to our own church choir and organist for having a go at it.

John Hartley