Music for Sunday, November 11

This Sunday is Veteran's Day. It also marks the 100th Anniversary of the end of World War I, from which Veteran's Day was born.

In the first Armistice Day proclamation in 1919, President Woodrow Wilson called for the nation to remember those who had died in their country’s service and to make the day an opportunity for America to "show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nation." In 1938 Congress called for the observance of Armistice Day in churches and schools — again dedicating the day to the cause of world peace. In 1954 Armistice Day was renamed Veteran's Day. So, I thought we would recognize this occasion with music, as close to the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month as we possibly could. At communion we will sing as a congregation two hymns that will mark this day well - This Is My Song and Let There Be Peace On Earth. 

The stirring melody of the first hymn comes from a symphonic tone poem by Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) by the name of Finlandia, Op. 26. Not only is the spirit of the music appropriate for “This Is My Song,” but the history of Sibelius’ composition also adds meaning. He wrote Finlandia as a patriotic offering in 1899, and revised it in 1900. The composition was performed as the last of seven musical pieces that accompanied a series of tableaus, each reflecting portions of Finnish history. Out of agitated and tumultuous opening music—symbolizing the struggles of the Finnish people—the serenity of the hymn-like melody emerges, symbolizing hope and resolution. Lloyd Stone (1912-1993), an American public school teacher who lived in Hawaii, wrote the first two stanzas of “This Is My Song”. During the brief time of peace between two world wars, it was a song of hope for all nations—“for lands afar and mine.” The poet acknowledges love for his own country, but balances that with the love that others feel around the world for their nations.

Methodist theologian Georgia Harkness (1881-1974) now enters the story. In the late 1930s she added a third stanza..  It is a prayer to the “Lord of all earth’s kingdoms.” Harkness skillfully ties the reference to “earth’s kingdoms” to a petition found in the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy kingdom come; on earth thy will be done.” Christ becomes the central figure in Harkness’ stanza, as one who will unite us in service to each other and help us to “learn to live as one.” Her stanza ends with a personal dedication: “Myself I give thee; let thy will be done.” In this stanza, Harkness transforms a hymn of peace with vague religious overtones into a prayer for peace that comes from the author of peace, Jesus Christ.

Let There Be Peace On Earth was born of the folksong movement of the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s. It was written by Sy Miller and his wife Jill Jackson-Miller in 1955, and introduced at a retreat of young people from a wide variety of religious, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. After the retreat, the young people started sharing the song, and it quickly made its way around the world. First sung at schools and churches, it began to be used in celebrations of Brotherhood Week, Veteran’s Day, and United Nations Day. Taped, copied, printed in songbooks and passed by word of mouth, it eventually spread overseas, sung by Maoris in New Zealand and Zulus in Africa.