F. Richard Garland

Short Name: F. Richard Garland
Full Name: Garland, F. Richard

The Reverend F. Richard Garland is a retired United Methodist pastor. He and his wife, Catherine Sprigg, a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, live in North Kingstown, RI.

Dick was born and raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and is a lifelong Methodist. A graduate of Garrett Theological Seminary, he interned in Chicago and then served churches in Indiana, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. He continues to preach on occasion, provide coverage in emergency pastoral situations, and write a monthly essay, "From Where I Sit" for the newsletter of the North Kingstown UMC. He has been a contributor to The Upper Room.

Dick is a lifelong hiker who still climbs in the mountains of New Hampshire. At home, he spends a great deal of time in his flower gardens. He has sung with the Rhode Island Civic Chorale and Orchestra and is a member of the Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts.

Dick wrote his first hymn, a children's song, in a seminary music class with Austin C. Lovelace, and he has written poetry for many years. He began writing hymns for use in his churches about twenty years ago, but did not submit them for publication until 2006, after being encouraged to do so by a classmate and friend.

Many of his texts are inspired by the seasons of the church year, particularly Christmas and Easter, and by Scriptures from the Lectionary. In April of 2007, an appeal from a clergy colleague for a memorial hymn in response to the shootings at Virginia Tech University resulted in the creation of his hymn, In Grief and Aching Sorrow, set to the tune, Passion Chorale by J.S. Bach. Once, his pastor, frustrated in trying to find enough hymns to go with the Good Samaritan story in Luke 10:25-37, asked him to write a new hymn for a service. The result was his hymn, "When We Would Neighbor Be." On a dare from a colleague, he revealed a whimsical side by writing a hymn for Groundhog Day, "Praise the Lord for Woodland Creatures." His hymn, "I Have a Dream," was written to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the address by The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He has written a series of texts based on the selections from the Letters to the Ephesians and to the Philippians found in the New Revised Common Lectionary.

F. Richard Garland


Texts by F. Richard Garland (72)sort descendingAsAuthority LanguagesInstances
A child will lead the dawn of graceF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
A new advent of joyF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
A star shone bright across the plainF. Richard Garland (Author)English3
Before an open, empty tombF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
Build up the saints in loveF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
Called by the Word, and, with baptism's grace long anointedF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
Christ is raised, a living witnessF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
Come to the light of HopeF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
Come to the mountain peakF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
Come to the table, and take the fruit of graceF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
Come with rejoicing, Covenant peopleF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
Dear Master, in whose life I seeF. Richard Garland (Author (st. 3))English1
From creation's timeless WordF. Richard Garland (Author)2
Gather your people to comfort and love F. Richard Garland (Author)English2
Go now into the worldF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
God calls us from darkness to live in the lightF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
God envisions full redemptionF. Richard Garland (Alterer)English2
God, who is rich in mercy's graceF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
He comes to us as One Unknown, as once he came of oldF. Richard Garland (Adapter)English2
He knelt to wash the feet of friendsF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
He stands outside the doors we've closedF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
He stood before the city, and wept at what he saw.F. Richard Garland (Author)English2
Heaven waits with eager longingF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
Help us, Lord, when we're scared of the risks we faceF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
How full is God's great love of the earthF. Richard Garland (Author)2
Hush! then heed the silencesF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
"I have a dream!" From prophet's wordF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
If you would have new lifeF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
In Christ is blessednessF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
In grief and aching sorrowF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
In righteousness stand firmF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
In this is love, that God loved usF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
In this night we hear rejoicingF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
Jesus conquered death and darknessF. Richard Garland (Author)Latin2
Let us kneel before our makerF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
Lord, be to us a source of joyF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
Majestic mountainsF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
Master, what shall I doF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
O Lord, our Lord, your light shines from the depths of creationF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
O Sovereign One, from whom we're sent!F. Richard Garland (Author)English2
O Spirit of the NightF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
On the Day of Pentecost Faithful people joined to prayF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
Out where the stars are bornF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
"Push out into the deep!"F. Richard Garland (Author)English2
Save us, Lord, from war's illusions,F. Richard Garland (Author)English2
Shepherd, source of our contentmentF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
Sound the alarm the Lord is near!F. Richard Garland (Author)English2
Source of faith from the beginningF. Richard Garland (Author)2
Take care in how you liveF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
The heart of Love with grace aboundsF. Richard Garland (Author)2
The Lord is near, with thanks prepare a welcomeF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
The promise of the LordF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
The shepherds heard the angel's voiceF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
The source of hope is in the WordF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
The spirit of the Lord Will come, good news to bringF. Richard Garland (Author)2
The world did dwell in dark and fearF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
Through the universe, a storyF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
We live in hope, for God is always presentF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
We stand before the cross in sorrowF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
Welcome home, precious child. come, reclaim your placeF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
What would you sell to gainF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
When God envisioned Love's birthF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
When prophets come and speak the WordF. Richard Garland (Author)2
When the Lord comes, would we dare standF. Richard Garland (Author)2
When the seeds of Love are sownF. Richard Garland (Author)English3
When Thomas heard the Easter newsF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
When we would neighbor beF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
When weary times confront the soulF. Richard Garland (Author)2
Will you fulfill the vowF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
With humble grace they served their LordF. Richard Garland (Alterer)English2
Within the shadow of the crossF. Richard Garland (Author)English2
Would you build a home in which God could reside?F. Richard Garland (Adapter)2
Suggestions or corrections? Contact us