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The Wedding Guests Were Waiting

Author: Mary Nelson Keithahn Appears in 2 hymnals Hymnal Title: Calvin Hymnary Project Lyrics: The wedding guests were waitingbut all the wine was gone,so Mary went to Jesus,"Please help our friends, my son."Then Jesus said, "Bring water."He turned it into wine,and thus revealed his power.It was the first great sign.The father was a Gentile,a Roman soldier too,an enemy and strangerto any faithful Jew,but still he begged of Jesus,"Come heal my dying boy.""Believe in me, " said Jesus."He lives to bring you joy."When everyone was hungryand no one seemed to care,a boy came forward, smiling,"I have this food to share."He gave his bread to Jesus,his fish, though they were small.Then Jesus blessed his offering,and lo, it fed them all!A mother shows compassion,a father trusts God's way,a child finds joy in sharing--such are the signs todaythat Christ still lives among usand through love's faithful deeds,works miracles and wondersto meet our deepest needs.

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SIGNS TODAY

Meter: 7.6.7.6 D Appears in 2 hymnals Composer and/or Arranger: John D. Horman Hymnal Title: Time Now to Gather Tune Sources: Time Now to Gather Tune Key: F Major Incipit: 32116 51123 21653 Used With Text: The Wedding Guests Were Waiting

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The Wedding Guests Were Waiting

Author: Mary Nelson Keithahn, 1934- Hymnal: Community of Christ Sings #37 (2013) Meter: 7.6.7.6 D Hymnal Title: Community of Christ Sings First Line: The wedding guests were waiting Languages: English Tune Title: SIGNS TODAY

The Wedding Guests Were Waiting

Author: Mary Nelson Keithahn Hymnal: Time Now to Gather #13 (1999) Meter: 7.6.7.6 D Hymnal Title: Time Now to Gather Lyrics: The wedding guests were waitingbut all the wine was gone,so Mary went to Jesus,"Please help our friends, my son."Then Jesus said, "Bring water."He turned it into wine,and thus revealed his power.It was the first great sign.The father was a Gentile,a Roman soldier too,an enemy and strangerto any faithful Jew,but still he begged of Jesus,"Come heal my dying boy.""Believe in me, " said Jesus."He lives to bring you joy."When everyone was hungryand no one seemed to care,a boy came forward, smiling,"I have this food to share."He gave his bread to Jesus,his fish, though they were small.Then Jesus blessed his offering,and lo, it fed them all!A mother shows compassion,a father trusts God's way,a child finds joy in sharing--such are the signs todaythat Christ still lives among usand through love's faithful deeds,works miracles and wondersto meet our deepest needs. Topics: Jesus Healing; Jesus Miracles; Women in the Bible Mary Scripture: John 4:46-54 Languages: English Tune Title: SIGNS TODAY

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Mary Nelson Keithahn

b. 1934 Hymnal Title: Time Now to Gather Author of "The Wedding Guests Were Waiting" in Time Now to Gather Mary Nelson Keithahn, a retired United Church of Christ ordained pastor and church educator, has been a curriculum writer-editor, journalist, and lyricist for musical dramas and anthems. She still works out of her home in Rapid City, South Dakota, as a free-lance writer. In 2016 she published Elfie: Adventures on the Midwest Frontier, a chapter book for children, and Embracing the Light: Reflectioins on God’s Holy Word, a collection of meditations for individual or small group use. Augsburg Fortress also published Sing the Stories of God’s NEW People, the third in a trilogy of Bible story-based collections of songs for young children, written with her longtime colleague, John D. Horman. The two have written over a hundred hymns together, some of which are included in these hymnals and supplements: Community of Christ Sings, God’s Mission, God’s Song, Hymns of Heritage and Hope, Lift Up Your Hearts, Sing Justice! Do Justice, Sing the Faith, Singing Our Savior’s Story, Singing the New Testament, The Faith We Sing, Upper Room Worshipbook, Voices Found, Voices United, and Worship and Song. They have also published four collections of their hymns: Come Away with Me and Time Now to Gather (Abingdon, 1998), The Song Lingers On (Zimbel, 2003), and Faith That Lets Us Sing (Wayne Leupold Editions, 2017). Mary is a Life Member and former board member of Choristers Guild and a Life Member of the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada. She is also a member of ASCAP. In 2006 she received a Distinguished Achievement Award from her alma mater, Carleton College in Northfield, MN, in recognition of her work in composing text for religious music. Mary was married to the Rev. Richard K. Keithahn, a U.C.C. pastor, and widowed in 1986. She has three children, eight grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. --mnk