Forsaking Chariots of Fire

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Forsaking chariots of fire

Author: The Iona Community (1988)
Tune: THE SAVIOUR LEAVES
Published in 1 hymnal

Representative Text

1 Forsaking chariots of fire
and fanfared brass,
as strangely silent as he came,
the Saviour leaves
and God, with heaven's caress,
the Son receives.

2 He has to go, as from the grave
he had to rise:
in order to be everywhere
he must depart
to live, not in one place,
but in each heart.

3 So, Christ ascends; air cradles him,
disciples stare.
Their Easter joy, his seven week's stay
seem now to end.
But no! The Spirit's sending
they portend.

4 Let angel harmonies resound;
let trumpets blare;
let heaven's banquet guests applaud
the welcomed Word,
and earth anticipate
her coming Lord.

John L Bell (born 1949) and Graham Maule (born 1958)
© 1988 WGRG, Iona Community, 4th floor, Savoy House, 140 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3DH, Scotland
8 4 8 4 8 4
Used By Permission. CCL Licence No. Not entered
Copied from HymnQuest 2010: Standard Version
HymnQuest ID: 52904

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Author: The Iona Community

Iona Community, an ecumenical Christian group of men and women based on the small island of Iona off the coast of Scotland. The community began in 1938 when the Rev. George MacLeod of the Church of Scotland began a ministry among the unemployed poor who had been neglected by the church. He took a handful of men to the island to rebuild the ruins of a thousand-year-old abbey church. That rebuilding became a metaphor for the rebuilding of the common life, a return to the belief that daily activity is the stuff of godly service – work, and worship. The Community has since grown to include a group of members, associates, and friends all over the United Kingdom and many other countries. In addition to many conferences that attract people to I… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	Forsaking chariots of fire
Title:	Forsaking Chariots of Fire
Author:	The Iona Community (1988)
Meter:	8.4.8.4.6.4
Publication Date:	1996
Copyright:	© 1988 WGRG / The Iona Community / G.I.A. Publications, Inc.