We Look to You, O Jesus

Representative Text

We look to you, O Jesus—in faith, our Pioneer—
For you have gone before us and brought your people here.
You showed us all God’s kingdom, you gave us work to do;
In death you went before us; for life, we turn to you.

We looked to you to guide us three hundred years ago;
How different was the land then, from this land that we know.
With towns and country growing, your people heard your call,
And so they built new churches, proclaiming you to all.

Through times of strife and anguish, through times of joy and grace,
Through conflicts with our culture, you’ve brought us to this place;
And still your world is changing, and still we seek to be
A church reformed, reforming in faithful ministry.

Perfecter of the faith, Lord, we look to you each day;
We work for peace and justice, we worship, learn and pray—
And witnesses surround us, a host of saints above,
As we continue sharing the joy of your great love.

Source: Songs of Grace: new hymns for God and neighbor #47

Author: Carolyn Winfrey Gillette

Carolyn Winfrey Gillette has been a pastor in rural, small town, suburban, and city churches; she has also served as a hospice chaplain, a hospital chaplain, and a school bus aide helping children with special needs. She and her husband Bruce are pastors of the First Presbyterian Union Church in Owego, NY. Carolyn is a gifted hymn writer who has written over 400 hymns. These hymns have been sung by congregations throughout the United States and around the world — from the Washington National Cathedral to St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland to St. George's Cathedral in Cape Town, South Africa to small town churches and small household congregations; they have also been sung at national church and international ecumenical meetin… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: We look to you, O Jesus, in faith, our Pioneer
Title: We Look to You, O Jesus
Original Language: English
Author: Carolyn Winfrey Gillette (2006)
Meter: 7.6.7.6 D
Language: English
Publication Date: 2006
Copyright: Copyright © 2006 by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. All rights reserved

Tune

LANCASHIRE (Smart)

Henry T. Smart (PHH 233) composed the tune in 1835 for use at a missions festival at Blackburn, Lancashire, England. For that festival, which celebrated the three-hundredth anniversary of the Reformation in England, the tune was set to Reginald Heber's (PHH 249) “From Greenland's Icy Mountains.”…

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Instances

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Text

Songs of Grace #47

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