“Easter People, Raise Your Voices”

A wonderful hymn is "Easter People, Raise Your Voices" sung to the tune REGENT SQUARE (often paired with “Angels from the Realms of Glory”).

Following in the tradition of many pastors who write hymns, William Marceus James (1913-2013) wrote “Easter People, Raise Your Voices” for his congregation at Metropolitan Community United Methodist Church in New York City.

The great text by this African-American Methodist minister, who served in Harlem for many years, was written in 1979. It first appears in the Methodist supplement Songs of Zion (1981). Also in The United Methodist Hymnal (1989), The Baptist Hymnal (1991), and Celebrating Grace Hymnal (2010).

– Dr. Michael Hawn


Easter people, raise your voices, sounds of heaven in earth should ring.
Christ has brought us heaven’s choices; heavenly music, let it ring:
“Alleluia! Alleluia!” Easter people, let us sing.

Fear of death can no more stop us from our pressing here below.
For our Risen Lord empowers us to triumph over every foe.
Alleluia! Alleluia! On to victory now we go.

Every day to us is Easter, with its resurrection song.
When the cares of life o'erwhelm us, Easter people, sing this song:
“Alleluia! Alleluia!” Everlasting triumph song.

More info from Michael Hawn: 
http://www.gbod.org/lead-your-church/music/resource/history-of-hymns-easter-people-raise-your-voices

which also has a photo of the composer.

Get a free lead sheet at
http://gbod.org.s3.amazonaws.com/legacy/kintera/entry_13978/66/304easterpeople.pdf

and get links to  various arrangements at
http://www.hymnary.org/text/easter_people_raise_your_voices

See more at
https://cardiphonia.org/2018/05/15/week-7-50-days-of-easter-easter-people-raise-your-voices/

image

Thanks to Eric Wyse for bringing this great song to my attention.

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