Post on behalf of FOTO – Friends of the Organ.
What happens at First Sunday Hymns?
First Sunday Hymns is a chance to enjoy learning about hymns – who wrote them and when and why – and also to enjoy singing them. The March 2025 session will be lead by Richard Hancock while our resident organist Anne, will play the organ.
First Sunday Hymns is held at 2.00 on the First Sunday of the month and is followed by an afternoon tea. It is free to attend and all are welcome.
Which is your favourite hymn?
This year we invite you to tell us your favourite hymn, and in April and May we will sing favourites!
Please email us on waipufoto@gmail.com. We need to know the name, number (and which hymn book you are referring to), and tune you wish us to select. Please also advise whether you wish to introduce the hymn personally ie tell us something of who wrote it (lyrics or tune) or why it is your favourite hymn.
Cecil Frances Alexander was a focus at the final FSH session in 2024
At the final session last year, Richard filled us in on the hymn writer Cecil Frances Alexander, Cecil Frances Alexander known to her friends as “Fanny”. She wrote the words to hymn no. 350, “There is a Green Hill Far Away“. The most popular tune is by William Horsley.
We were very interested to learn that Frances Alexander had written some of the other hymns which are best known today, including:
“All Things Bright and Beautiful” and the Christmas carol “Once in Royal David’s City“
Cecil Frances Alexander wrote poetry from childhood and published Songs for Little Children when she was only 22. In 1850 she married the Anglican clergyman William Alexander, afterwards Bishop of Derry and Archbishop of Armagh who also wrote poetry. She was six years older than the clergyman, and this caused great family concern; their long marriage was to prove the concern was needless.
Click to hear us singing the second verse of one of her hymns…..hopefully it is obvious which one!