Listen to it all (and enjoy the inside of the Cathedral).

Watch and listen to it all from the original writers of the song.

Yes, yes, it is dated, but still wonderful.

Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion? Then I thought, "…I will remember your miracles of long ago … and meditate on all your mighty deeds."
Psalm 77:9-12https://t.co/bLJuYVmzPY#bibleverse #easter #cross #crucifixion #poppy #poppies pic.twitter.com/sRMoaH63XI

— John Bell's Bible Verse Art Gallery (@jrbellArt) May 10, 2026

There ain’t no grave can hold my body down There ain’t no grave can hold my body down When I hear that trumpet sound I’m gonna rise right out of the ground Ain’t no grave can hold my body down Well, look way down the river What do you think I see? I see a band of angels, and they’re coming after me Ain’t no grave can hold my body down There ain’t no grave can hold my body down Well, look down yonder, Gabriel Put your feet on the land and sea But Gabriel, don’t you blow your trumpet ’til you hear it from me There ain’t no grave can hold my body down Ain’t no grave can hold my body down Well, meet me, Jesus, meet me Meet me in the middle of the air And if these wings don’t fail me I will meet you anywhere Ain’t no grave can hold my body down There ain’t no grave can hold my body down Well, meet me, mother and father Meet me down the river road And momma you know that I’ll be there When I check in my load Ain’t no grave can hold my body down There aint no grave can hold my body down There ain’t no grave can hold my body down

Lyrics–We rejoice that our Savior is living!

He all-glorious arose from the dead;

Joys of heaven the Lord to us giving,

All the sorrows of darkness are fled!

Exceeding glorious Father and Lord, who deckest thyself with light as with a garment; who spreadest out the heavens like a curtain: mighty creator of this and every world, of all stars and planets in their courses: We thy children render unto thee our praise and honour for the wonder of thy handiwork — for the beauty of creation, and at this season most especially for the blessing of new life and hope, visible in the face of our mother the earth as she awakens to Spring. In her awakening we see Christ triumphant over death. In her we see the rejoicing of St Mary Magdalen, first witness of the Resurrection. In her we see the fruitfulness of our most blessèd and glorious Lady the Virgin Mary — through whom thou hast given us the Light of the World, the light that shineth in darkness, the Word Made Flesh. As City and Universities, in unity and concord, we celebrate before thee today the birth of an earthly morning. We pray thee, use the beauty of this creation to knit our hearts to the things that endure to eternity, that we may rejoice at the dawning of the endless day of the kingdom of thy Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

You can listen to the whole thing here:

Listen to it all.

“He has cheated hell
And seated us above the fall
In desperate places he paid our wages
One time, once and for all.”

Caravaggio, Supper at Emmaus
1601 pic.twitter.com/6ZdiWffKoD

— Solas (@solas_na_greine) December 31, 2023

Lyrics:

O Radiant Dawn, O Radiant Dawn, O Radiant Dawn
Splendour of Eternal Light
Sun of Justice, Sun of Justice, Sun of Justice
Come, come, come, come, come,
come shine on those who dwell in darkness And the shadow of death

Isaiah had prophesied,
‘The people who walked in darkness have seen a great Light.
Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone’

O Radiant Dawn, O Radiant Dawn, O Radiant Dawn
Splendour of Eternal Light
Sun of Justice, Sun of Justice, Sun of Justice
Come, come, come, come, come,
come shine on those who dwell in darkness And the shadow of death

Amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen

Tomb, thou shalt not hold Him longer;
Death is strong, but Life is stronger;
Stronger than the dark, the light;
Stronger than the wrong, the right.
Faith and Hope triumphant say,
Christ will rise on Easter-Day.

While the patient earth lies waking,
Till the morning shall be breaking,
Shuddering ‘neath the burden dread
Of her Master, cold and dead,
Hark! she hears the angels say,
Christ will rise on Easter-Day.
And when sunrise smites the mountains,
Pouring light from heavenly fountains,
Then the earth blooms out to greet
Once again the blessed feet;
And her countless voices say,
Christ has risen on Easter-Day.

Up and down our lives obedient
Walk, dear Christ, with footsteps radiant,
Till those garden lives shall be
Fair with duties done for Thee;
And our thankful spirits say,
Christ arose on Easter-Day.

–Phillips Brooks (1835-1893)

Twas Easter Sunday. The full-blossomed trees filled all the air with fragrance and with joy.
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Art by Janice Rogers Art pic.twitter.com/y5sLYLQseT

— gregorio catarino (@gregcatarino1) March 31, 2024

Listen to the whole glorious thing.

Lyrics:

1.This joyful Eastertide
away with sin and sorrow!
My love, the Crucified,
has sprung to life this morrow.

Refrain:
Had Christ, who once was slain,
not burst his three-day prison,
our faith had been in vain:
but now hath Christ arisen,
arisen, arisen;
but now has Christ arisen!

2. My flesh in hope shall rest
and for a season slumber
till trump from east to west
shall wake the dead in number. [

3. Death’s flood has lost its chill
since Jesus crossed the river.
Lover of souls, from ill
my passing soul deliver.

[Rough] translation of the lyrics:

And he rose again on the third day
according to the scriptures
And ascended into heaven
He sits at the right hand of the Father
And he will come again with glory,
to judge the living and the dead
[At] the commanding sound of the trumpet
He will gather everyone before the throne.
And he will come again with glory
to judge the living and the dead.
There will be no end to his kingdom.
And in the Holy Spirit
Lord and Giver of Life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son
who with the Father and the Son
at the same time he is worshiped and glorified,
who spoke through the Prophets.
There will be no end to his kingdom.
And into one holy apostolic church
and the holy church.
I confess one baptism
for the remission of sins.
And I await the resurrection of the dead.
And he will come again with glory
to judge the living and the dead.
And I await the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the age to come.

Amen.

The reference in the second stanza is to the legend that St George had appeared above the battle at Agincourt in 1415 and brought victory to the English. (The manuscript in which this carol appears is dated to between 1430 and 1444, so this is an up-to-date reference.) ‘Our Lady’s knight’ is to be taken quite literally: in medieval tradition St George was closely associated with the Virgin, and one strand of his legend tells how she brought him back from the dead to fight the dragon.

Read it all.

'Enfors we us with all our might
To love Seint George, our Lady's knight.'

A medieval English carol to St George, which credits him with helping to bring victory at the Battle of Agincourt: https://t.co/ssUo1bJI0Y pic.twitter.com/c3flslhwM3

— Eleanor Parker (@ClerkofOxford) April 23, 2026

Lyrics

Even before we call on Your name
To ask You, O God,
When we seek for the words to glorify You,
You hear our prayer;
Unceasing love, O unceasing love,
Surpassing all we know.

Glory to the father,
and to the Son,
And to the Holy Spirit.

Even with darkness sealing us in,
We breathe Your name,
And through all the days that follow so fast,
We trust in You;
Endless Your grace, O endless Your grace,
Beyond all mortal dream.

Both now and forever,
And unto ages and ages,
Amen

Lyrics:

Look to the day when the world seems new again:
Morning so fresh you could touch the sky;
The earth smells sweet and ev’ry flower looks bright,
Shining in a dewy light as you wander by.
Taking the time to enjoy each moment;
Tasting the fruits spread along your way,
Knowing there’s time to spare, Dreams you can dream and share:
Look to the day, look to the day.

Look to the day when the earth is green again:
Promise of spring after winter’s sleep.
The sounds of life returning fill the air,
Music that’s forever there for your heart to keep.
Deep in the earth lay the seed of life renewed,
Quiet and strong till the time of spring:
Life in each bud and shoot, Life in each flower and fruit,
Look to that day when earth shall sing.

Look to the light that will drive out darkness;
Look to the hope that will conquer fear.
God’s strength uphold us till the fight is won,
Till we see our task is done when the day is here.
Look for that day when there shall be no more pain;
Sorrow and sighing shall pass away.
Pray for the day to come, Trust that the day will come,
Look to that day, look to the day.

Lord, we give thanks for the gifts of life and health;
Plant a new seed in our hearts, we pray:
Help us to see, O Lord, How it could be, O Lord;
Look to the day, look to that day, look to the day, look to that day.

Lyrics:

The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll not want
He makes me lie in pastures green
He leads me by the still, still waters
His goodness restores my soul

And I will trust in You alone
And I will trust in You alone
For Your endless mercy follows me
Your goodness will lead me home

He guides my ways in righteousness
And He anoints my head with oil
And my cup, it overflows with joy
I feast on His pure delights

And I will trust in You alone
And I will trust in You alone
For Your endless mercy follows me
Your goodness will lead me home

And though I walk the darkest path
I will not fear the evil one
For You are with me, and Your rod and staff
Are the comfort I need to know

And I will trust in You alone
And I will trust in You alone
For Your endless mercy follows me
Your goodness will lead me home (I will trust)

And I will trust in You alone
And I will trust in You alone
For Your endless mercy follows me
Your goodness will lead me home (for Your endless mercy)

For Your endless mercy follows me
Your goodness will lead me home (for Your endless mercy)
For Your endless mercy follows me
Your goodness will lead me home

Enjoy the whole thing.

Take the time to listen to it all from the Oxford Philomusica.

Listen to it all and you can read more about it, including finding the lyrics, at Lent and Beyond.

Alone thou goest forth, O Lord, in sacrifice to die;

is this thy sorrow nought to us who pass unheeding by?

Our sins, not thine, thou bearest, Lord; make us thy sorrow feel,

till through our pity and our shame love answers love’s appeal.

This is earth’s darkest hour, but thou dost light and life restore;

then let all praise be given thee who livest evermore.

Grant us with thee to suffer pain that, as we share this hour,

thy cross may bring us to thy joy and resurrection power.

The Agony in the Garden, from a 14th-century Book of Hours. Christ is alone, the apostles sleeping, but in the darkness behind him a gallery of medieval faces – kings and queens and ordinary people – keeps vigil with him through the night.

(BL Yates Thompson MS. 13) pic.twitter.com/jFMFSzhPQZ

— Eleanor Parker (@ClerkofOxford) April 2, 2026

Professor Helen King has put forward a private members motion for debate at the Church of England’s General Synod that runs as follows:

‘That this Synod affirm that there are no fundamental objections to being in a committed, faithful, intimate same-sex relationship, and that such a relationship can be entirely compatible with Christian discipleship.’[1]

The Church of England website states that this motion had 161 signatures on 18 February, which is the second largest number of signatures of the four motions listed, and if the number of signatures continues to increase there is the possibility that it could be selected for debate at the General Synod in July.

The language of King’s motion deliberately echoes the language of the motion passed by General Synod in 1975 ‘That this Synod considers that there are no fundamental objections to the ordination of women to the priesthood.’ This motion paved the way to General Synod passing legislation allowing women to be ordained as deacons in 1986, as priests in 1992 and as bishops in 2014. The purpose of King’s motion is an attempt to pave the way in similar fashion for those in same-sex relationships to be allowed to be ordained in the Church of England.

The motion would not in itself make such ordination lawful, but it would provide the basis on which a measure to allow those in same-sex relationships to be ordained could then be brought forward for debate. The argument would go that because General Synod had voted for King’s motion it had established the principle that ‘such a relationship can be entirely compatible with Christian discipleship’ and this would in turn mean that it was entirely compatible with the exercise of ordained ministry.

This being the nature of King’s motion, the question that arises is whether it would be right for members of Synod to vote for it should it be put forward for debate in July. In the remainer of this post I shall set out the two reasons why I think members of Synod should not vote for it.

Read it all.

I have just published a new blog post 'Why faithful Christians should reject Helen King's private member's motion.'https://t.co/bXjhSyRYsT

— Martin Davie (@MartinBDavie) March 2, 2026

A parish in Norfolk is marking the fourth anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia with a special service and a series of charitable initiatives to show its support for the Ukrainian people.

“This has been a cause really bringing people together — not just churchgoers but people across the community,” said David Styles, communications officer for the Norwich diocese.

“While some people have become desensitised after four years of war, local Ukrainians have been heartened by many messages showing they’re not forgotten.”

Mr Styles told the Church Times that St Peter’s, Sheringham, had marked the anniversary with a memorial service. It had also organised collections of clothing, medical supplies, children’s toys and fire-fighting equipment.

Read it all.

A parish in #Norfolk is marking the fourth anniversary of the invasion of #Ukraine by #Russia with a special service and a series of charitable initiatives to show its support for the Ukrainian people#churchnews #churchtimes https://t.co/QznWG2TN11

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) February 24, 2026

There were eight amendments tabled, ensuring that the debate would last the whole five hours. Many of them were predictable—from revisionists wanting to amplify the apology, and delete the idea that LLF is over, and some from orthodox wanting to amend or delete the possibility of continuing discussion.

There were two exceptions to that, though, the first from Christopher Landau simply recognising that the ‘LGBTQI+ people’ were actually a diverse lot with different views. This is, of course, anathema to revisionists, who repeatedly talked as though all such people were a monolith who agreed with them—despite the number of gay women and men in the chamber who were orthodox and gave very clear speeches to that effect (I include several below).

The other was a cross-party proposal from Lis Goddard, agreed with Helen King, aiming to bring the fruitful learning of the ‘Leicester’ discussion groups into the proposed working groups. No sooner had Lis proposed this, than Helen King misused a point of order to deny her support for it! It was a clear sign that even the minimum of collaboration is not politically expedient for revisionists.

But we had been told ahead of time that that House of Bishops, having painfully thrashed this motion out as the only way forward for them, would resist every amendment—and the procedure of calling for a ‘vote by Houses’ meant that they effectively had a veto, and used it fairly consistently. I did wonder whether some of the revisionist bishops would break ranks, and perhaps vote for one of the revisionist amendments, but a maximum of six out of the 38 or so present did so.

It was clear that the revisionists really did not want to vote for the unamended motion, because it said clearly that LLF had ended. But if they voted it down, they would also be voted down clause (d) offering a chink of light of continued discussion, so they held their noses and voted ‘for’. Orthodox felt similarly ambivalent for the opposite reasons, and in the end some voted for (drawing a line under LLF) and others voted against (because we don’t want further damaging discussion).

Read it all.

Campaigners with contrasting views of Living in Love and Faith (#LLF) have responded to the General Synod’s decision on the process after last week’s five-hour debate on a motion from the Archbishop of York.

Read more below 👇 #GeneralSynod #churchnewshttps://t.co/wdaGVd4zjI

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) February 16, 2026

‘There are three ideas currently supported by those in the Church of England who take a liberal approach to marriage and sexual activity (including members of the House of Bishops) and which are being pushed as part of the Prayers of Love and Faith process that cannot rightly be seen as a development of the Church of England’s doctrine…

The first idea is that it would be right to bless same-sex couples who are in a sexually active relationship either in normal church services or in special ‘standalone’ or ‘bespoke’ services.

The reason that this would not be a development of doctrine is that the doctrine of the Church of England, as we have seen, is that all forms of sexual activity outside heterosexual marriage are forms of the sin of fornication which all Christians are called to avoid committing (and for which those Christians who have committed it are called to repent, confess and receive absolution as they would with all other forms of sin). It is not an explanation of the Church’s doctrine on this matter to say that those who continue to be in a relationship involving the sin of fornication should be able to have this relationship blessed by the Church. Rather, saying this would contradict the Church’s doctrine in one of two ways. It would involve saying either (a) that fornication is not a sin or (b) that sin does not need to be met with a call to repentance, confession, absolution and amendment of life but can instead be the object of prayers of blessing.

The second idea is that those who are in same-sex sexual relationships should be admitted to, or allowed to continue to exercise, ordained ministry.

The reason that this would not be a development of doctrine is that the Church of England’s doctrine, as set out in the 1662 Ordinal is that it is an integral part of the calling of those who are ordained to be: ‘diligent to frame and fashion your own selves, and your families, according to the doctrine of Christ; and to make both yourselves and them, as much as in you lieth, wholesome examples and patterns to the flock of Christ.’  It is not an explanation of the Church’s doctrine to say that being in a same-sex sexual relationship is compatible with providing a wholesome example and pattern to the flock of Christ. As in the previous example, it would instead contradict the Church’s doctrine by in this case suggesting either (a) that being in a same-sex sexual relationship is in accordance with ‘the doctrine of Christ’ or (b) that the requirements for ministerial conduct set out in the Ordinal no longer matter.

The third idea is that the Church of England should accept that marriage can rightly be between two people of the same sex as well as two people of the opposite sex. This again would not be an explanation of the Church ‘s doctrine, but rather a contradiction of it. One cannot say both that ‘The Church of England affirms, according to our Lord’s teaching, that marriage is in its nature a union permanent and life-long, for better or worse, till death do them on the part of one man and one woman’ and also say that a relationship between two people of the same-sex is a marriage. The only way one can consistently say that a relationship between two-people of the same-sex is a marriage is if one has a different understanding of the nature of marriage. The idea that a doctrine of marriage that teaches that marriage is between two people of the opposite sex could be ‘spacious’ enough (as the bishops put it) to include same-sex relationships simply does not make sense.

What all this means is that the development of doctrine, rightly understood, rules out rather than permits these innovations which liberals wish to introduce, and which members of the House of Bishops are proposing.

Read it all.

How can we know what God is like and what his will is for our lives? Dr. Martin Davie, author and Anglican theologian, will explain how a careful reading of one of the Thirty-Nine Articles can provide us with answers. Register for this free event at https://t.co/2GO6OL0uPr. pic.twitter.com/Q5GTHbbswA

— Trinity Anglican Seminary (@TASeminary) September 6, 2024

…whilst it seems happy to be contending with issues of process, and to devote endless air-time to questions of same-sex marriage and minor issues from special interest groups – for example, a crusade for sustainable flower arranging – there is hardly any intellectual energy or attention devoted to debating the fundamental questions of why it seems so difficult to engage the nation with the Christian message, and what the Church should do in response.

If the Church were serious about dealing with the decline in numbers, it would be straining every sinew to reacquaint the nation with the fundamentals of the Christian story and scripture. It would be attempting to re-propagate an inherited culture of hymns and music, choirs, liturgy, poetry and literature which brought the faith to life, and into people’s lives. It would be working boldly to call for the Bible and Christian culture to be a more prominent part of school education and public life, and to remind people of the central importance of this culture.

In the absence of this, people will simply not have the knowledge of Christianity that will allow them to come to faith, even if they have the urge to do it. When Christ and the disciples preached in Galilee and Jerusalem, they were preaching to a people who, although poor, knew scripture and the idea that a Messiah had been promised.

As it is, the Church simply isn’t doing enough. It is underpowered in spreading public knowledge of the faith.

Read it all.

Yes — the CofE must pour its main resources into parishes and into theological education at every level. Otherwise the Gen Z revival (which is certainly real, significantly, amongst youth of high ability and likely influence) could readily lapse without support. @SaveTheParish https://t.co/DNRUJZ3CRF

— john milbank (@johnmilbank3) February 16, 2026

“CEEC’s conviction is that this cannot be done without a differentiated arrangement. We hope and pray that the House of Bishops will welcome such a discussion in order that a way can be found to resolve this ongoing and fractious disagreement.”

Read it all.

https://t.co/c13ohQ33Or

— George Conger (@GeorgeConger8) February 13, 2026

the new Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Sarah Mullally said,

“I do believe it proposes a sensible way forward that provides us with a structured framework that I believe will take us to the next steps.”

Like them, the vast majority of bishops are committed to change. They too want to move “forward” and “take the next steps”. The ‘letter to the Church’, that accompanies the motion that General Synod passed, made that very clear – as this blog wrote when it was published:

1) The House of Bishops are, above all else, committed to “walking together”.

2) The House of Bishops continue to commend the use of the Prayers of Love and Faith (PLF).

3) The House of Bishops only apologise for the pain caused by them by not moving further, faster.

4) The only discipline proposed by the House of Bishops for those who infringe their guidance is ‘informal’ and possibly ‘optional’.

5) The only criticism is for those who have taken a stand against the use of the Prayers of Love and Faith

6) As the LLF process draws to a close, another process begins.

The Revd Will Pearson Gee used an analogy about a train that had stopped because the tracks ahead were dangerous – “Then,” he said,” it became apparent that the train was going to be repainted, and a new logo painted on the side. The hurt and angry passengers were told the old train had in fact become a new one and would be proceeding with little delay.”

The Church of England has not abandonded proposals for same-sex blessings – they are already commended in churches and cathedrals up and down the land. All they have done is splashed some paint around and changed the logo, in order to try to find a way of moving forward with as little delay as possible.

Read it all.

Contrary to the view of @BBCNews there seems to be little evidence that @synod has "abandoned proposals for same-sex blessing ceremonies". https://t.co/YzIrx6MSV5

— Anglican Futures (@AnglicanFutures) February 13, 2026

Laura Oliver (Blackburn) complained that her perspective, as an LGBTQ person who held onto traditional teaching on marriage and sex, had been too often absent from the LLF process. “My efforts to live a life as a treasured child of God, rejoicing in a life of singleness as modelled by Jesus himself, have been undermined and diminished,” she said.

Dr Ros Clarke (Lichfield) attempted to amend the motion to make the House of Bishops apologise for not heeding legal advice. Until there was some “confession and repentance”, she said, the hierarchy could not lead the Church into “forgiveness and reconciliation”.

Others questioned why the Church was about to embark on another round of divisive discussions on sexuality via the new working groups, when this might produce the “same bitter fruit” as the LLF project.

The Revd Mike Smith (Chester) said that LLF had to be stopped before it was reborn under a new acronym which would resume the “interminable escalator” and further poison relationships within the Church.

But the bishops were mostly united in their determination to both turn the page on LLF, and to continue conversations under new auspices.

Read it all.

Lyrics: I will sing with the spirit, alleluia. And I will sing with the understanding also, alleluia. (1 Corinthians 14, v.15)

Christians are celebrating the feast day of Epiphany, also known as Three Kings Day. It recalls the visit of the three kings, or magi, to the baby Jesus. Orthodox Christians focus on the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist.

In Europe, some worshippers bathe in icy lakes and rivers. Ceremonies this year in Greece highlighted water scarcity concerns. Children in Latin America traditionally unwrap holiday gifts.

Read it all.

This is how children in Europe celebrate the Feast of the Three Kings, also known as Epiphany.

Image: Franz Lackner pic.twitter.com/7lYhlJW8Wm

— Sachin Jose (@Sachinettiyil) January 7, 2025