What is this place

if you do not hear the tune, click here.

1.
What is this place where we are meeting?
Only a house, the earth its floor,
Walls and a roof sheltering people,
Windows for light, an open door.
Yet it becomes a body that lives
When we are gathered here,
And know our God is near.

2.
Words from afar, stars that are falling,
Sparks that are sown in us like seed.
Names for our God, dreams, signs and wonders
Sent from the past are all we need.
We in this place remember and speak
Again what we have heard: God's free redeeming word.

3.
And we accept bread at his table,
Broken and shared, a living sign.
Here in this world, dying and living,
We are each other's bread and wine.
This is the place where we can receive
What we need to increase:
God's justice and God's peace.

Words:  Huub Oosterhuis, Zomaar een dak boven wat hoofden, 1968; tr. David Smith, ca. 1970
   Tune:  Nederlandtsche Gedenckclanck, 1626; harmonized by B. Huijbers, 1968
                   Text and Harmonization ©1984, TEAM Publication, Published by OCP Publications

This page is for learning only (some copyrighted material is included here).
Commit the tune & words to memory, then sing from the heart.
Be thankful for the musician's gift, and bless the Lord.

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