Hope of the Hopeless

Commissioned by St Jude's United Church as part of their sesquicentennial celebrations. The sonnet which the piece sets was also especially commissioned from Phoebe Wynne.  The piece is dedicated to Tea H.

The setting took J.S.B. Monsell's hymn O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness! as its borrowed material as
Monsell was the vicar of Egham Parish church and was instrumental in the building of St Jude's Englefield Green.


This is the second setting of the sonnet, the first being A Peace All Too Fair.

c8 minutes

SSAATTBB & Organ

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Sonnet for St Jude
 Phoebe Wynne


Hope of the hopeless, Hope of the helpless,
the name our Lord God crowns our patron Jude,
To bring safe miracles to those of us
for whom grief comes and despair dares to intrude.

 St Jude, come ever to our assistance most holy
 apostle always and today;
You who walked beside our Lord of the dance  – 
Give  us the consolation of Heav’n we pray.


In return he shall lead us to our life,
for to endure what we only just bear
is a beautiful struggle, empty of strife;
What  awaits is a peace all too fair.


     Hope  of the helpless, Hope of the hopeless,    
Bless  us all and in His image make us.

Performances:
28th October 2009 Gloucester Cathedral (Evensong). Royal Holloway Chapel Choir, Conducted by Rupert Gough, Organ Will Baldry
1st November  2009 St Jude's Church, Englefield Green (Evensong). Royal Holloway Chapel Choir, Conducted by Rupert Gough, Organ Will Baldry 
4th November  2009 Royal Holloway, Egham. Royal Holloway Chapel Choir, Conducted by Rupert Gough, Organ Will Baldry