In the Spring of 2005, while I was serving as Pastor for the United Church of Roscoe, I was attempting to prepare my Easter morning sermon. But try as I could, I was unable to make any headway. I had something running through my thoughts which kept getting in the way. Finally, I gave into those thoughts and put aside my keyboard. Taking up a pencil and a note pad, I allowed those intruding "thoughts" have reign.
When I finished writing, I sat there reading over the words I had just written. As I did so, the words began to fall into a rhythm. Eventually I began to hum to that rhythm, and realized it fit a very familiar tune. So I set to putting the words to that familiar tune, The Battle Hymn of the Republic. These words have been used only two times publicly before this date. They were initially sung as a solo at the conclusion of the Easter sermon in 2005, and, most recently were used as the Offertory sung by the Choir at North Congregational Church on Easter Sunday, 2008. Here are the results of that endeavor:
The Christ Is Risen Today
In the dawn-ing sun of morn-ing comes the ris-ing of our Lord,
(© 2005 the Rev. Daniel L. Hulseapple)
He has loosed the bonds of Sa-tan by his dy-ing on the cross;
Now he comes forth in God’s glo-ry to re-deem us, one and all;
The Christ is risen to-day!
Glory, glory, He is risen!
Glory, glory, He is risen!
Glory, glory, He is risen!
The Christ is risen to-day!
God sent his Son to save us; yes, to free us from our sin,
He gave him-self so free-ly; though un-worth-y we have been;
He loved us, and he loves us still; he died to set us free;
The Christ is risen to-day!
Glory, glory, He is risen!
Glory, glory, He is risen!
Glory, glory, He is risen!
The Christ is risen to-day!
Now is the day of Eas-ter, let us raise in joy-ful song;
And sing our prais-es to our God, the Father of our Lord.
For he has giv-en glory to the one who loved us so!
The Christ is risen to-day!
Glory, glory, He is risen!
Glory, glory, He is risen!
Glory, glory, He is risen!
The Christ is risen to-day!