This hymn is a celebration of God’s creation and the beauty of nature, and it has become a popular choice for services that focus on gratitude and thanksgiving.
Hymn written by Folliott S. Pierpoint, an English poet and hymnist; published in 1864 and sung to the tune “Dix”, which was composed by Conrad Kocher in 1838.
For the beauty of the earth, For the beauty of the skies, For the love which from our birth Over and around us lies,
Refrain: Lord of all, to thee we raise This our joyful hymn of praise.
For the beauty of each hour Of the day and of the night, Hill and vale, and tree and flower, Sun and moon, and stars of light,
(Refrain)
For the joy of human love, Brother, sister, parent, child, Friends on earth and friends above, For all gentle thoughts and mild,
(Refrain)
For thy church that evermore Lifteth holy hands above, Offering up on every shore Her pure sacrifice of love,
(Refrain)
For thyself, best Gift Divine, To the world so freely given, For that great, great love of thine, Peace on earth, and joy in heaven. (Refrain)
The founding of many education communities is inspired by faith communities. In many of them the place of worship was the very first building. College and university chapels are central places of worship for students, staff and faculty, and provide a space for solitude and reflection. A place for feeling at home in the world.
There are several hundred technical standards, or parts of standards, that govern how churches and chapels are made safe and sustainable. Owing to innovations in construction, operation and management methods, those standards move, ever so slightly, on a near-daily basis. They are highly interdependent; confounded by county-level adaptations; and impossible to harmonize by adoption cycle. That movement tracked here as best we can within the limit of our resources and priorities. That’s why it’s best to simply click into our daily colloquia if you have a question or need guidance.
Richard Miniter observes that the United States was founded as four distinct religious utopias, each originating from different regions and historical periods in England (and the broader British Isles). These groups, shaped by conflicts like the English Civil War, brought competing visions of society, governance, and faith that continue to influence American culture and politics today.1. New England Puritans (from East Anglia): Strict, communal Calvinists seeking a “city upon a hill” with moral oversight and collective piety.
2. Cavalier culture in Virginia and the South (from southwest England): Hierarchical, Anglican/Royalist tradition emphasizing order, honor, and aristocratic values.
3. Middle States (influenced by the West Midlands): More tolerant, pluralistic Quaker and other nonconformist approaches fostering commerce and individual liberty.
4. Appalachian borderlands (from the English-Scottish border): Scots-Irish Presbyterian folkways stressing independence, martial honor, and anti-authoritarian egalitarianism.These enduring subcultures create ongoing tensions over freedom, authority, and religion in America.
Today is the Feast of Corpus Christi.
The 13th century Eucharistic chant of Ave verum corpus was set to music by Mozart in 1791 to be sung especially to celebrate the feast day.
The image criteria of our WordPress theme does not permit many images of college and university chapels to be shown fully-dimensioned on sliders or widget galleries. We reproduce a few of the outsized images here and leave the complexities of financing, designing, building and maintaining of them in a safe and sustainable manner for another day. CLICK HERE for the links to our Sacred Space Standards workspace.
Click on any image for author attribution, photo credit or other information*.
Ballymaloe Cookery School is situated on a 100-acre organic farm in County Kerry. It produces the freshest vegetables, fruit, meat and dairy products, all of which are used in the kitchen every day. We teach a diverse range of cooking styles but the fundamental message we pass on to our students is the importance of putting time and effort into sourcing the highest-quality ingredients.
Aarhus University was founded in 1928 and is the second oldest university in Denmark. It has a total enrollment of approximately 39,000 students and employed around 9,000 faculty members and staff. During the summer its doors are open to everyone on earth.
Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
Not a brief glance I beg, a passing word,
But as Thou dwell’st with Thy disciples, Lord,
Familiar, condescending, patient, free.
Come not to sojourn, but abide with me.
Come not in terror, as the King of kings,
But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings;
Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea.
Come, Friend of sinners, thus abide with me.
Thou on my head in early youth didst smile,
And though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,
Thou hast not left me, oft as I left Thee.
On to the close, O Lord, abide with me.
I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
The World Soil Museum hosts a range of educational programs and workshops for students, researchers, and other visitors who are interested in learning more about soil science. These programs cover topics such as soil classification, soil management, and soil conservation, and they are designed to help people understand the vital role that soils play in supporting agriculture, ecosystems, and human societies around the world.
40 years ago today, “The Big Chill,” a movie about a group of U-M grads written and directed by alum Lawrence Kasdan, debuted in theaters. 🎥 pic.twitter.com/fUVDNGXSNW
— Alumni Association of the University of Michigan (@michiganalumni) September 28, 2023
“Ironically, on the 200th anniversary of our Bill of Rights, we find free speech under assault throughout the United States, including on some college campuses. The notion of political correctness has ignited controversy across the land. And although the movement arises from the laudable desire to sweep away the debris of racism and sexism and hatred, it replaces old prejudice with new ones. It declares certain topics off-limits, certain expression off-limits, even certain gestures off-limits.”
An English paraphrase of the Canticle of the Sun (or Laudes Creaturarum), written by St. Francis of Assisi in 1224–1225: Francis composed the poem in Umbrian Italian while recovering from illness, praising God through all creation. William H. Draper translated and adapted it into English in 1919 for a children’s Whitsuntide festival in Leeds, England. The 1623 tune Lasst uns erfreuen was paired with it, giving the hymn its majestic, joyful character.
It is widely sung in Protestant and Catholic churches, especially at Easter, harvest festivals, and creation-themed services. It celebrates God’s glory reflected in nature and calls all creatures—sun, moon, wind, water, fire, and humanity—to praise their Creator.
New update alert! The 2022 update to the Trademark Assignment Dataset is now available online. Find 1.29 million trademark assignments, involving 2.28 million unique trademark properties issued by the USPTO between March 1952 and January 2023: https://t.co/njrDAbSpwBpic.twitter.com/GkAXrHoQ9T
