Ruach Breath of Life

Connections Track 15 A Place near Your Altar Written by Francis Cummings. Verses from Zephaniah; In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. (Psalm 102:25) They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But You remain the same, and Your...

Connections Track 14 Prayers by Richard Rolle and Bishop of Chichester Back in the fourteenth century, while studying for the priesthood at Oxford, Richard Rolle came to hate the way his teachers spoke about God as if we were an intellectual concept rather than a living person. He went to live as a hermit on the Yorkshire moors, and came to know God in a deep and intimate way. He subsequently tour...

Connections track 13 Destiny - written by Francis Cummings (Verses from Psalm 45) Scottish Psalm Psalm 45 My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer. You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever. Gird your sword upon your side, O mighty one; clothe yourself wi...

Connections Track 12 Music by Vivaldi. Winter, Four Seasons, lead violin, Francis Cummings

Connections Track 11 Thank you, Lord, that from times of old, You have raised up seers and prophets bold, who share Your heart and show what makes a people great. and yet the people's choice has all but swallowed the prophet's voice. Praise God for that company of prophets who refuse to forsake their God-given task, who never cease to seek and ask for the removal of people’s masks. Raise up an ano...

Music by Linda Louisa The roll call grows of those whose blood no longer flows and who have moved on to higher things. I thank and praise You, Lord, for the memory of those heroic ones who have passed at last beyond the ravages of time and dust to take their place in the great communion of saints. May we play our part now to the full, so that we ourselves will be no less when our time comes. Lord...

Connections Track 9 Agnus Dei Linda Entwistle

Connections track 8 Song of the Lord sung by Linda Entwistle

Welcome to this lovely version that Linda Louisa Entwistle has written of one of Charles Wesley’s best loved hymns. Right at the beginning you will hear the remarkable context in which it is said to have been written. Charles Wesley was preaching in the fields of the parish of Killyleagh, County Down, Ireland, when he was attacked by men who disapproved of his doctrines. Seeking refuge in a house...

You yearn for our company more than we desire Yours, and Your Spirit constantly explores how to develop some new dimension as You watch for our love and comprehension You love to speak, Lord, beyond the need for words. You listen to our inmost thoughts and bring us to a place of inner quiet. Guard our hearing for listening is the gateway to the intimate communion that both we and You are longing f...

Music by J.S. Bach Double Concerto for Oboe and Violin in D Minor, Adagio, J.S.Bach, 1685 - 1750, second movement Adagio, BWV 1060; Thomas Herzog and Suzannah Herzog For those who feel the pull of too many pressures and the pain of too many falls, let the companionable presence of the Lord restore the sharpness of their soul. For those whose giftings have been laid aside and fallen out of use, we...

It has been said, ‘Come apart before you come apart!’ This piece, set to a lovely tune that Peter Richards has written, and which Thomas Herzog plays for us, is a powerful reminder of the Lord’s call to daw close to Him. Lord, I am working so hard for You, desiring just to play my part and striding our beneath Your banner, longing to be true in heart. Come apart, My child. Come apart and rest awhi...

Lord, the stars can't warm our hearts, with tears of love or shouts of joy, but You stoop down to hear the songs Your love imparts. We dare not waste our days bewailing all we cannot do. But if we give You our hearts and we give You our hands, You will find the means to do the rest. And so we come as lovers to a tryst, in the company of a thousand million souls. Asking that you direct this flow of...

Deep calls to Deep A traditional Orthodox chant, arranged by Justin Coldstream I came across this beautiful ancient chant from the Orthodox tradition, which Justin kindly transcribed and arranged for us. It seems particularly relevant to meditate on this piece, and to use it to pray for Orthodfox believers in Russia, Ukraine and around the world at this time. Ruach Breath of Life 2022. Recorded at...

Thirsty for God The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” . . . To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life . . . Yes, let the one who is thirsty come and take the free gift of the water of life. (Rev. 21:6, 22:17) Welcome to this special presentation of prayer, reflections and music on the theme of receiving the waters of life that the Lord Jesus is offering us,...

What a debt we owe to the nineteenth century poet, scholar and Anglican priest John Neale who translated this and so many really great hymns from the Latin. The original words of this much loved hymn, which has long been sung in schools, and at great occasions on behalf of Church and State, originally highlighted the continuity between the glories of the Heavenly city and God’s great power, abilit...

As our tribute, prayer and celebration of the Queen’s gift to the nation, here is a superb piece of music we recorded recently. After a short and solemn march, the four trumpets in this Sinfonia in C by Giuseppe Torelli, sound out their glorious proclamation. Ruach Breath of Life 2022, Recorded at House of the Open Door Enormous thanks to Anthony Thompson (trumpet), Peter Richards (organ), Francis...

Connections, track 1 Music by Linda Louisa Lord, as we embark on this prayerful journey, help us grasp the depth of Your love and the sheer breadth of the romance as You called the world into being. We praise You for Your glory in creation the humility of the incarnation, the fact that time itself is in your train and that You will one day wrap it up again when You come to assume Your full and fin...

Autumn Glory Some years ago, I wrote a piece for Nicola which I called Japanese Peace. Unbeknownst to me, it so happened that I sent it to her on her birthday! She recorded this piece for us during our last such event, Heaven’s Kingdom. This year I felt to write another piece for her, which I called Autumn Glory, and this time, it arrived as Nick, Nicola’s husband, was showing her all their weddin...

The roll call grows of those whose blood no longer flows and who have moved on to higher things. I thank and praise You, Lord, for the memory of those heroic ones who have passed at last beyond the ravages of time and dust to take their place in the great communion of saints. May we play our part now to the full, so that we ourselves will be no less when our time comes. Lord God of History, Author...

Francis Cummings Reawakening part one, instrumental.

In the midst of much busyness and many pressures, this song reminds us to make loving the Lord Jesus the focus of our heart. Words and music, Robert Weston, interpreted by Sally Mowbray, with Jo Garcia (cello), and Nicola Gerrard (flute).

Savour the powerful worship of this song by Huw Humphries, one of God's troubadours – and soak in the prospect of one day being part of the worshipping community in God's Heavenly Kingdom. Isn’t that a vision to rejoice our hearts? As this song indicates, God comes most richly and most deeply to those who are prepared to lay down their own idols, and to worship Him with all their heart. May this s...

Behind the seismic shifts that the world is handling, and all the social, political and military challenges it faces year after year, God is working His purposes out. Life, even in the relatively comfortable West, seems more fragile than it did, and certainties have become uncertainties, but the day is coming when the Earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God. (Hab. 2:14) This so...

I wrote this piece for cor anglais for Thomas Herzog to play. I called it Das Lied vom Fremden in einem fremden Land (‘The Song of the Stranger in a strange Land’) to help us identify with the many millions of people across the world who forced out of their homes. But as the Earth buckles under the effects of climate change and war, perhaps none of us can be certain that our familiar places will r...