Sunday, October 18, 2026
by Joshua L. Mazur, Director of Music
Hymn 594: God of Grace and God of Glory
God of Grace and God of Glory was written in 1930 by Harry Emerson Fosdick, the influential Baptist minister who served as pastor of Riverside Church in New York City. Written for the dedication of that church, the hymn reflects Fosdick's conviction that Christian faith must inform the way the Church engages with the world. The Great Depression had begun, and the social and economic uncertainties of the period gave particular urgency to his prayer for wisdom and courage.
The text is remarkably candid about the Church's weaknesses. Fosdick asks God to deliver His people from fear, complacency, misguided pride, and the tendency to mistake familiar habits for faithfulness. Each stanza returns to the same petition: “Grant us wisdom, grant us courage.” The pairing is important. Courage without wisdom can be reckless, while wisdom without courage may accomplish very little.
CWM RHONDDA
We sing Fosdick's words to CWM RHONDDA, composed in 1905 by the Welsh musician John Hughes and named for the Rhondda Valley in Wales. The tune was originally associated with Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah, which we also sing at All Saints'. Fosdick's hymn was first sung to a different melody, but CWM RHONDDA has become one of its most familiar settings. Its broad phrases and repeated final line give the congregation ample opportunity to sing with strength and conviction.
Faith at Work
In Sunday's Epistle, Paul commends the Thessalonians for their “work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope.” Their faith has become known throughout the region, and Paul praises the example they have set for other believers. They have turned from idols to serve the living God, and their convictions have produced visible changes in their lives.
Fosdick's hymn asks God to form that same kind of faithfulness in the Church. Its petitions for wisdom and courage recognize that Christian discipleship requires more than good intentions. We must learn to recognize the demands of the Gospel in our own circumstances and have the courage to act upon them. The Thessalonians provide an example of a congregation whose faith was evident in its conduct, precisely the kind of Christian witness for which this hymn teaches us to pray.
What evidence of my faith would others recognize in the way I live?