A True Repentance and a Faith Restored

Lord of the church,
we pray for our renewing:
Christ over all,
our undivided aim;
Fire of the Spirit,
burn for our enduing,
Wind of the Spirit, fan the living flame!
We turn to Christ amid our fear and failing,
The will that lacks the courage to be free,
The weary labours, all but unavailing,
To bring us nearer what a church should be.

Lord of the church, we seek a Father's blessing,
A true repentence and a faith restored,
A swift obedience and a new possessing,
Filled with the Holy Spirit of the Lord!
We turn to Christ from all our restless striving,
Unnumbered voices with a single prayer--
The living water for our souls' reviving,
In Christ to live and love and serve and care.

Lord of the church, we long for our uniting,
True to one calling, by one vision stirred;
One cross proclaiming and one creed reciting,
One in the truth of Jesus and his word!
So lead us on till toil and trouble ended,
One church triumphant one new song shall sing
To praise his glory, risen and ascended,
Christ over all, the everlasting King!

Timothy Dudley Smith

Thanks to Lauren for sending this along. God's blessings to you in Oxford!