This Remains
1. This remains: the love that binds us.
This remains: the common prayer.
This remains: the Spirit calling.
This remains: the food we share.
This remains: the voices singing
Harmony on old refrains.
In this time of many changes,
This remains, all this remains.
2 .This remains: the cup of coffee.
This remains: the listening ear.
This remains: the conversation.
This remains: the quiet tear.
This remains: our braided stories
Who we are, and who we’ve been.
While it seems that all is changing,
This remains, all this remains.
3 .This remains: the streets of hunger.
This remains: the cry of need.
This remains: the plywood windows.
This remains: the stomping greed.
This remains: the breech dividing
Us with wealth, from us with none.
Though we fight for new tomorrows,
This remains, all this remains.
4 .This remains: the love that binds us.
This remains: the common prayer.
This remains: the Spirit calling.
This remains: the potluck shared.
This remains: the heart that’s yearning
For a beauty yet unseen.
Deeper than the many changes,
This remains, all this remains.
Words and music by Bret Hesla.
© 2009 Bret Hesla. All rights reserved. Use with permission, please.
Licensed via OneLicense.net, Contact: Bret.hesla@gmail.com.
Back in 08/09, when our church was between lead pastors, we were mired in a pretty long limbo. We were plodding through various discernment protocols before setting up a call committee, which I was also on. Good things were happening, but to many of us it was sure seeming to take a long time. All on the heels of the national financial meltdown.
Anyway, for much of that period, we had Paul Rogers for our interim pastor–what a happy arrangement that was! In one of his monthly newsletters, the apostle Paul (our personal apostle) encouraged us in his monthly column by naming all the things that have not changed. We could take heart, that despite all the changes, many many things were constant and remained with us in our life together. So, springing from that encouragement, I wrote this song.
In the years since then, as times change, these words keep refloating, taking on new meanings and new comfort (and challenge) to me. And now today, yet again. Thanks to Paul, and thanks too you all, for your constant companionship in this life and Love we share.