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O God, You Give Humanity Its Name
1. O God, You give humanity its name,
Your covenant of grace remains the same:
Be with these two who now before You wait;
Enlarge the love they come to consecrate.
2. May through their union other lives be blessed,
Their door be wide to stranger and to guest;
Give them he understanding that is kind;
Grant them the blessing of an open mind.
3. Preserve their days from inwardness of heart:
To each the gift of truthfulness impart.
Their bond be strong against all strain and strife
Amid the changes of this earthly life.
4. From stage to stage on life's unfolding way
Bring to their mind the vows they make this day;
Your Spirit be their guide in every move,
Their faith in Christ the basis of their love.
5. Lord, bless all to whom this day brings joy,
Let no events our unity destroy,
And help us, till all sense of time is lost,
To live and love and not to count the cost.
WORDS: Fred Kaan, 1968
MUSIC: Alfred Morton Smith, 1941
Theme: Sacraments and Ordinances