Anglican Communion News Service

[Focus] The Anglican Task Group 2000 in the Australian diocese of Brisbane has organised a Year of Christ 2000 Hymn Competition. The winning entry, entitled "Love came down from highest heaven", was written by the Revd Ramsay Williams, Rector of Hamilton-Macarthur, Ballarat.

The hymn was sung for the first time at choral evensong in St John's Cathedral Brisbane on 12th December, attended by family, friends and parishioners of the author. The tune used was Abbot's Leigh, but other suggested melodies are Blaenwern and Hymn to Joy.

In his sermon at the service, Archbishop of Brisbane, Peter Hollingworth, used the words of the hymn to reflect on the mystery of the incarnation.

"The hymn best fitted what we were looking for," said one of the judges, Canon Lawrence Bartlett. "Contemporary language which was inclusive, accessible, consistent and easy to sing."

For non-commercial purposes the copyright of the hymn has been waived, and it is hoped that the hymn will be used in all parishes throughout the diocese as part of the 2000 celebrations.

The last verse of the hymn is:

Though two thousand years are merely
but a moment in God's plans
Still we share Christ's endless victory,
place our future in his hands.