LARRY E. SCHULTZ
  • Congregational Music
    • Downloadable Congregational Music >
      • Hymns
      • Songs
      • Collections
    • Published Congregational Music
    • Downloadable Hymn Enhancements
  • Choral Music
    • Downloadable Choral Music (Church) >
      • Anthems >
        • Unison, Two-Part & Mixed
        • SATB
      • Service Music
      • Hymn Enhancements
    • Published Choral Music (Church)
    • Downloadable Choral Music (School & Community) >
      • Unison, Two-Part & Mixed
      • SATB
    • Published Choral Music (School & Community)
    • Downloadable Vocal Exercises
  • Instrumental Music
    • Downloadable Instrumental Music (Church) >
      • Hymn Accompaniments
      • Hymn Obbligatos
    • Downloadable Instrumental Music (School & Community)
  • Vocal Solos/Duets
  • Music Instruction
    • Piano Lessons
    • Voice Lessons
    • Composition Lessons
    • Music Theory Instruction
    • Sight-Singing/Ear Training
    • Student Page
  • Resonate! (Blog)
  • About Larry
    • Minister
    • Composer
    • Hymn Writer
    • Teacher
    • Commissions, Awards & Collaborators
    • Music Typesetting

Resonate! 

Picture
a Blog related to Communal Music
Making music, we resonate with all that is.
Adding words, we resonate meaning.

By Water or Spirit? A Hymn Responding to a Baptismal Dichotomy

7/1/2021

 
Picture
In 2008, I created a hymn text on baptism to submit to a Methodist church’s hymn search, and am grateful that the hymn has found use in a variety of denominations. Published in the Celebrating Grace, Community of Christ Sings, and Voices Together hymnals, “With Water Freely Flowing” expresses a progressive and ecumenical view of the ritual of baptism.
 
Stanza 1:
With water freely flowing
we celebrate new birth,        
in sacred sign expressing              
God’s love for all on earth.                                        
The Well of Living Water
springs up for us this day;
engulfed by love’s acceptance,
our fears are washed away.

 
Stanza 1 is about water. The opening phrase can refer to the “first baptism” of all humanity in the water of the womb that “freely flows” as it breaks and the labor of “new birth” begins. Water also flows in a baptismal river or immersing baptistery, or, it flows from a pitcher with water poured over or sprinkled upon the head. It flows in the rain that baptizes and nurtures the earth. The idea of “freely flowing water” also references my own baptism, before which the baptistery actually overflowed and flooded the church building!
 
Adding to the ecumenical nature of the hymn, the idea of baptism as a sacrament and “sign” of love is sung in Stanza 1. But perhaps most importantly, this stanza separates itself from other baptismal hymns by removing the act of baptism from harmful atonement theology as it expresses the washing away of “fears” instead of “sin.” As such, baptism becomes a celebratory welcome into a loving community.
 
Stanza 2:
The Spirit, swiftly soaring,
descending as a dove,
conveys the startling Presence                 
on all whose vow is love.
​The Breath of God within us                                     
enlivens and sustains,
beyond this rite of passage         
with us always remains.        
       
 
Stanza 2 focuses on the Spirit. It sings of the Spirit as a “descending dove” and “startling Presence” (from the gospel narrative of Jesus’ baptism), as well as “The Breath of God.” When sung by a congregation, the sibilant sounds created by the alliterative opening lines of this stanza create the effect of the Spirit’s breath or wind.
​
This stanza also connects with the liturgical practice of spoken vows accompanying baptism.

Stanza 3:
By water and the Spirit
baptized in Christ, we rise
to walk new paths unfolding
before our opened eyes.
We journey from this moment,
faith’s pilgrimage embrace.                                      
By Spirit and by water                                                
we feel and sense God’s grace.

 
Stanza 3 brings both water and Spirit together in an effort to respond to my experience with another hymn. The Baptist hymnals of my childhood included “The Church’s One Foundation” by Samuel John Stone. In those hymnals we sang of the church: “She is his new creation by Spirit and the Word.” I first became aware of the practice of altering hymn texts when I discovered that other hymnals used Stone’s original words: “She is his new creation by water and the Word.” This hymn text alteration called to my attention a “baptismal dichotomy” – an ecclesiastical difference of opinion over the most important components in the act of baptism. “With Water Freely Flowing” reunites these dissected elements, exclaiming: "By Spirit and  by water!" (echoing Jesus' words to Nicodemus in John 3:5). 

In the Celebrating Grace and Community of Christ Sings hymnals, “With Water Freely Flowing” is effectively paired with “MERLE’S TUNE” by Hal H. Hopson, and in the Voices Together hymnal it has been given a beautiful setting with Amanda Husberg’s tune, “OPEN HEART.” Churches who do not use the hymnals in which “With Water Freely Flowing” is included may reprint and broadcast the hymn via licenses through ONE LICENSE or CCLI. 

    Author

    Larry E. Schultz is a Minister of Music, composer, hymn writer, and music teacher.

    Archives

    April 2025
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    July 2021
    January 2020
    August 2019

    Categories

    All
    Anthems
    Baptism
    Choral Music
    Collaboration
    Communion
    Congregational Song
    Education
    Hymns
    Interfaith
    Music Ministry
    Philosophy
    Piano Music
    Pluralism
    Religion
    Science
    Theology
    Tribute

    RSS Feed

Copyright 2025 Larry E. Schultz. All rights reserved.
  • Congregational Music
    • Downloadable Congregational Music >
      • Hymns
      • Songs
      • Collections
    • Published Congregational Music
    • Downloadable Hymn Enhancements
  • Choral Music
    • Downloadable Choral Music (Church) >
      • Anthems >
        • Unison, Two-Part & Mixed
        • SATB
      • Service Music
      • Hymn Enhancements
    • Published Choral Music (Church)
    • Downloadable Choral Music (School & Community) >
      • Unison, Two-Part & Mixed
      • SATB
    • Published Choral Music (School & Community)
    • Downloadable Vocal Exercises
  • Instrumental Music
    • Downloadable Instrumental Music (Church) >
      • Hymn Accompaniments
      • Hymn Obbligatos
    • Downloadable Instrumental Music (School & Community)
  • Vocal Solos/Duets
  • Music Instruction
    • Piano Lessons
    • Voice Lessons
    • Composition Lessons
    • Music Theory Instruction
    • Sight-Singing/Ear Training
    • Student Page
  • Resonate! (Blog)
  • About Larry
    • Minister
    • Composer
    • Hymn Writer
    • Teacher
    • Commissions, Awards & Collaborators
    • Music Typesetting