Let Us Raise Our Voice – A hymn for Christian CND

A new hymn has been written by Christopher Idle, with music by Sue Gilmurray to mark Christian CND’s 60th anniversary in 2020. Let Us Raise Our Voice is an inspiring hymn which we hope will inspire congregations and groups around the country to join us in working and praying for a nuclear weapons-free world.

The hymn is just one element of our anniversary plans, which will include a touring exhibition documenting the history fo Christian CND and the prospects for nuclear disarmament in the future. The current Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated the need to invest money to tackle genuine threats, rather than continuing to waste billions of pound on nuclear weapons.

Let Us Raise Our Voice captures so much of the history of our movement, speaking of taking a stand for our friends and neighbours and joining the march for the sake our of children. We know that many of our members and supporters are motivated by a desire to pass on a more peaceful world to the next generation. The hymn finishes with an evocative call to build peace on earth by the love and grace of Jesus Christ, crystallising the vision of Christian CND beautifully.

Commenting on the hymn, Chris Idle said: “Christian CND does important work in highlighting issues around nuclear weapons to believers in the UK and I am pleased to be able to join them in marking their 60th anniversary with this great, playable and singable tune by Sue. Music is a powerful way to deliver a message and I hope people will heed the message in Let us Raise Our Voice”

Sue Gilmurray said: “I congratulate Christian CND on 60 years of campaigning for an end to nuclear weapons. Now more than ever, with the UK set to spend billions on a new generation of weapons, we need Christians to intercede for a better future. I hope this hymn, bringing together the global issues with our individual response in the context of God’s love, will help in raising our awareness and inspiring action”.

Let us raise our voice
for the sake of the planet,
for the earth we love
to be free from fear;
we will take a stand
for our friends and neighbours:
neither bomb nor gun
shall infect us here.

Let us join the march
for the sake of our children,
and a future hope
that can still be theirs;
we will walk the miles
with a mind to make it;
we will sing our songs,
we will breathe our prayers.

Let us set our goals
for the sake of the needy;
let us persevere
though the road seems long;
we reject all faith
in the stockpiled weapons;
we will speak the truth
to the rich and strong.

Let us plead our cause
for the sake of the nations;
with the Lord’s great love
still at large today;
we will wear the badge
of our clear commitment,
as we tread the path
on the pilgrim way.

Let us trust in God
for the sake of the Kingdom;
let us take the cross
into every place.
We will look to Christ
for his fruitful Spirit,
building peace on earth
by his boundless grace.

Download the music and lyrics
Download the harmony (SATB) version

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