Agape
Healing peace to join our hearts to all.
Words and music by Sarah Pirtle © 2021, Discovery Center Music, BMI
Lyrics
Dedicated to Kit Stinson, dear long-time friend,
and for our common love of the Beacon UU Church.
Oh, enter in, into a sacred circle.
Oh, enter in, and join our hearts to all.
And you can feel the glow of truth eternal.
and we’ll keep close the call.
We’ll keep close the call.
Chorus:
Healing peace in our bones.
Healing peace, we’re not alone.
Healing peace, our hearts come home.
Because we are together, I find peace.
Because we are together, I find peace.
On wings of joy we feel creation beating.
The bending trees and rivers running blue.
On wings of joy, oh, lift us every morning.
And we create anew.
And we create anew.
Chorus
Oh, sacred place, community so faithful.
Take all our prayers and weave them close around.
Your steady hearts, lead us to be grateful.
May we walk healing ground.
May we walk healing ground.
Chorus
Oh voice of love, lead us to each other.
Oh, voice of love, join our hearts to all.
Oh, voice of love, the whole earth is our teacher.
We’ll keep close your call.
We’ll keep close your call.
Chorus
Oh, justice song, we sing the human family.
Oh, justice song, join our hearts to all.
Oh, justice song, oh, heal our separation.
We’ll keep close your call.
We’ll keep close your call.
About This Song
Unconditional love is the meaning of this Greco-Christian word. Agape is also the name of a community of non-violence founded by Brayton Shanley and Suzanne Belote. The Agape Community is a lay Catholic residential community located on 32-acres of woodlands in Central Massachusetts near the Quabbin Reservoir in Hardwick, MA.
For their opening ceremony in the 1980’s I created an earlier version of this song. You can learn more about Agape through their website: https://agapecommunity.org. Or order their book, Loving Life on the Margins: The Story of the Agape Community.
Beacon is a Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Summit, New Jersey. Kit Stinson and I grew up there all the way through high school and were imprinted and inspired by Dr. Jacob Trapp, our minister. Today we are equally inspired by Beacon’s two ministers Rev. Emilie Boggis and Rev. Dr. Robin Tanner. When the song sings “Community so faithful” that describes Beacon and Agape.
The original song for Agape began with what is now the final verse. In 2021 I added the chorus of healing love. I offer programs that form sacred circles as sources of social healing. Healing stories are shared to transform the affects of violence so that it no longer disrupts the feeling of belonging. May spaces of truth-holding throughout our communities bring a feeling of welcome and worthiness for all.