All who love and serve your city

All who love and serve your city. Erik Routley* (1917-1982). This was the first hymn text by the author. It was written during a workshop session of the Scottish Churches' Music Consultation at Dunblane in 1966 and was first printed in Dunblane Praises (No. 2, 1967). The hymn was characteristic of those produced in the course of this seven-year long consultation in engaging in the name of the gospel with the structures of contemporary society. The life of the modern city is vividly evoked, its 'daily stress' and all the 'wasted work and wasted play' that goes on behind its closed doors. Christ still weeps over the city (Luke 19: 41) and calls his disciples to work with urgency for healing...