The first of this week's suggestions takes the new commandment, to love one another, found in St John's Gospel as the starting point. The music source is unknown but has similarities with a 19th century tune by J H Maunder.

Graham Kendrick's hymns/songs provoke dislike from a great many organists, perhaps because he is sometimes seen on "Songs of Praise" leading singing with a guitar and microphone. I've included "Beauty for brokenness" because it reminds us not to have cold hearts, but to love. The tune, though simple, is anything but trivial with good shape and harmony.

Jesu thou joy of loving hearts dates from our pre-Anglican origins and was written by St Bernard of Clairvaux, a place in Burgundy, in the 12th century. The tune, perhaps appropriately is plainsong derived and played on the organ of St Osmund's Church in Breightmet, Bolton.

The final hymn refers to God's love and the resurrection that is promised to all Christians. The origin of the words is unclear but they come to us via a hymn from the Appalachian mountains in the USA. The tune is an old English folk one about the infamous Captain Kidd. Such re-use of tunes can sometimes unsettle me but in this case I suspect few of us know the earlier text and the tune can stand alone as a rather beautiful one. The cumbersome hymn reference is to the 1982 Hymnal of the Episcopal Church of the USA. It is played here on the organ of St Mary's Church in Horwich.

A new commandment I give unto you - https://youtu.be/90fGJIM1BnQ

Beauty for brokenness - https://youtu.be/QpXUmqC1nYc

AMNS 255 Jesu thou joy of loving hearts - https://youtu.be/e7JffiBajpI

H1982 439 What wondrous love is this - https://youtu.be/vY6D97RuiOI

Mel.