Feast of Albert Frederick Bayly (July 27)

Above:  Logo of The United Reformed Church

Image in the Public Domain

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ALBERT FREDERICK BAYLY (SEPTEMBER 6, 1901-JULY 26, 1984)

English Congregationalist then United Reformed Minister, Librettist, and Hymn Writer

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[Bayly] counts as the first of the new wave of experimental hymn writers, making some of the first gestures towards a hymnody celebrating the scenes, languages, and social needs of modern life.

—Erik Routley, quoted in Paul Grime and Joseph Hurl, eds., Hymnal Supplement 98 Handbook (1998), 148

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The Reverend Albert Frederick Bayly comes to this, A Great Cloud of Witnesses:  An Ecumenical Calendar of Saints’ Days and Holy Days, via The Methodist Hymnal (1966).

Bayly, a contributor to the “hymn explosion” in England (1960s forward) was of the Reformed persuasion.  He, born in Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex, on September 6, 1901, studied at Hastings Grammar School and St. Mary Magdalen School, St. Leonards.  Our saint briefly trained as a shipwright at the Royal Dockyard School, Portsmouth.  Bayly’s calling was ordained ministry.  He attended Mansfield College, Oxford, from 1925 to 1928.  Bayly had already earned his B.AS. from London University.

Above:  Christ Church, Swanland, England

Image Source = Google Earth

Bayly served in parish ministry from 1928 to 1971, when he retired.  During his time of active ministry, our saint’s denomination was the Congregational Church in England and Wales.

1. Bayly, as the assistant minister at Whitley Bay (1928-1938), was pastor of the mission (now St. Andrew’s United Reformed Church) in neighboring Monkseaton.
2. Next, our saint served at the Morpeth Congregational Church, Morpeth, Northumberland (1938-1946).  This congregation eventually amalgamated with St. George’s Presbyterian Church, Morpeth, to become St. George’s United Reformed Church.
3. Bayly was pastor of Hollingreave Congregational Church, Burnley, Lancashire (1946-1950).  This congregation amalgamated into Burnley and Nelson United Reformed Church in 1979.
4. Our saint served at Swanland Congregational Church, Swanland, East Riding, Yorkshire (1950-1956).  The local Methodist congregation amalgamated with the United Reformed congregation in 1981 to form Christ Church, Swanland, in the former Congregational/United Reformed building.
5. Bayly was pastor of Eccleston Congregational Church, St. Helens, Lancashire (1956-1962).  This congregation’s legacy has passed to one of the four United Reformed churches in the town.
6. Our saint served at the Thaxted Congregational Church, Thaxted, Essex (1962-1971).  This congregation has become the Thaxted United Reformed Church.

With the merger of the Congregational Church in England and Wales and the Presbyterian Church in England in 1972, Bayly became a minister in The United Reformed Church.

Bayly wrote.  He wrote hymns, starting in 1945.  Our saint composed librettos for three of William Lloyd Webber‘s cantatas.  Bayly wrote several mission-themed pageants.  He also published collections of hymns:

1. Rejoice, O People (1950);
2. Again, I Say Rejoice (1967);
3. Rejoice Always (1971);
4. Rejoice in God (1977); and
5. Rejoice Together (1981).

Bayly, who retired to Springfield, Chelmsford, died in Chichester, Sussex, on July 26, 1984.  He was 82 years old.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

JULY 8, 2020 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF GERALD FORD, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND AGENT OF NATIONAL HEALING; AND BETTY FORD, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES AND ADVOCATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE

THE FEAST OF ALBERT RHETT STUART, EPISCOPAL BISHOP OF GEORGIA AND ADVOCATE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

THE FEAST OF ALICE PAUL, U.S. QUAKER WOMEN’S RIGHTS ACTIVIST

THE FEAST OF GEORG NEUMARK, GERMAN LUTHERAN POET AND HYMN WRITER

THE FEAST OF GIOVANNI BATTISTA BONONCINI AND ANTONIO MARIA BONONCINI, ITALIAN COMPOSERS

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Dear God of beauty,

you have granted literary ability and spiritual sensitivity to

Albert Frederick Bayly and others, who have composed hymn texts.

May we, as you guide us,

find worthy hymn texts to be icons,

through which we see you.

In the Name of God:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Sirach/Ecclesiasticus 44:1-3a, 5-15

Psalm 147

Revelation 5:11-14

Luke 2:8-20

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

APRIL 20, 2013 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF SAINTS AMATOR OF AUXERRE AND GERMANUS OF AUXERRE, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS; SAINT MAMERTINUS OF AUXERRE, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT; AND SAINT MARCIAN OF AUXERRE, ROMAN CATHOLIC MONK

THE FEAST OF JOHANNES BUGENHAGEN, GERMAN LUTHERAN PASTOR

THE FEAST OF SAINT MARCELLINUS OF EMBRUN, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP

THE FEAST OF OLAVUS AND LAURENTIUS PETRI, RENEWERS OF THE CHURCH

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