NeuroDivine

Along the hawthorn-bordered fields

Along the hawthorn‑bordered fields,
Where curlews cry at dawn,
We walk the paths our kin have walked
Through mist on meadow‑lawn.
Yet still God’s call, like turning tides,
Draws hearts in one accord;
As one in Christ, we choose His way,
And serve our living Lord.

By rush‑lined banks of quiet streams,
Where otters slip and glide,
We learn the peace His promise gives,
A river at our side.
Though winds may rise on bogland paths
And shadows cross the day,
God’s tide of mercy gathers us
And guides us on the way.

Among the ash and rowan trees,
Where evening light grows gold,
We name the God who shepherded
Our saints and seers of old.
Their prayers still move through peat and stone,
Like tides that sweep the shore;
They call us into unity
In Christ, for evermore.

In waters where our children rise,
New‑born in Christ’s embrace,
We learn the gift that binds us all—
One baptism, one grace.
And at the table, bread and wine
Are shared in thanks outpoured;
For Christ unites us, heart with heart,
Around His welcome board.

So bind our homes and hearts as one,
In kindness, truth, and care;
Let mercy root like heather blooms
In every place we share.
And when the final dusk draws near,
Still keep us in Your word;
For we, together, choose Your love
And walk with You, O Lord.

All glory to the Father’s love,
Whose breath stirs sea‑spray bright;
All praise to Christ, whose guiding hand
Brings warmth like turf‑fire light;
And to the Spirit, wild and free,
Whose song through earth is poured;
The Three who bless our shore and home,
One holy, blessed Lord.

Hymn Information

First line: Along the hawthorn-bordered fields
Text: Michael McFarland Campbell
Metre: DCM
Theme: Joshua 24:15, Church Unity

Reflection

The line that echoes through this hymn is Joshua’s declaration:

It is a statement of quiet resolve—faith chosen not only by an individual, but by a household, a community, a people.

While writing the hymn, I imagined that ancient promise spoken again along the hawthorn-bordered fields of Ireland, where the land itself carries memory. Curlew calls, slow rivers, and evening light become reminders that God’s call meets us in the ordinary paths we walk each day.

The spirit of the Rule of St Benedict shapes the hymn. Benedictine life is grounded in stability, prayer, and shared table—faith lived patiently in community. In the same way, the hymn turns to baptism and the Eucharist as the places where the Church continually renews its answer.

Generation after generation, in homes and parishes alike, the same words are spoken again:

Copyright

© Michael McFarland Campbell 2026. 
Permission granted for local church or parish use with attribution. Not for commercial reproduction.