There is a wonderful new hymn in our hymnal.  It is becoming something of a tradition to sing this hymn number 707,

The Hymn of Promise, at Easter… and at memorial and funeral services.  The hymn was written in 1986 by Natalie Sleeth, a respected and prolific writer of Christian music.  She wrote this hymn for her husband, the late Dr. Ronnie Sleeth, who was an outstanding professor of preaching at Vanderbilt Divinity School and later at Iliff School of Theology.  In 1986 Ronnie Sleeth was told by his doctors that he had a terminal illness.

From the date of the diagnosis of his illness to his death was just twenty-one days… and Natalie wrote this hymn of promise for him before he died.  Listen to the last stanza:

“In our end is our beginning;
In our time infinity;
In our doubt, there is believi…