"Jesus Climbed the Mighty Mountain"

Here's a hymn written for Transfiguration Sunday inspired by Luke 9:28-36.  It's meter is 8.7.8.7 D and is written to the tune AUSTRIAN HYMN (commonly used to sing "Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken").  

Click here for a pdf of the hymn.

Free for use in congregational worship.  Please include the following credit "Copyright 2015 Stephen M. Fearing | www.stephenmfearing.com"

Jesus climbed the mighty mountain with disciples by his side - 
Peter, John, and James went with him; there the Spirit would abide.
Early in the morn they gathered to prepare to climb the height,
Little did they know that blindness would reveal their sacred sight!

Once the mountain had been conquered, Jesus stopped to pray and rest.
Then the Spirit came upon him, dazzling bright upon his breast.
Jesus’ face appeared to change him, morphing into blinding glow.
All who saw it masked their faces, marveled at the Spirit’s show.

Once their bleary eyes adjusted to the splendor of the view.
Moses and Elijah joined him, Jesus spoke between the two.
Three bright faces shone and glimmered, chatted till the sun grew dim,
Peter, John, and James grew weary, yet they stayed and worshiped him.

Peter was the first to speak up, he had watched them long enough,
“it is good for us to stay here, let us get some camping stuff!”
Then a voice came down from heaven, bellowing as from the past: 
“Here’s my Son, my chosen prophet.  Be still, Peter, listen fast!”

When the voice had finished speaking, Moses and Elijah went,
Jesus stood alone above them, silence came, the light was spent.
Down they walked in silent wonder, still in awe because the light.
To the cross their savior turned them, there would he reveal his might.

Jesus Climbed the Mighty Mountain.jpg


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Stephen Fearing

Stephen was born in 1988 in Cookeville, TN, where his parents met whilst attending Tennessee Tech. Shortly after, they moved to Dalton, Georgia where they put down roots and joined First Presbyterian Church, the faith family that taught Stephen that he was first and foremost a beloved child of God. It was this community that taught Stephen that it was OK to have questions and doubts and that nothing he could do could every possibly separate him from the love of God. In 1995, his sister, Sarah Kate, joined the family and Stephen began his journey as a life-long musician. Since then, he has found a love of music and has found this gift particularly fitting for his call to ministry. Among the instruments that he enjoys are piano, trumpet, guitar, and handbells. Stephen has always had a love of singing and congregation song. An avid member of the marching band, Stephen was the drum major of his high school's marching band. In 2006, Stephen began his tenure at Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC where he majored in Religion and minored in History. While attending PC, Stephen continued to explore his love of music by participating in the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Jazz Combo, Jazz Trio, as well as playing in the PC Handbell ensemble and playing mandolin and banjo PC's very own bluegrass/rock group, Hosegrass, of which Stephen was a founding member (Hosegrass even released their own CD!). In 2010, Stephen moved from Clinton to Atlanta to attend Columbia Theological Seminary to pursue God's call on his life to be a pastor in the PC(USA). During this time, Stephen worked at Trinity Presbyterian Church, Silver Creek Presbyterian Church, Central Presbyterian Church, and Westminster Presbyterian Church. For three years, Stephen served as the Choir Director of Columbia Theological Seminary's choir and also served as the Interim Music Director at Westminster Presbyterian Church. In 2014, Stephen graduated from Columbia with a Masters of Divinity and a Masters of Arts in Practical Theology with an emphasis in liturgy, music, and worship. In July of 2014, Stephen was installed an ordained as Teaching Elder at Shelter Island Presbyterian Church in Shelter Island, NY. Later that year, Stephen married the love of his life, Tricia, and they share their home on Shelter Island with their Golden Doodle, Elsie, and their calico cat, Audrey. In addition to his work with the people who are Shelter Island Presbyterian Church, Stephen currently serves as a commission from Long Island Presbytery to the Synod of the Northeast and, beginning in January of 2016, will moderate the Synod's missions team.