Take My Life and Let it Be

"Take My Life and Let it Be" is one of those deeply personal hymns that naturally draws a congregation into a spirit of total surrender. The words walk us through a complete offering of ourselves to God—our hands, our voices, our time, and our earthly treasures. It is a perfect fit for the Offertory, as the choir and the faithful present not just the bread and wine, but their very lives and daily work at the altar.

This particular arrangement sets the familiar text to a stately melody by G. F. Handel, giving the verses a grounded, reverent feel. As the hymn progresses from offering our physical actions to surrendering our inner will, the music builds in quiet confidence.

For the final verse, Sam C. Ezugwu provides a soaring descant that lifts the soprano line above the rest of the choir. When the voices unite on the words "Take my heart, it is thy own," that bright descant adds a wonderful sense of joy and finality to the prayer, making it an uplifting moment in the liturgy.