Grace

[33girl]

Originally posted by adpiucf
our organizations were founded on Judeo-Christian principles

not all of them - sorry to pick a nit.

Billy, we only sing the Grace at formal occasions like installations and convention. As it's called the Grace Before Meat, we would be out of luck singing it in the caf since there was often nothing resembling meat there. LOL.

[MSKKG]

Originally posted by 33girl
not all of them - sorry to pick a nit.

If you'll re-read adpiucf's post, she said "many" not "all" so there was no nit to pick!

This is Kappa's blessing:

Father, we are thankful,
May we ever be,
Mindful of Thy blessings,
We of K.K.G.

[aephi alum]

Originally posted by 33girl
Billy, we only sing the Grace at formal occasions like installations and convention. As it's called the Grace Before Meat, we would be out of luck singing it in the caf since there was often nothing resembling meat there. LOL.

So what's ASA's Grace Before Strange Greyish Matter?

Would you not sing it if you weren't eating meat? (fish, pasta...)

AEPhi doesn't have a grace...

[SapphireSphinx9]

I honestly don't think we do... But I could be wrong, (my chapter doesn't have a house, so we don't have formal dinners to sing at) maybe my sisters could help me out with this one...

[SoProud2BeAnAlphaXi]

Alpha Xi Delta's is yet another doxology tune:

Be present at our table, Lord.
Be here and everywhere adored.
These mercies bless and grant that we
May feast in paradise with Thee.

God bless our dear Fraternity.
May we e'er united be.
May our quill reign eternally.
Alpha Xi Delta praises Thee. Amen.

[lilkel244]

Actully Delta Zeta does have a Grace at meals! I am the chaplain and had to say it at our chapter installation. It is
Father we lift our voice in thanks to thee; For these Thy gifts of loving Charity.
Bless to thy use and strenghten as thou would these Delta Zeta bonds of sisterhood.

I got to say it in front of our National President!

[GammaPhiBabe]

Oh let thy blessing, Father dear
Rest on each friend and sister here
Our order bless, help us we pray
True lives to live from day to day
Amen

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally posted by GammaPhiBabe
Oh let thy blessing, Father dear
Rest on each friend and sister here
Our order bless, help us we pray
True lives to live from day to day
Amen

I would like to state my favorite thing about our blessing - it's probably one of our easiest songs to sing, even my chapter (who couldn't carry a tune to save our charter) sounds beautiful when this is sung.

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Originally posted by GammaPhiBabe
Oh let thy blessing, Father dear
Rest on each friend and sister here
Our order bless, help us we pray
True lives to live from day to day
Amen

Technically, these are the words for when non-Gamma Phi's are present. The line is "Rest on each sister gathered here" when it's only Gamma Phi's but I'm not sure anyone knows that anymore.....................

[ZTAMich]

Originally posted by BrownEyedGirl
I believe this is a national thing, but I know for sure that all ten ZTA chapters in South Carolina sing this:

Father, we thank thee
Father, in heav'n
Each blessing from thy loving hand is giv'n
Thy tender watching guards all our way
Father, bless Zeta, our fraternity

Sure is a national thing!! I LOVE when we sing it too. And not just because I get to eat after...I really do like it!

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally posted by SmartBlondeGPhB
Technically, these are the words for when non-Gamma Phi's are present. The line is "Rest on each sister gathered here" when it's only Gamma Phi's but I'm not sure anyone knows that anymore.....................

My chapter does. See, we do something right!

[ShyViolet]

I've only heard the grace at our national gatherings and such, I don't remember if we sang it at the Alumnae/College Advisory Committee meeting, though. I'm sure there are some chapters who use it more often, though. I think it's really pretty.

For thy love and for thy care,
For the food thou didst prepare,
For thy goodness everywhere,
Father in heav'n we thank thee.
Amen.

~ ShyViolet

[GammaPhiBabe]

Technically, these are the words for when non-Gamma Phi's are present. The line is "Rest on each sister gathered here" when it's only Gamma Phi's but I'm not sure anyone knows that anymore.....................

I know, but I thought that the thread was referring to what we sing at mealtime. I also wasn't sure if I should post the version that we sing during ritual-type events. At chapter-only functions and rituals, we sing the "each sister" verse, but at mealtimes we sing the friend & sister verse because there are often guests or nonmembers (like the housemother or kitchen staff) present.

[KerriMarie]

What I really like about the Kappa grace is hearing other chapters do it - when I was at UCF Initation/Installation, we sang it and found out that my chapter does it a LOT faster than everyone else. While I'm not a very religious person, I always liked singing grace with my chapter - I don't know why - I guess just the idea of thanking someone (even tho I'm not clear on who or what that is..?) for the blessings in my life. We sing ours every night before dinner - we line up outside of the dining room and sing it all together.

[erniegurl00]

Originally posted by jharb
For Health, For Food
For Friendships tried and true
We thank thee lord
that we may
through bonds of wine and blue
spread thy great love abroad.

I know it when it's time to say it but I can't remember exact wording currently...lol

Close. Just drop out the "may".

We always say grace before lunch and supper, and we sing it before formal dinners. I've heard through our alums that our chapter, IN Gamma, is one of the few Pi Phi chapters to say grace regularly. Is this the same way with other orgs? Do you find that every chapter says grace (for those that have one) or do only certain chapters use the grace?