Celebrating Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month #12

"Dear Lord, Lead Me Day by Day," United Methodist Hymnal, 411.

This hymn by Francisca Asuncion was adapted from a Filipino folk song, "Planting Rice Is Never Fun" and set to a Filipino folk song in 1976. It was included in the children's section of the 1983 songbook, Hymns from the Four Winds.

The Filipino folk melody was arranged by I-to Loh for the 1983 publication.

The COTTAGE GROVE tune name comes from Cottage Grove, Minnesota, where the composer was recuperating at her sister's home from an auto accident.

Francisca Asuncion (b.1927) was educated at Union Theological Seminary and Westminster Choir College. She was head of the music department at Philippine Christian College and a faculty member at Union Theological Seminary (Philippines).

Source: Carlton Young, Companion to The United Methodist Hymnal,, Abingdon Press, 1993