Lyricist: Fred Kaan

From HymnsWithoutWords

Dr Fred Kaan (b. 1929) was born in the North Holland city of Haarlem. The outbreak of the 2nd World War when he was 10 meant that his later childhood was spent under the Nazi occupation of Holland. His father was a member of the Dutch Resistance, and for two years the Kaans sheltered a Jewish woman in their home, and later gave refuge to an escaped political prisoner.

In 1952 he left Holland and entered the Western College, Bristol, graduating at Bristol University in 1954. After a postgraduate year which included sociology and pastoral studies, he was ordained and became minister of Windsor Road Congregational Church in Barry, South Wales.

Moving to Pilgrim Church in Plymouth in 1963, Fred began work on a home made hymn supplement entitled Pilgrim Praise.

From 1968 - 1970 he became Minister-Secretary of the International Congregational Council in Geneva and then an executive secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches. His period in Geneva involved many other roles including staff member of the World Council of Churches working on Cantate Domino - the international and ecumenical hymnal.

1978 saw Kaan return to England as Moderator of the West Midlands Province of the United Reformed Church and subsequentlyteam minister of the Central (Ecumenical) Church, Swindon, and minister of Penhill United Reformed Church.