OK this is an oddity.
There was a record in the 1960s called “Let’s Sing a New Song” from the Sisters of the Good Shepherd in Hobart, recorded at the sudios of radio 7HO under the name, The Canician Folk Singers, with solo and guitar by “Sister Philip”. PTG took “Today Our Hearts” from this album for their hymnal. The words are noted to be by Sister Philip – so far so good. The tune is uncredited. The tune is in fact the tune of “The Little Drummer Boy” written by American composer Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941. It was certainly in copyright in 1969 and I suspect still is, hence the lack of credit for the music, which seemed to have written itself.
Which is a pity, as the Eucharistic text is fine, although it doesn’t really fit the tune that well, so may it needs to be reset – the third verse I have rearranged with my best guess as to how it fits the music. I can find no details about the mysterious Sister Philip from Hobart.
1 Today our hearts O Lord we offer anew.
Together with the bread and wine to you.
Today our sep’rate lives will join in One.
As with the bread we break, we will become,
Many will be the Body of One, Christ your Son.
2 Almighty Father, take the joy and care.
We have united to your Son’s great prayer.
Help us to take you to the world again,
That men might come to You, might come and live,
The life your Son died to give, died to give.
3 O loving Father as the rising dispels
The darkness, may the life Christ won shine more,
Resplendently, throughout our lives and lift
The darkness which around us lies,
That living for Thee, may all we other Christs be, other Christs be.