Following The Call – John Bell’s “The Summons”

For Sunday, June 7, 2026

By Carol Nave

"Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?"

With that simple question, John Bell's beloved hymn Will You Come and Follow Me (often known as The Summons) invites us into one of the central themes of the Christian life: discipleship.

Written in 1987 for the Iona Community in Scotland, the hymn is unusual because it is written entirely as a series of questions posed by Christ to the believer. Rather than telling us what discipleship looks like, the hymn invites us to imagine Jesus speaking directly to us.

Each verse explores a different aspect of following Christ. Will we leave behind what is comfortable and familiar? Will we care for those whom others overlook? Will we risk being changed by God's love? Will we recognize Christ in people who are different from us? The questions become increasingly challenging until the final verse, where the singer responds:

"Let me turn and follow you and never be the same."

That final phrase captures the heart of discipleship. Following Jesus is not simply about believing certain things—it is about allowing God to transform who we are.

Bell paired the text with KELVINGROVE, a traditional Scottish folk melody. The tune's gentle, flowing character gives the hymn an inviting quality that has helped it become one of the most widely loved hymns of the modern church. Its simplicity allows the questions of the text to remain at the center, encouraging reflection rather than performance.

For Episcopalians, the hymn resonates strongly with the promises of the Baptismal Covenant. When we promise to seek and serve Christ in all persons, to love our neighbors as ourselves, and to strive for justice and peace, we are answering many of the same questions Bell places before us in this hymn. The text reminds us that faith is not only something we profess on Sunday—it is something we practice every day.

That connection makes Will You Come and Follow Me especially fitting as we begin the long green season after Pentecost. This season focuses on growing as disciples and learning what it means to follow Christ in the ordinary moments of life. As the hymn reminds us, the call of Jesus is both deeply personal and wonderfully transformative.

This Sunday, our Children's Choirs and Adult Choir will each offer their own musical expression of this beloved hymn. As you listen, consider the questions it asks—and how you might answer Christ's invitation anew.