A Diligent and Grateful Heart

Raymond Lawrence Gunn (1925–2015) was an American music educator, church organist, and minister who spent decades fostering a love for music in public school classrooms and congregational life. Within hymnody, he is best known as the author of the deeply reflective stewardship text, "A Diligent and Grateful Heart," which focuses on humility, service, and dedicating one’s inherent talents back to God.

Life, Service, and Career

Born on September 11, 1925, in Fort Madison, Iowa, Gunn grew up during the challenges of the Great Depression. He was drawn to music at a young age, a passion that would map out the trajectory of his entire life.

During World War II, Gunn stepped forward to serve his country, joining the United States Navy Seabees from November 1943 through April 1946. Upon returning to civilian life, he pursued his education with a sharp focus on his musical passions, earning an associate degree from Graceland College in 1948 before moving on to Drake University to finish both his Bachelor and Master of Music Education degrees.

Gunn dedicated 38 years of his life to guiding young minds through music, working as an instrumental music teacher:

• Iowa Public Schools: 13 years teaching elementary through high school band and orchestra.

• Kansas City Missouri Public Schools: 25 years teaching instrumental music before his retirement in 1988.

Alongside his public school career, Gunn was intensely active in his faith community—the Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). He was an accomplished pipe organist, directed handbell choirs, and was ordained as a pastor, serving congregations in Logan, Iowa, and Independence, Missouri.

"A Diligent and Grateful Heart" (1980)

Gunn wrote his hallmark hymn in 1980 as a direct response to a need for meaningful stewardship texts that moved beyond simple monetary giving, focusing instead on holistic self-consecration and vocational ministry.

The hymn text was officially copyrighted in 1980 by his denomination and subsequently published in their landmark hymnal, Hymns of the Saints (1982). Because its message of humble service and stewardship resonates universally across Christian traditions, it was notably adopted by the compilers of the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal in 1985, cementing Gunn's place in broader cross-denominational hymnody.

The stanzas are typically paired with ST. COLUMBA, a traditional, flowing Irish melody that mirrors the gentle, prayerful humility of the text:

"A diligent and grateful heart
Prompts me to sing Thy praise.
Thy love and mercies from the start
Have blessed me all my days.

I thank Thee for the means to serve
With talents and with tithes,
For sharing brings the utmost joy
When lifting other lives."

Later Years and Legacy

Following his retirement from public education, Gunn did not slow down. He dove heavily into local volunteerism in Independence, Missouri, serving as the president of the local Meals on Wheels program and engaging in community youth mentorship through the Optimist Club.

Gunn passed away peacefully on February 25, 2015, at the age of 89. He left behind a legacy defined by decades of students who learned to love music under his baton and congregants who continue to sing his poetic call to live a life of humble, daily stewardship.