Church Music

David MacGregor has written this song for Eucharist that sounds particular suitable for children, but not exclusively. It has a key change for the last verse.

The sheet music is free at his site.

Take this bread
My body broken all for for you
Take my love
Be nourished – it’s my life for you
Take this bread
It’s broken for in me you’ll live
Take this bread
My life for you
I freely give

Take this cup
My blood poured out for all, for you
Take my love
My sacrifice – my life for you
Take this cup
New covenant made through my blood
Take this cup
My blood poured out
Come, take my love

We take this bread
This cup of life for making whole,
We take this food for healing
deep within each soul
We come, find hope, compassion
In our life in you
We take this bread
We take this cup
our life renewed
We take this bread
We take this cup
our life renewed

David MacGregor
© 2018
Willow Publishing

This fine song by David MacGregor would work as a recessional, although I initially thought it was just a song for the end of the school year or graduation.

The sheet music is free at his website.

I made two backings because the first was a little too busy.

In the comings
In the goings
On the highways, byways
You’re there
In the laughing
In the weeping
The delighting
God, You’re there

So, then, come what may
I will sing in praise
Lift my hands in joy to God
God , my hope, my light
My Love, my life
You are with me
Always, for all time
I am with You
Always, for all time

Past behind us
Christ before us
Jesus hold us
On the way
As we journey
in your Spirit
Ever fruitful
Your Kingdom way

So, then, come what may
I will sing in praise
Lift my hands in joy to God
God , my hope, my light
My love, my life
You are with me
Always, for all time
You are with me
Always, for all time
I am with You
Always, for all time

David MacGregor
© 2021 Willow Publishing

This is an enthusiastic song of praise based on Psalm 148 by David MacGregor. It sounds like a long lost Marty Haugen hymn – that’s a good thing.

The sheet music is free at his website.

Creation, sing out
Sing praises to God!
Shout your praises
Shout your praises!
Sun, moon and stars
Sing praises to God!
Shout your praises
Shout your praises!

Praises sing from the depths of the ocean
The creatures of water cry forth
Fire and snow, ev’ry stormy wind
Sing praises, all the earth!

Praises ring from the mountain, the hillsides
The forests and everything grown
You animals, birds – you wild, you tame
Creation, praise God’s name!

Praises sing out from young and from older
All nations, yes – everyone
God’s name is highest over all
Creation sing as one!

from Psalm 148
David MacGregor
© 2021 Willow Publishing

This an upbeat gathering song from the vast David MacGregor archive.

The sheet music is free at his site as a lead sheet and full score.

My backing is a case of getting BIAB to mimic the style of the original.

Come together
Come together
We are one In God
through Jesus Christ
Come together
Come together
Christ our peace
and Jesus Christ our life

We’re humbly confessing
God help us addressing
Our pride dispossessing
For we’ve wrought pain
We come now repenting
We pray your forgiving
God’s grace reconciling
to live again
Come together …

Come sister and brother
All creeds and all colours
Reach out to each other
all barriers down
Journeying together
Love for one another
No longer strangers
but friends in God
Come together …

David MacGregor
© 2014 inspired by Ephesians 2
Willow Publishing

This is a great children’s song using the Lazarus story written by David MacGregor.

The sheet music is free at his website.

I made my usual BIAB backing:

Come out, Lazarus!
Get up, Lazarus!
Come out, Lazarus!
Come out, get up!

Come out, Lazarus!
Get up, Lazarus!
Come out, Lazarus!
Come out, get up!

Hey sister
Time to cry no more
Hey sister
Don’t be sad no more
Hey brother
Time to walk brand new
Hey brother
I’ve got life for you!

Come out, Lazarus!
Get up, Lazarus!
Come out, Lazarus!
Come out, get up!

Come out, Lazarus!
Get up, Lazarus!
Come out, Lazarus!
Come out, get up!

David MacGregor
© 2019. Willow Publishing

Yes, this is the Charles Wesley hymn set to STUTTGART, but with a chorus by David MacGregor.

The sheet music is free at his site.

This is my version:

Come, O long expected Jesus,
born to set your people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
Christ in whom our rest shall be.
Israel’s strength and consolation,
born salvation to impart;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.

Come, Lord, come. Come, Lord, come. Come, Lord, come.

Jesus come.

Born your people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now your gracious kingdom bring.
By your own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by your all sufficient merit,
raise us to your glorious throne.

Lyrics: Charles Wesley Tune: STUTTGART (Chorus: David MacGregor)

This is another children’s song from David MacGregor‘s vast archive. It is a gathering song from way back in 1995.

The sheet music is freely available at his website, but you may have trouble downloading it so I converted it to a pdf and posted it here.

He asked for a strong rock rhythm and I obliged.

This may be a children’s song by David MacGregor, but the text is a fine invitation to participate in the great feast, alluding to the the parable. (Luke 14 and Matthew 22 – I prefer Luke.)

It is a “rollicking 12 bar blues”.

The sheet music is free at his website. I converted it to pdf in case you have trouble downloading it in Word format.

I made a backing, that is a little more restrained than his:

I am away at the APMN conference in Brisbane for this weekend so a fellow medical guitarist has stepped into the breach.

Entrance: Gather Us In (Haugen) AOV 1/12

Gifts: The Cry of the Poor (Foley) AOV 1/83  

Communion: One Bread, One Body (Foley) AOV 1/129

Recessional: A New Heart for a New World   (O’Brien/Watts) AOV 1/158

This is a song that would be great for gathering by David MacGregor.

The sheet music is free at his website. He says to song it “with life and movement”.

I made a backing, but ignored the clever counter-melody in the chorus.

Chorus

Come, come, come; come together.

Holy Spirit make us one.

God come weave your grace among us.

Life is ours in Christ, God’s Son.

1 Sharing God, your life together; lead us on to places new.

Fill us all with love for Jesus; sent in mission, spent by you.

2 Call from us great love for neighbour. Gift us open minds and hearts.

In your name we’ll serve together; each one playing their special part.

3 Unity: your call, your longing; each one blessed to bless anew.

Take our giftings, take our passion; your holy people formed in you.

© 2018 David MacGregor