Sarah Hart was at the APMN conference this year and was a sparkling asset. I will catch up with a few of the sings she sang that I haven’t yet blogged soon.
For now, there is this one that has uses for confirmation, graduation, blessings and RCIA. It is up to her usual bright standard – memorable and singable.
You can purchase the sheet music at OCP and the text is in their sample.
I made a backing on BIAB, surprising no-one.
One of the highlights of any APMN conference is the conference mass. Even if you don’t attend the conference, if one turns up in your city go to the mass. When everyone in the assembly is a musician or singer the participation lifts the roof off and this year at St Stephen’s was no different. They also had two choirs, brass, organ and band to shove things along.
The music was:
Mass of Praise of Glory (Mason) – fun to sing that again
Entrance: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty LOBE DEN HERREN (Willcock’s arrangement)
Prayer of the Faithful:
O God of life, you raise us up.
Hear us, hear our prayer
Erica Marshall
Gifts: Bread of Angels (Stephan)
Communion: Come to the Table (Burland)
From the Many Make Us One (Huck/Alonso)
Thanksgiving: Bread of Angels (Stephan)
Recessional: In Faith and Hope and Love (McAuley/Connolly)
The only one I have never blogged of these, apart from Marshall’s prayer, is “From the Many Make Us One”, which has a text by Gabe Huck and is set by Tony Alonso. It is meant to be cantor and assembly alternating but I reckon it can be done sung through just as well.
The sheet music is available at GIA, where the text is in their preview. Astute readers of thes blog will note I have strayed from Australian only material – to cover the conference and new OCP releases that will be necessary. Normal service will be resumed when able.
I made a backing of this song for learning purposes, but I recommend you hear it sung by an assembly that sings.
I have already blogged this when I did Gather 3, but I noticed my previous parish was using it for Advent this year so I made a new backing for fun.
It is by Kathy Powell and based on the “O” Antiphons. The sheet music can be purchased at GIA where the text is in their preview. I found a couple of very good You-Tube clips that weren’t available when I first looked at the song.
This is the last song in Patrica Smith’s And the Angels Sang collection. The are lots of great songs for the end of the year at schools and churches in this album. If you haven’t got anything planned yet just download it and get cracking.
“Who Is At The Stable” is a fun song for children along the lines of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” With each verse an extra line is added describing who is at the stable. In between everyone sings the chorus.
You can purchase the sheet music for this song at Willow.
My backing is just to sing along with to learn the tune.
Who is at the stable?
1 Mary, full of love, and …
2 Joseph, standing watch, and …
3 shepherds, come to see him, and …
4 star, shining brightly, and …
5 kings with gifts to honour him, and …
(last line each verse) Jesus in the manger, Jesus in the manger
Refrain x2 each time
Come, let us worship!
Glory, glory, glory to God in the highest.
© 2023 P A Smith published by Willow Publishing
She suggest further verses if time and patience permit:
ox and sheep and donkey
angels singing joyfully
everyone is welcome
She has suggestions for staging this in the book along with actions for each line.
I’m nearing the end of my survey of Patrica Smith’s collection for Advent and Christmas, And the Angels Sang.
The pleasant surprise is that there are so many wonderful songs written from the maternal perspective about Mary – I suppose it takes a woman to do this properly.
The individual sheet music is available at Willow.
Sing along with my backing to learn the song:
1 Who is this child, warm in my arms, come suddenly into my life?
Who is this child?
A great king they say, born to be king of the world.
Who is this child?
Refrain
Whoever he may be I will give him a home,
I will give him my heart.
I would willingly give him my life, this little child.
2 Who is this child? How tiny the hands, holding my fingers so tight,
Who is this child?
A Messiah, they say, who’ll lead his people back from the grave.
Who is this child?
Refrain
3 Who is this child gazing at me, touching the depths of my soul?
Who is this child?
A Saviour, they say, who’ll give up his life for the world.
Who is this child?
Last refrain
Carpenter of Christ? Whoever he may be,
I will give him a home, I will give him my heart.
I would willingly give him my life, this little child.
© 2012 P A Smith published by Willow Publishing
This is another touching nativity scene in song from Patricia Smith’s new collection for Advent and Christmas, And the Angels Sang.
When you look at Willow for the sheet music there is the keyboard arrangement from the folio, but also SAB, clarinet and cello parts that would get everyone playing and singing.
Normally I just use the chords, the melody and BIAB to make backings. Smith gives no chords here so I had to nut them out, but I also entered a lot of her keyboard part into the arrangement for a change.
1 When Christ was born, they laid him in a manger, warm and dry,
Where ox and ass bowed their heads our hearts we bow.
2 When Peace was born, they wrapped him in a new cloth, soft and white
Which willing hands had woven strong our wills we bend.
3 When Joy was born, the night was filled with singing: “Gloria!”
The stars, unpinned, hung over his bed. Homage we bring.
4 When Love was born, the shepherds ran to see him, hearts on fire.
They stood and gazed, weeping for love. God with us.
© 2014 P A Smith administered by Willow Publishing
This is a folk styled song about the three wise men, with a profound meditation of what gifting can be. I don’t know if this story with the twist in the final stanza is original to Patricia Smith, or is a tradition that I have yet to come across. It’s great nonetheless.
It can be purchased in the collection, And the Angels Sang, or as separate pieces of sheet music.
I’m in a little secular group of singers here and we might give this one a go for Christmas. I usually choke up by the fourth and fifth verse – curse you Patricia for making me feel things – so I will have to practice. I found I needed to be careful to get a breath in before long phrases.
I made two backings, which usually means I had second thoughts about the first one.
1 Three travellers came riding over mountains and plains,
To a town that was ravaged by famine and plague.
They went to pass by but a cry held them there,
A cry from the depths of a heart, close to despair.
2 “We’ll rest here tonight,” the first said to his friends.
In the morning they took up their journey again.
They came to a place, they had seen from afar,
A stable made holy and bright by the light of a star.
3 The each asked the others, “What gift did you bring?
Our gifts for the child must be fit for a king.”
The first said dejected, “I gave all my gold
To a mother to feed her young baby, starving and cold.”
4 The second one told them, “I brought frankincence,
But I gave it to a woman whose child was near death.”
“Ah no!” cried the third, “for the myrrh that I had
I gave to a mother to bury here only son.
5 The stable door opened and the threec rept inside.
They found a young maiden with a glorious child,
And laid out before them, gifts costly and rare,
For the child and his mother, gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
© 2023 P A Smith published by Willow Publishing.
| Monica O’Brien, of Willow Publishing, recently sent out an important letter from her heart on the Church and young people. With her permission, I am re-posting it here in the hope that is read widely. |
| Dear Friends,This email is long overdue. Recent conversations with young adults in the church have inspired me to share some personal reflections, with the hope of encouraging others to become advocates for young people who wish to belong to the church and contribute their gifts but often find limited support. Before stepping into my role as the Director of Willow Publishing, I spent more than two decades immersed in Youth Ministry. I was the first layperson to be employed by the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney and the first Director of Catholic Youth Service. Those years hold a special place in my heart. They were filled with meaningful events such as Today is Ours and Prophets of Hope Conferences, where thousands of young people from across Australia descended on the NSW University grounds for five days of learning, prayer and community building. Young adults enriched local parishes through their musical contributions and active participation in home prayer groups and youth and young adult groups. It was a vibrant period of spiritual exploration, ritual, music, creativity, and profound connection with God and one another. Despite the general acceptance of young people in their parishes, my fellow youth ministers and I frequently encountered challenges in securing the broader support of the Bishops and other church leaders. But even though young people were generally welcomed by their parishes, together with a small group of fellow youth ministers, we found ourselves constantly trying to enlist the wider supportof the Bishops and other church leaders. Fortunately, a few dedicated clergy members, including Bishop Geoffrey Robinson, Bishop Peter Ingram, and Bishop David Cremin, proved to be invaluable advocates. Key supporters like Sr Sonia Wagner, Br Graham Neist, and several other religious women and men also offered invaluable encouragement during this time. I’m filled with gratitude when I look back on the incredible mentors, leaders, supporters, and young people who influenced my personal and spiritual growth. The lessons I learned during that time continue to inspire me today, shaping my determination to hold on to hope and not lose faith. Recently, I’ve had conversations with numerous young people about their experiences with the church, and I couldn’t help but be disheartened by their stories of struggle and non-acceptance. Their unwavering faith in God is solid, but their trust in the authority and decision-makers within the church is nearly non-existent. I can empathise with their position. From my perspective, not much has changed over the years. In fact, at the risk of sounding controversial, I believe that the challenges have become even more formidable as we grapple with a conservative, top-heavy, male-dominated church structure. I’ve reached an age where I feel compelled to share my perspective, as I have nothing to lose. My heart aches for the young people who continue to grapple with finding a place of acceptance and belonging within a church that is often seen as judgmental. Those who are called to ministry encounter practical challenges and a lack of supportive resources, while the opportunities for young adults to openly discuss their spiritual journeys are limited. The individuals who established retreat teams within the church during my youth ministry days were typically religious men and women. However, many of them have passed on, leaving a void in the landscape of youth ministry. Today, young adults who feel called to youth or music ministry often find themselves responsible for advertising, administering, and funding their own ministry endeavours. This includes covering costs for office supplies, technical and musical equipment, accommodation, meals, and essential ministry resources. Gen Bryant, a faith-led Catholic singer-songwriter from Melbourne, along with her music ministry team, received an invitation to minister at World Youth Day in Portugal this year. Surprisingly, they had to cover their own expenses as the church didn’t provide any financial support. It’s disheartening to observe that while youth ministry leaders and attending Bishops had their travel, accommodation, and expenses covered, those contributing to the music ministry experience had to fund their own participation. I wonder also if they received the support and acknowledgement they deserved as I have not seen any media coverage of this outstanding testament to their talent and commitment. Merely claiming to support young people without offering substantial, dependable funding and moral and spiritual backing isn’t enough. We must actively strive to bridge the gap between our words and actions, ensuring that our support for young adults is not only vocal but also practical and meaningful. It’s my hope that we can work together to create a more inclusive and supportive environment within our faith communities. Let us encourage and uplift the young voices who bring fresh perspectives and renewed energyto the church. (Undoubtedly, the need for this has never been more critical than it is today.) By doing so, my prayer is that we can cultivate an atmosphere of acceptance, empathy, and genuine care, where every individual, irrespective of age or background, can experience a sense of belonging and foster a closer relationship with their Creator and with one another.  Publisher PS I have made a commitment to support young adults who are writing songs for the faith community. I can’t wait to see what the Spirit of God will do among our young people. Your support will be crucial. It will mean stepping beyond the usual repertoire and embracing new material. I hope you will come with me on this exciting journey. Blessings! |
This collection [And the Angels Sang from Patrica Smith] has some thoughtful songs sung from the perspective of Mary – they are unsettling and mysterious in a good way. This is just such a song. Her text is here married to a setting she has created that is just gorgeous, but will need delicate care and is best as a short solo I suspect.
If you aren’t buying the collection, she has put the individual sheets up for sale by download so everyone can get their copy.
My BIAB arrangement is never going to match her piano arrangement, but since I can’t play that, I made this:
1 The child that stirs beneath my heart,
Waking the hope and joy that fill me,
Will one day stand, facing death and battle,
My only child, my joy. Mmm-mm, mmm-mm.
2 The child that rests beneath my heart,
Light at the distant end of longing,
Will one day charge other longing hearts
With Love beyond all love. Mmm-mm, mmm-mm.
3 The child that waits beneath my heart,
Hearing a voice that no-one else hears,
The shining sun in my fragile hands,
Is Light to end all darkness. Mmm-mm, mmm-mm.
© 2018 P A Smith published by Willow Publishing
This is a song plotting the expectations of the three wise men, from Patrica Smith’s And the Angels Sang. This would particularly good for an end of year celebration sung by a choir, with the assembly invited to participate as it morphs into “O Come All Ye Faithful” at the end.
The sheet music for this piece can also be purchased separately at Willow.
My backing doesn’t really work but will give you the idea of the tune if you don’t read music. Otherwise, do check out the preview score at Willow. My backing sort of collapses into “O come let us adore him”. What she asked for was for the music to get slower and louder there. I use BIAB as a music sketch pad so the results vary.
I’d love to see a YouTube clip if if you do this song for Christmas this year.
1 We came to worship a king, a king of might and power,
A king of wealth, a king of glory.
We came to worship a king, with gifts costly and rare.
We looked for him in palaces, we followed a mighty star.
Refrain 1
We found God’s little one, warm in his mother’s arms,
Wrapped in a shepherd’s cloak, his bed of straw.
We found God’s little one, bathed in candlelight.
Only the ox and ass before him knelt.
2 We came to worship a king, his throne a manger,
The guard at his side wore a carpenter’s belt.
The calls of cattle rang from walls of barest wood,
And a floor of trodden earth, cold under the stars.
Refrain 2
We found God’s little one, throned in peace and joy,
Robed and crowned with love and gentleness.
The song of angels rang, “Hope of all the world.”
The earth and sky above rejoiced and sang.
O come let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
We came to worship a King…
© 2008 P A Smith administered by Willow Publishing.
