Church Music

I’ll round out my first dip in to the cavernous archive that is Davis MacGregor’s Together to Celebrate site with two Christmas songs. I will get back to the rest of them in time.

Today, this one is for children with a trip around the world celebrating Christmas.

You can download the sheet music for free at his site.

My BIAB backing is a bouncy one for the kids to sing along with. I changed the feel to a more definite shuffle, that I think works better. The verses are probably for a teacher.

Christmas round this great big world
Sing your praise! Make it heard!
Jesus comes: God’s own Son
Gift of love for ev’ryone.

Joyeux Noel they sing in France
Feliz Navidad in Spain they dance
Japan: Merri Kurisumasu
Hawaii:Mele Kalikimaka to you.

Christmas round this great big world …

Portugal: it’s Boas Festas
Morocco: Milad Mubarak
Korea: meli keuliseumaseu
Italy: Buon Natale to you.

Christmas round this great big world
Sing your praise! Make it heard!
Jesus comes: God’s own Son
Gift of love for ev’ry
Gift of love for ev’ry
Gift of love for ev’ryone.

David MacGregor
© 2019 Willow Publishing

This is a fine ballad from David MacGregor gently proposing our actions as the face of Christ. It reminds a bit of John Denver channelled through Shirley Erena Murray.

The sheet music is freely available at his website.

I managed to not overdo the backing I made on BIAB for a change.

Christ shows his face
when lives are pained
weary hearts are breaking.
shows God’s grace
while troubles rise,
past foundations shaking

Every smile
Every hand
Every soft embracing
Christ shows his face
when lives are pained,
hope is hard, displacing

Christ shows his face
in thirsting souls
When hunger’s met with feeding
When nakedness for all to see
is met with love’s new clothing

Offered rest
Offered home
Offered hope’s new morning
Christ shows his face
when all seems dark, the
light of Christ keeps shining.

Christ shows his face
in community
extending past their comfort
Sharing tirelessly as one
Self-giving for another

Every smile
Every tear
Every soft embracing, yes
Christ is found
when all seems lost, when
When love’s true heart
When love’s true hope
When love’s true light keeps shining.

David MacGregor
© 2011 Willow Publishing

This is a strong hymn and one the older tunes on David MacGregor‘s site, that might have a use as a reflection or in Lent.

The sheet music is free from the songwriter, but the sheet music is in *.doc form that your computer may not want you to download. I have taken the liberty of converting it to pdf and posting it below.

I can’t find any other recording of this so you can sing a long with my version. It says restrained on the verses, to which I should have paid more attention.

I found a different song called “Chains Around My Heart” by Richard Marx and I decided to post it as well, simply because there is a certain sort of church music that is very much beholding to this 90s style. It’s all there – pads at the start, arpeggio guitars, prechorus build, heavy beat in the chorus – all it needs is make it a love song to Jesus would be a few edits to the lyrics. I suppose there is nothing wrong with holding to traditions of thirty years ago, the past has much to teach us.

Entrance: Canticle of Creation (Watts-O’Brien) AOV NG 20

Psalm 64 (McKenna)

The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.

Gifts: Bless Our Gifts (Grant) AOVD

Communion:  Seed, Scattered and Sown (Feiten) CWB II 592

Recessional: All You Works of God (Haugen) AOV 1/19

Entrance: A Place at the Table  (Shirley Erena Murray – Lori True) AOV NG 1

Psalm 144 (McKenna)

I will praise your name forever, my king and my God.

Gifts: Come To Me  (Norbet) AOV 1/37

Communion: Come to the Table (Burland) AOV NG 33

Recessional: City of God (Schutte) AOV 1/57

Entrance:  All Are Welcome (Haugen)

Psalm 88 (McKenna)

Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

Gifts:  The Summons  (Maule-Bell) AOV NG 149

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

Recessional: Christ Light, Shining in the Darkness (Grant) CWBII 468

Entrance: Be Not Afraid (Dufford) AOV 1/114

Psalm 68 (McKenna)

Lord, in your great love, answer me, answer me.

Gifts: As a Fire is Meant for Burning  (Duck) GA 481

Communion: Gift of Finest Wheat  (Westendorf/Kreutz) CWB II 651

Recessional: All the Ends of the Earth (Dufford) AOV 1/76)

Entrance: On Eagles Wings (Joncas) AOV 1/153

Psalm 99 (McKenna)

We are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Gifts: Come to Set Us Free (Farrell) AOV 1/39

Communion: Shepherd Me O God (Haugen) AOV 1/33

Recessional: Go Make a Difference  (Angrisano/Tomaszek) AOV NG 52

Entrance: We Are Many Parts  (Haugen) AOV 1/86

Psalm 147 ( McKenna)

Praise the Lord, Jerusalem

Gifts: This Blessing Cup (Andersen)

Communion: Table of Plenty (Schutte) AOV 2/20

Recessional: We Remember (Haugen) AOV 1/81

Entrance: Glory and Praise to Our God (Schutte) AOV 1/16

Psalm: Daniel 3 (McKenna)

Glory and praise forever.

Gifts: Trinity Song (Andersen)

Communion: I Believe in God the Father (Perry) STUTTGART CWBII 392

Recessional: Send Down the Fire (Haugen) AOV 2/164