Church Music

This is a new song from David and Dale MacGregor that is seriously good. It is a great choice for Advent this year if you want to plan ahead. There is an apposite air of mystery about the song that is most appealing.

The score is at his website. There is an instrumental in the middle of the song that acts as fanfare for the arrival of Emmanuel.

I had fun with this backing.

1. At the turning point of time
   At the turning point of time
   You came close, from heaven’s home
   You disturbed our wayward roam
   at the turning point of time
2. In our hearts, you longed a home
   We, your love, as child, your own
   In this world you made your home
   all our yearnings, sighs and groans
   In our hearts, you longed a home

Instrumental

bridge:
At the turning
At the turning
At the turning
At the turning

(repeat)

3. Christ, Emmanuel, draw near
   Saving grace come close, be here
   Spirit-presence, calm our fears
   Be the hopes of all the years
   Emmanuel, draw near

Christ, Emmanuel, draw near
Saving grace come close, be here
Spirit-presence, calm our fears
Be the hopes of all the years
Emmanuel, draw near
Emmanuel draw near.

David & Dale MacGregor
© 2022 Willow Publishing

David MacGregor has some songs that are quite country styled and this is one of them. He wrote this one with Dale MacGregor, who I am assuming is his wife and vocalist.

It is in the voice of Jesus in a country/folk idiom if that is useful. There is something wonderful about the lyric, “build wider tables”.

The sheet music is available at his site. There is a backing he has recorded there, as well as a vocal version.

I made a backing too.

“Hear what I’m sayin’ and
Hear what I’m prayin’
Go, love one another
as I have loved
Love in the caring
Forgiving, forbearing
Love ever-giving”
the love from You.

So come together
Yes, come together
Come, love together
Arms open wide

Break down the borders and
Build wider tables and
Reach out your arms
stretch them open wide

“Hear what I’m sayin and
Hear what I’m prayin
You are my disciples
When known by love
Each time you welcome
a sister, a brother
You welcome the One
whose life is Love”

So come together
Yes, come together
Come, love together
Arms open wide

Break down the borders and
Build wider tables and
Reach out your arms
stretch them open wide

So come together
Yes, come together
Come, love together
Arms open wide

Break down the borders and
Build wider tables and
Reach out your arms
stretch them open wide
Reach out your arms
stretch them open wide.

David & Dale MacGregor
© 2019 Willow Publishing

I’m still only in the A’s of this remarkable archive of songs that David MacGregor has made freely available. This is a fine modern psalm of praise he has written.

The sheet music and his backing track are at his website.

I made a backing too.

1. The ocean, the rocks join together
   The sunrise reminds you make new
   The colours of desert amaze me
   Your presence, all that is you!
   Mountain peaks soar as the snow falls
   Flowers bloom beauty profound
   and there in creation’s fresh glory
   you’re waiting again to be found

“You are amazing.”
“You are amazing.”
You’re the God of all wonders
Of beauty, surprise beyond words
God. come surround me
God love me, inspire me
You are amazing
You are wonder
You are God

2. There’s a lesson to learn in the contrast
   The palms still survive desert sands
   Waters flow free in the canyons
   the cool and the hard hand in hand
   Colours of fall – season’s rainbow
   Red rocks rise high from the plains
   And I’m overcome God in wonder
   Creation cries “Glory” again.

“You are amazing.”
“You are amazing.”
You’re the God of all wonders
Of beauty, surprise beyond words
God. come surround me
God love me, inspire me
You are amazing
You are wonder
You are God
… You are amazing
You are wonder
You are God
You are God

David MacGregor © 2018 Willow Publishing

Looking at the sheer number of great songs David MacGregor has on his website, I don’t think I will be able to do more than A-C in this series. I sure I will get back to the rest in the future.

This song is in the great tradition of Shirley Murray and John Bell, with a strong social justice theme. It is a minor key, with clever touches in the tune. I particularly like his triplets over changing intervals.

The sheet music and his backing MP3 are at his website.

That didn’t stop me making my own backing. I changed a couple of chords in the second last bar of the verse where the G and F notes go against an A chord, which was too much for me and I put in the less brave Gm and F. On the other hand I found a suitably bleak jazz piano style.

Am I free to share my faith,

while another’s pained, defaced;

best intentions left disgraced?

Where have we come?

What’s the world we dare to be?

What’s it mean: “diversity”?

How be kind, yet disagree responsibly?

Love is patient, Love is kind

Keeps our neighbour close, in mind.

Seeks always for common ground.

Believes that hope can still be found.

       O where,  O where, O where … is love?

Come, lets search: what’s fair and just.

Care for all: a right, a must.

Sharing tolerance and trust.

All safe to love/be

Time to find some space for grace.

Look into one’s heart, one’s face.

Fear one day, we pray replaced,

transformed by love.

Love is patient …

May love always triumph law.

All we say build up, restore.

Point to the One who offers more.

whose name is Love.

Love is patient …

David MacGregor © 2019 Willow Publishing

This clip says vocal, but there isn’t one.

This is aspirational and inspirational hymn from David MacGregor. Think of it as a better take on “Companions on the Journey”.

The sheet music is free at his site where you can hear his version.

I slightly jazzed up the chords (Band in a Box lets you do that) and put pushes in where the melody suggested them in my BIAB backing. Not sure if made things better or too busy.

1. Ever moving on a journey
   Ever travellers on The Way
   Ever open as communities of grace
   Knowing your renewing spirit
   God you call us: faithful be
   The love of Christ has saved us, set us free

Chorus

With a heart for justice
With feet of compassion
uniting with hope in Christ our Lord
witnessing in faith
to the One who calls us
proclaiming Christ in deed and word

2. Ever offering compassion
   Loving neighbour as you love
   Ever serving in the name of Jesus Christ
   Bringing God’s transforming hope for all
   in overflowing joy
   In Christ, the truth the world will not destroy
   With a heart for justice …
3. Ever speaking out for justice
   Ever telling out the truth
   Ever risking Jesus’ way, despite the cost
   Being doers of God’s justice
   Loving, sharing mercy’s heart
   Walking humbly with our God
   How great you are!
   With a heart for justice.

© David MacGregor 2010 Willow Publishing

I’m moving on to another Australian artist now, one David MacGregor. He has many songs published at Willow, so I came across him there. He is a Uniting Church minister from Queensland and has been writing and recording music for many years. Despite living in his neck of the woods for most of my life, I have only come across his work since moving away.

His Together to Celebrate site offers useful suggestions for music, but the highlight is his own songs, for which he puts up the sheet music and audio files, either sung or instrumental backings. He says they are offered as a gift, but obviously need to noted through OneLicence or CCLI if used in services. His style tends folk/country but there are boppy songs for kids and other styles as well. There is a level of sophistication in his music that goes beyond those genres and it is well worth a look.

There is so much there it rivals Michael Herry’s archive for ambition, but I’ll make a start and probably get back to finish it in stages.

This song, inspired by Numbers 9:15-23 would work as a recessional.

1. There’s a song that sounds
   There’s a call – resounds
   Come and follow, hear my voice
   Leave the past behind
   One in heart and mind
   Move with God – in strength, in choice

Know God’s presence, life
Live God’s Spirit power
Be one people, clear in resolve
There’s a charge to keep
There’s a light to shine
There’s a story still to be told.

2. T’ward a promised land
   In God’s grace, we’ll stand
   Tell God’s story fresh in these times
   As the Spirit gives
   We’ve the tools to live
   as redeemed,
   enlivened by Christ.

Charged to serve you well
from the heart, pray tell
Chosen people
purposed in God
We’ve a charge to keep
We’ve a light to shine
There’s a story still to be told.

3. God you call us on
   by your living Word
   Grant us courage all to obey
   Purpose in our steps
   by your Spirit’s breath
   Jesus’ voice and heart for today

Called to be your church
As your face on earth
Grow in Christ wherever we be
We’ve a charge to keep
We’ve a light to shine
for the one who sets us all free

We’ve a charge to keep
We’ve a light to shine
for the one who sets us all free.

David MacGregor
© 2014 Willow Publishing / Inspired by Numbers 9:15-23

This is the last song in the collection Send Us Out by Gen Bryant.

I’ve already blogged it here (with lyrics) from the preview page and a bit of guesswork, but now that I’ve bought the collection I’ve corrected my backing from the sheet music. You can purchase versions of the sheet music for the whole band at Willow.

So this collection is very much worth buying, especially if you are working with young people and it can be used as a resource for reflections.

Entrance:  Holy Spirit Come (Mangan) AOV NG 67

Psalm 103 (McKenna)

Lord, send out your spirit and renew the face of the earth.

Gifts: Holy, Sacred Spirit (Brown)

Communion: Holy Spirit of Fire (Mangan) CWB II 110

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

I usually play the Vigil so no Sequence but Alstott’s version to “Song of Joy” works if you don’t have one lined up.

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

Psalm 46 (McKenna)

God mounts his throne to shouts of joy:

A blare of trumpets for the Lord.

Gifts: O Sacred Flame (Marshall)

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

Recessional:  Holy Spirit Come (Mangan) AOV NG 67

This is an older Gen Bryant song from the collection Send Us Out, about following the call of Christ.

The sheet music for all the band is at Willow, and you can hear a snippet of what it is meant to sound like there.

My backing has a less delicate touch than her music.

1 They say your love conquered the grave.

They say you came to earth to save.

You said: I can make your darkness bright.

Come follow me and I will be your light.

Come follow me and I will be your light.

2 They say you are the three in one.

I know my journeys just begun.

You said: I’m the way the truth the life.

Come follow me, leave all your cares behind.

Come follow me, leaving all your cares behind.

Oh weh-oh x4

3 They say you’ve heard that beat of mine.

I know I’ve been searching to find.

You said: leave your bags and fears behind.

Come follow me, a life of love divine.

Come follow me, a life of love divine.

Oh weh-oh x8

Coda

They say your love conquered the grave.

They say you came to earth to save.

You said: I can make your darkness bright.

I’m gonna follow you a life of love divine.

I’m gonna follow you a life of love divine.

I’m gonna follow you a life of love divine.

© 2013 Gen Bryant Published by Willow Publishing.