Church Music

This is a Patricia Smith song that seems ideal for primary school masses, with its condensed version of the New Testament for verses, and an invitation in the chorus especially for children getting ready for first communion who are overwhelmed.

Like a lot a lot of songs suitable for children, that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t work in an all ages parish, especially if the Gospel pericopes were in the readings for the day.

The sheet music can be purchased at Willow.

My backing has a tempo of 105, but I’m not sure what style the author intended.

Refrain

No Matter who you are, no matter what you’ve done,

You are welcome at the table of the Lord.

No matter where you’ve been, no matter why you’ve come,

You belong in the Kingdom of the Lord.

1 Matthew was a tax collector,

hated and reviled by everyone he saw, except the Lord.

Jesus said, “Come follow me,”

and Matthew didn’t wait to see, left everything and followed him.

2 People brought their children up to Jesus but his friends said,

“No he’s tired today. Just go away!”

Jesus told them, “Let the children come to me,

don’t stop them for these little ones belong to God.

3 Zacchaeus wasn’t tall and when the Lord was passing by

he couldn’t see so he climbed a tree.

Jesus called, “Come down, Zacchaeus, come to eat with me,”

Zacchaeus knew that day that he was saved.

4 Peter was a fisherman a follower of Jesus

but he turned away. His friend? No Way!

Jesus called him back to be the one to build his Church.

“Now, Peter, you must feed, my lambs and sheep.”

5 Paul set out to persecute the followers of Jesus

till he lost his sight and saw the light.

Jesus chose him out of all to take his Gospel

to the world and spread the Word that he had heard.

© 2018 P A Smith. Published by Willow Publishing.

This one is very pretty chant written by Monica O’Brien and Gina Ogilvie.

The sheet music can be purchased at Willow.

My backing has BIAB soloing over the instrumental verses.

Eternal is your love.

Faithful is your word.

Holy is your name.

God of mercy.

© 2015 Monica O’Brien and Gina Ogilvie. Published by Willow Publishing.

This Kevin Bates song was in As One Voice for Kids. It is a song about the stolen generations and reconciliation.

You can hear a snippet and buy the sheet music at Willow.

1 Around this land we love so well memories are burning.

Painful stories people tell, lost childhoods returning.

2 We listen as the people share their sad and wounded journey.

Healing takes long time to come, lost unity returning.

3 Sorry for the broken past. Our open hands are holding

Each others memories with great care, new culture we are molding.

4 Across the gaps our history made, a new bridge we are building.

Across the bridge we walk as one, new justice now creating.

5 God now watch our new found steps to reconciliation

And help us grow with gracious hearts new spirit in our nation.

© 2000 Kevin Bates. Published by Willow Publishing.

This song references the reconciliation walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the year 2000.

Nice though Kevin’s song is, the late great Archie Roach wrote the essential song about the stolen generation.

Erica Marshall’s hymn is subtitled, “A Blessing Song for God’s Mercy on Those in Grief” which says it all.

You can hear an instrumental snippet at Willow where you can purchase the sheet music.

This is my backing for learning purposes:

May the love of God and the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ

Bless and console us and gently wipe each tear from our eyes.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, in the name of the Holy Spirit.

© 1994 Erica Marshall. Published by Willow Publishing.

Entrance: Gather Your People (Hurd) AOV 1/71

Psalm 65

Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Alleluia.

Music by Amanda McKenna

Gifts: A Trusting Psalm (Bates) AOV 1/115

Communion: I Have Loved You (Joncas) AOV 1/126

Recessional: Sing to the Mountains  (Dufford) AOV 1/92

Entrance: Lift Up Your Hearts (O’Connor) AOV 1/156

Psalm 32

Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Music by Amanda McKenna

Gifts: Bless Our Gifts (Grant) AOVD

Communion: Bread of Life (Farrell) AOV 1/164

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

Entrance: Gather As One  (McKenna) AOV NG 48

Psalm 22

The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.

Music by Amanda McKenna

Gifts: Like a Shepherd (Dufford) AOV 1/160

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

Recessional: Alleluia! Love is Alive (Angrisano, Manibusan, Hart)

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

Psalm 15

Lord, you will show us the path of life.

Music by Amanda McKenna

Gifts: O Sacred Flame (Marshall)

Communion: Emmaus (Alonso) AOV NG 41

Recessional: Jesus is Risen (O’Brien/Ogilvie)

Entrance: Alleluia No. 1 (Fishel) AOV 1/15

Psalm 117

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,

His love is everlasting.

(Music by Amanda McKenna)

Gifts: I Have Seen the Lord (Hurd) AOV 1/98

Communion: Bread of Heaven  (Manibusan-Hart)

Recessional: Alleluia! Love is Alive (Angrisano, Manibusan, Hart)

John Coleman is producing lovely church music in a folk idiom. This song, written with his late friend, Noel Davis, is a homage to John Henry Newman’s poem.

The sheet music can be purchased at Willow.

You can hear John’s version at Bandcamp.

Lead, lead O kindly light, lead thou me on O lead,

Lead O kindly light, lead thou me on.

Amidst this circling gloom I place my trust in you.

O lead thou me on.

Lead, lead O kindly light, lead thou me on O lead,

Lead O kindly light, lead thou me on.

My soul yearns for you, God of my life,

O lead thou me on.

Lead kindly light,

Lead kindly light,

Lead kindly light,

Lead kindly light.

© 2022 John Coleman and Noel Davis.
Published by Willow Publishing.