Church Music

While remaining with Australian songwriters, there will now be major change in style from emmanuelworship to Michael Herry. I have blogged many songs by Marist Brother Michael Herry, but I haven’t even scratched the surface of his output. Put his name in the search engine to see what songs I have already covered.

His songs are all available on the Marist Music website, which can be a bit confusing. The best entry site is here where you can access all his albums. Apart from his usual hymns there are songs for Eucharist for every week in ordinary time and psalms for all occasions. All are now free to download. The other options is just googling to take you past the home page straight to the album you want.

Herry’s work is biblical, liturgical and singable… and vast. They are usually in a folk style but with memorably clever music.

I will start with the collection God of Surprises and this song, ” Behold the Flowers”, but I doubt I’ll live long enough to cover everything.

It is based on Matt 6:24-24 and Luke 12: 16-21. This one does have a fair old range but the cunning tune is worth the effort if you can stretch high and low enough.

The sheet music is here where you can also listen to the song. As usual I will make BIAB backings you can sing along with to to learn the hymns.

1 Behold the flowers in the field;

For all their beauty they neither toil nor spin,

Yet the Father clothes them in crimson and gold,

Their grace beyond compare.

Refrain

So set your hearts on the kingdom first; your Father knows your needs.

With simple trust, walk hand in hand, God’s children, such as these.

2 For know that life means more than food.

So, too, your body means surely more than clothes.

Raise your eyes to heaven; where birds flying free,

Have food from God’s own hand.

3 Beware the lure of bigger barns;

And all false promises and dreams that melt away.

Taking staff, and sandals, and a song in your heart,

Walk lightly on the earth.

ⓒ 2008 Michael Herry fms

I will be visiting family in Queensland this week, so won’t be playing. For my future reference, I would have picked:

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

Gifts: Glory in the Cross (Schutte)

Communion: Christ be Our Light  (Farrell) AOV 2/3

Recessional: Here I Am Lord (Schutte) AOV 1/90

Selections from St Peter’s Rochedale:

I’ll round out the emmanuelworship collection, “Glory” with this surprising ballad written by everyone, well at least: Roby Curtis, Chiara Keady, Liam Desic and Dom Dougherty. It is good to see emmanuelworship with other gears apart from music to jump up and down to. Their version does build up to a lot of noise but I wouldn’t bother, it’s lovely without that. I suspect we are meant to sing it an octave down from the written music.

It is a personal song suitable for a Lenten reflection. The lead sheet has been provided for free at emmanuelworship. Since I am trying to stay with Australian music, I will likely return to them soon. I have some of their out of print books as well as their more recent stuff to look at.

For my BIAB backing I jazzed up the chords, slowed the tempo a little and dialed down the volume, which really isn’t needed here. The instrumental sections allowed BIAB to solo, which is always fun.

1 You saved me when I was lost, oh God,

You raise me from the miry clay

Set my feet on a rock and made me whole again.

2 My failings, your forgiveness reigns.

Your mercy conquers all my shame,

Shepherd me oh God if I should ever stray.

Chorus

You’re my Saviour, you’re my closest friend.

From the ashes, I’m raised to life again.

Now I’m running, running, through the madness of this perfect storm.

You are shaking, shaking up my old self,

Carving newness, with plans to make me whole.

Now I’m running, running through the madness of this perfect storm.

3 You’re holy, you’re all that I desire,

Cleanse me, in the refining fire,

Guide my steps in your righteous ways.

Chorus

Instrumental

Bridge 1 x2

Jesus I love you, I will worship you Lord,

In spirit and truth, make me new.

Jesus I love you, I will lay down my life,

Take up your victorious cross.

Instrumental

Bridge 2 x2

I love you God. I love you Jesus.

Bridge 2 x2

Coda

ⓒ 2019 emmanuelworship

Entrance: Christ Be Beside Me (Quinn) tune BUNESSAN CWB II 463

Gifts: A New Commandment (Unknown)

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

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

At St Peter’s, Rochedale, they are celebrating St Peter’s day:

I have a couple more songs to do from emmanuelworship‘s “Glory” collection.

This is an energetic rock praise and worship song espousing unity. It was written by Roby Curtis and Dom Dougherty. It has the full set: prechoruses, bridgework and midtros!

The lead sheet can be obtained for free at emmanuelworship.

1 We honour our God who saves, the One who will make a way,

The one who will part the seas.

Your right hand raised the dead. Triumphant in righteousness,

Jesus the son of man.

Prechorus

You give and take away, the only name that saves, Jesus Christ our King.

Chorus

We are one in the love of God. You speak the truth and the Father’s heart.

In every age you remain the same, yet doing something new.

Your holy fire is alive in us, open our hearts to receive your goodness.

Your promise, you are faithful, you’re doing something new.

2 Though darkness may fill the land, nations hopelessness,

The cross of our Saviour stand.

Your word offers peace and rest, children no longer lost,

Your church is the home again.

Prechorus

Chorus

Bridge x2

With power and majesty all authority we declare with one voice that,

Jesus Christ is Lord.

Chorus

Bridge x2

ⓒ 2019 emmanuelworship

This is another emmanuelworship song from the collection, “Glory”. This was written by the old firm of Pat Keady and Roby Curtis who have been involved with emmanuelworship for decades. It is a straightforward praise and worship song. These songs are part Psalm and part mantra.

The sheet music is available for free at emmanuelworship. This song not only has an “intro” it also has more than one “midtro”, which here is an introduction to a verse or bridge. I have no idea when this term achieved currency and I don’t have to like it.

There aren’t that many 6/8 rhythms in BIAB, and doing it in 3/4 would be cheating, so its more celtic backings for emmanuelworship. See their version for something less eclectic.

1 Jesus Christ, King of all ages, sacrifice, history’s pages.

Tell of grace, poured down from heaven on earth’s stage,

Let us receive our King.

Chorus

We sing unto the One, seated upon the throne,

And to the Lamb be all honour and praise.

With all the angels sing, glory unto the King,

Honour and praise, King of all days, Jesus.

2 Son of man, come for the broken and the lost, seeking the weary,

Lifted up, drawing all people to himself,

Behold the Lamb of God.

Chorus x2

Bridge x2

Let him enter in, our God and King.

Jesus, you are Lord.

Instrumental

Bridge x6

ⓒ 2019 emmanuelworship

I am trying to stick with Australian music for the most part, so I will continue working through the collection, “Glory” from emmanuelworship.

This is a pop song from Kiara Keady, who I assume is the next gen Keady – Pat Keady is the moderator of the community and wrote a lot of the songs twenty years ago. It is the most upbeat song for Lent I can think of. The text has baptismal allusions and artfully takes breath/ruach/spirit on board still within in the pop idiom.

The lead sheet is free from emmanuelworship.

BIAB has lots of pop/dance styles.

1 I’d settled in my ways, I would never change at all.

But you found me where I was told me I could be more, more,

Told me that you had more.

Chorus

Take all my mess and I will adore you,

Open my chest and fill my lungs with you.

Breathe forgiveness for I can be made new, I can be made new,

I can be made new, I can, I can be, I can, I can be, I can, I can be made new.

I can be made new, I can, I can be, I can, I can be, I can, I can be.

2 And then your waters rose covering up the mountains I,

I built with my desires, but mercy had them in its sights, sights,

Mercy had me in its sights.

Chorus

Bridge x2

Why would I hide from love that remakes me, makes me brave,

Not scared to be broken anymore, more.

Chorus

ⓒ 2019 emmanuelworship

Liam Desic from emmanuelworship wrote this song about commitment and belonging.

It is from the collection, “Glory”, and the lead sheet is available for free from emmanuelworship. It is half the length of some of the others and has a use at Pentecost.

1 Oh I believe in something more, Oh I believe in Christ the Lord.

My life begins where he’s adored, my life is yours for what it’s worth.

My life is yours for what it’s worth.

Chorus

Father I am humbly here.

No longer wayward no fear within.

Send your fire down in tongues of grace.

You are faithful, oh you bless me.

Oh, I will never be alone, here I am, I will never be alone,

Here I am, I will never be alone, here I am, I will never be alone.

2 Eternal love waits for me, a Son that died to set me free.

My soul will sing a song of peace. Surrender all on bended knee.

Surrender all on bended knee.

Chorus

Bridge x4

I’ll brave the valley, I’ll walk through darkness,

To touch your hem and taste the summit.

Instrumental

Chorus

ⓒ 2019 emmanuelworship

This is pretty much a straight praise and worship song from emmanuelworship. It is a loud 6/8 song that goes way too high for an assembly but is perfect for a youth rally. It was written by Roby Curtis.

You get to sing wo-oh a lot.

It is in the collection, “Glory”, and the lead sheet is available for free at emmanuelworship.

My BIAB backing goes berserk wall of sound jig, which I doubt was the intention.

Chorus

Glory, glory, Alleluia. Glory, glory, Alleluia.

Glory, glory, Alleluia. Glory, glory, Alleluia.

1 Bless the Lord, for I have seen his great and wond’rous deeds,

Hope within his promises and counts of endless grace.

I have seen his holy arm raise the dead and lost.

Signs and wonders here today, there’s power in the cross.

Prechorus 1

And my soul proclaims, you are holy Lord.

God of endless days, Lamb upon the throne.

God in modern ways, you are here and now.

Rising through the ash, you restore our church.

Chorus

2 Righteousness and justice he proclaims through all the earth.

Gracious and compassionate, love for all oppressed.

As far as east is from the west, our sins he wipes away.

Praise our God with heavenly hosts and angels we proclaim.

Prechorus 2

I will sing to you, with every breath that I have.

Mountains move at your name, seas they roar your praise.

Let your joy spring forth, give new life to our land.

For the battles’ won, Victory in our God.

Interlude

Wo-oh oh x8

Bridge x2

Evil has no place, we rebuke in Jesus’ name.

We are children of our Father, called to love each other.

In unity we seek to feed our Father’s sheep.

The Kingdom we are seeking, the harvest you are reaping.

Our Church will stand again, a home for all the hurt,

You’re raising up the standard, darkness knows no answers.

All glory to our God, Hosanna to our King,

The end and the beginning, Jesus King of Kings.

Bridge 2 x2

All hail to the King of Kings. All glory and majesty

Chorus

ⓒ 2019 emmanuelworship

Entrance: All Are Welcome (Haugen)

Gifts: Blessed be Our God  (McKenna) AOV NG 13

Communion: Bread of Heaven  (Manibusan-Hart)

Recessional: They’ll Know We Are Christians (Scholtes) AOV 1/130

Some ideas from St. Peter’s, Rochedale.