This is another gathering song from John Burland‘s newest collection Gathered As Your People Lord.
Like the title track it is a lively and engaging 6/8 hymn to bring the assembly together. It doesn’t go above a C and gently syncopates its way singingly. He based the text on John 14:6, 1 Peter 2:9-10, Ephesians 1:14 and 1 Chronicles 29:11-14. The music is by Burland and Philippe-Marc Anquetil.
You can order the sheet music using his form or by using the details at his site.
I wasn’t letting the fact that he does his own instrumental only tracks stop me making my own.
Chorus
We are your people Lord, gathered it’s you we adore.
We come together as God’s holy Church
Where the lost and the hungry no longer search,
Blessed and broken we come to proclaim, and worship God’s holy name.
1 The Word that shows us the way, speaking truth and giving new life.
God’s Word that burns in our hearts ev’ry day, one people one body in Christ.
Chorus
2 In faith we gather as one. This journey of life goes on.
In faith we gather with love for our God, one people one body in Christ.
Chorus
3 With hope and joy in our hearts, seeking grace for a new start.
Trusting in God overflowing with love, one people one body in Christ.
I’ve looked at lot of Australian Catholic Songwriters, but I haven’t focused on John Burland yet. Like Michael Mangan, he is perhaps best known for his work with young people and schools, yet his songs are also fine for adults and assemblies in general. Australia seems to have a knack for popular hymn writers for schools who also are appropriate for a wider audience.
“Come to the Table”, for example, is a song for Eucharist that we have used for many years. I think it is an excellent example of a hymn tune with enough variation to be memorable but still singable. It is in AOV NG 33. I play it capo 3 for convenience. The first two choruses and verses exhibit a corporate liturgical voice, with the build to the key change showing a different musical structure and a switch to the voice of God for two lines. The key change makes sense as the elevation of our voices after the encounter with God in the Eucharist. Even with the key change it doesn’t go above C. None of his songs are in CWB II, but he would be a good exemplar for contemporary song – OK he’s been going since the 1990s but that is still somewhat contemporary.
All this is preliminary to looking at his new collection, “Gathered As Your People Lord”. There are five songs written for liturgy and it is very much not just for young people.
The title track is an impressive gathering hymn. It is a unifying song in preparation for Eucharist. The text is by Burland and inspired by Matt 18:20, John 14:6, 1 John 4:9-12 and Psalm 149:1,5. The music a collaboration between him and Stephen Leiweke.
John Burland provides lyrics at his website and all his CDs and music books can be purchased using the order form. The digital download for this collection is only $A10.
My backing is a waltz rather than the 6/8 specified in the music, but 6/8 in BIAB always tends Celtic which wasn’t needed here.
Chorus
Gathered as your people, Lord, one body in your love,
Gathered as your people, Lord, one body in your love,
We are called by name we are here to proclaim
Your Word that brings life to us all.
Gathered as your people Lord to worship your holy name.
1 Gathered in God’s love, each of us so beloved.
That God’s only Son Jesus died for us, then rose to bring us new life.
Chorus
2 Gathered in your name, your promise remains the same.
“For where two or three gather in my name I will be there with you.”
Chorus
Bridge
One people standing so strong. One people singing the song.
One people standing so strong. One people singing the song of our faith.
Instrumental
3 Gathered in this place, your Spirit fills us with grace,
With your Word Lord bringing truth for us, your Word lighting our way.
I need to remind myself sometimes that the hymn choices, while selected to match the liturgy and the readings, are the least important musical part of the service. We use Paul Taylor’s “Mass of St Francis” and the Celtic Alleluia for the musical parts of the mass.
This is a song with a text by Andrew Hamilton and set by Christopher Willcock that has no liturgical use really but it is just an interesting song from the Jesuits.
The background to the song is discussed here and the sheet music is also available there.
The music had no chords so I guessed them and made a backing for all the Jesuits who want to sing along.
I've worked my way through the As One Voice books and other collections making backings on Band in a Box to help me (& you if you're interested) learn new songs for church. This is aimed at churches and musicians that own the collections but haven't exploited them fully. If you don't have them they are certainly worth buying. This site is educational, nonprofit and designed to enhance the commercial prospects of songwriters. This site does not distribute copyrighted sheet music.
Disclaimer
Any opinions expressed here are personal views and not the responsibility of any Church.
All music backings posted are created by myself and the intention is for them to be used to learn the songs. If any copyright holder wishes me to cease publicising and promoting their wares and directing people to where sheet music can be legally purchased please let me know.
Mason’s “Mass of Glory and Praise”
To access my backings for Paul Mason's mass go to Feb 2011 in the archive.
