Church Music

This is very recent song from the digital platform of As One Voice. It is a dance/rap praise and worship song from Gen Bryant that is from 2019. It could be used a recessional in a youth context but the rap section is not very participatory so maybe just do verse, chorus and the “woo-oo”s. Much of the verse is triplets but the chorus is for joining in.

The sheet music can be purchased at As One Voice.

Making a backing for this on Band in a Box was asking for trouble – suffice to say there are sixteen bars to rap over if you wish, otherwise just jump up and down a lot.

1 We welcome you into the light of this day.

With each new horizon you show us the way,

You show us the way.

We find understanding, we walk in your truth;

Transform our hearts and lead us to you,

Lead us to you.

Chorus

When the night falls, Spirit guide us; through the darkness, lead the way.

Be our power deep within us; come revive our hearts again.

Woo-oo Woo-oo Come revive our hearts again.

Woo-oo Woo-oo Come revive our hearts again.

2 The Father created, the Son he redeemed.

The Spirit inspires… oh what mystery.

What mystery.

Though we may not know this by reason alone,

We walk in faith: in your love we will know;

By our lives we will show.

Chorus

Bridge

The Spirit is moving inside you and me,

Chaos surrounds us, but still we will sing.

The Spirit is moving are you listening?

Close your eyes: you’ll hear the Paraclete.

Rap break

Do you hear it? Can you feel it?

Light shines bright down in your spirit.

Most people never acknowledge it ’cause they fear it.

Some sacrifice their life to stay near.

A beautiful light. A beautiful struggle. The world is loud. The spirit is subtle.

A beautiful light. A beautiful struggle. The world is loud. The spirit is subtle.

Holy Spirit’s my confidant – guides my path when the nights are long.

When everything around me is feeling wrong,

You give me strength to sing along.

Praise your name until I’m gone. By your side’s where I belong.

You’re our joy in trials and pain.

This revival’s bringing real change.

This revival’s bringing real change.

Last Chorus

When the night falls, Spirit guide us; through the darkness, lead the way.

Be our power deep within us; come revive our hearts again.

When the night falls, Spirit guide us; through the darkness, lead the way.

Be our power deep within us; come revive our hearts again.

Woo-oo Woo-oo Come revive our hearts again.

Woo-oo Woo-oo Come revive our hearts again.

Woo-oo Woo-oo Come revive our hearts again.

Woo-oo Woo-oo Come revive our hearts again.

© 2019 Gen Bryant

I’m continuing to look for songs at As One Voice that weren’t in their collections.

Patrica Smith wrote this one and as there was no sample of the music I made a backing to see how it went. She is the music coordinator at St Patrick’s church in the parish of Kuringgai Chase, Sydney.

It is an impressive song of conviction and social justice. The repetition makes it almost into a mantra with a gentle singable tune that I would bring down from C to A so the long notes are A’s rather than Cs.

The sheet music can be purchased at AOV. For once I actually put the ritard in at the end of the song.

1 By the grace of God, I am a servant of the Lord.

By the grace of God, I have been called to his work.

By the grace of God, we will stand against the night.

By the grace of God, we will witness to the truth,

By the grace of God.

2 By the grace of God, I hear the cries of those in need.

By the grace of God, I see their hunger and their fear.

By the grace of God, we will answer when they call.

By the grace of God, with open hands and hearts,

By the grace of God.

3 By the grace of God, I have been gifted by the Lord,

By the grace of God, to help the children of the poor.

By the grace of God, we will fill their lives with hope.

By the grace of God, we will bind up every wound,

By the grace of God.

4 By the grace of God, life will triumph over death.

By the grace of God, love will vanquish every fear.

By the grace of God, we will set the captives free.

By the grace of God, in the Kingdom of the Lord,

By the grace of God.

© 2012 P A Smith

This is Amanda McKenna’s version of the blessing from Numbers 6:24-26. I don’t think I have heard it before but it dates from 1987. (The song not the blessing…it is somewhat older)

It is call and response but more thoughtful than most of those specimens as the response isn’t always the the same notes and there are unison sections as well.

The sheet music can be purchased at As One Voice. You can hear Amanda sing it at Sound Cloud.

(Solo) May the Lord Bless you and keep you.

(ALL) MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU.

(Solo) May His face shine upon you.

(ALL) MAY HIS FACE SHINE UPON YOU.

(Solo) And be gracious.

(ALL) AND BE GRACIOUS .

AND BE KIND AND GRACIOUS TO YOU.

(Solo) May He look upon you with kindness.

(ALL) MAY HE LOOK UPON YOU WITH KINDNESS.

(Solo) And give you His peace.

(ALL) AND GIVE YOU HIS PEACE.

AND GIVE YOU HIS PEACE .

AMEN

© 1987 Amanda McKenna.

I don’t think I’ve blogged any of Jen Charadia’s work before. I have been to workshops of hers over the years at AOV and APMN conferences.

This perhaps isn’t typical of her work, which is often reflective mantras, as it is a rock song for gathering or recessional and commissioning as well. It is a P&W format with a prechorus and bridge and repeated refrains etc. It was written for a Catholic youth leaders conference in 2012.

The sheet music can be purchased at As One Voice where there is a snippet of it played properly, switching to a half time pattern in the refrain. My backing is straight up rock.

1 Ev’rything we are we bring to you.

Immersed in living waters washed in grace.

You draw is from the deep and speak our names,

Surrounded by your Spirit’s warm embrace.

Come upon us Spirit fall. Come upon us Spirit fall.

Refrain

Anointed in holiness sent out with hearts that burn.

Anointed in your holy name sent to proclaim good news, good news.

2 Ev’ry day we meet you face to face

Within the captive heart that we set free.

You lead us from the dark that we might see

The blind and oppressed and give release.

Come upon us Spirit fall. Come upon us Spirit fall.

Refrain

Bridge

Blessed be our holy hands.

Blessed be our holy eyes.

Blessed be our holy hearts.

Blessed be our work with you

Repeat Bridge

Refrain x2

© Jen Charadia 2012

Having put OCP’s book to bed, I’m going to focus on the Australian offerings at the new Willow/As One Voice digital site for a while.

This is an amazing Amanda McKenna song I haven’t heard before. She wrote the “Mass of Love” and the psalm responses that we use. As One Voice: Next Generation has several of her wonderful songs, including “Gather As One” and “Blessed be Our God” that we use locally.

I can’t find any versions of this song to listen to, so I made my own version. I love the melody, although I wonder if it is too delicate for an assembly in places. She has pulled in pretty much direct biblical quotes for her lyrics so there can be no complaints there. The sheet music can be purchased at Willow in Am or Bm. My backing is in Am.

1 God so loved the world he gave his only son.

The light has come into the world that we may all be one.

2 And he said, “Peace I give to you, my peace I leave with you my friends.

And I will always be with you until the end of time.

Refrain

Should you walk through the fire, be not afraid!

Or pass through the stormy seas, be not afraid!

I go before you, be not afraid!

Come to me and I will give you rest.”

3 Love your God with all your heart; with all your mind and soul and strength.

And love your neighbour as yourself. Do this and you will live.

Refrain

Refrain

© 2009 Amanda McKenna

This is the last of the 2007 update that I haven’t already blogged and a lovely song to end the many years of blogging the enormous tome that is my OCP Guitar Accompaniment Book c2005.

I really like this song of praise adapted by Angus McDonell from Psalm 146.

OCP provides the text in their preview and will sell you the sheet music here. BIAB thought it was even more a country song than the original version.

This Harry Hagan hymn is good for commissioning rites, RCIA and All Saints. He set his new(ish) words to an old tune called DETROIT. There are alternative verses for more saints than you could wish for.

As usual the sheet music can be purchased at OCP who provide the text in their preview.

The tune looks like it began life as a shapenote song.

Janet Sullivan Whitaker has written this fetching ballad on the theme of social justice and peace. Is “swords and ploughshares” such a common trope that Isaiah 2:4 needs no mention, nor Psalm 122 for “your peace we pray, O Jerusalem”.

OCP have the sheet music and the text in their preview.

Entrance:  Gather As One  (McKenna) AOV NG 48

Psalm 46 (McKenna)

God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

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

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

Thanksgiving:  One Body (O’Brien- Watts) AOV 2/146

Recessional:  Sing of the Lord’s Goodness   (Sands) AOV 1/131

Entrance:  Alleluia! Love Is Alive (Angrisano, Manibusan, Hart)

Psalm 97 (McKenna)

The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power; his saving power.

Gifts: As I Have Done for You (Schutte)

Communion: Bread of Heaven  (Manibusan-Hart)

Thanksgiving: Servant Song   (Gillard) AOV 2/169

Recessional:  Though the Mountains May Fall  (Schutte)  AOV 1/182