Church Music

Readings: Genesis 14:18-20

Corinthians 11:23-26

Luke 9:11-17

Whatever the strange and dubious origins of this feast, the readings flow and bounce off each other in a thoughtful way. The “bread and wine” of Melchizedek from Genesis are amplified by the Psalm and fulfilled in Paul’s teaching about Eucharist. If the Eucharistic theme of the feeding story in Luke wasn’t already obvious, it certainly is after the three preceding pieces of scripture. Our role in all this depends on the Lukan Jesus saying, “Give them something to eat yourselves.”

Entrance: All Are Welcome (Haugen) CWB II 535

Psalm 109 (McKenna)

You are a priest forever, in the line of Melchizedik

Gifts: Song of the Body of Christ  (Haas) AOV 1/27

Communion: Our Blessing Cup  (Mason)

Thanksgiving: Bread of Heaven  (Manibusan-Hart)

Recessional: Celtic Alleluia (Sending Forth)  (O’Carroll/Walker) AOV 1/13

I have looked at this one before as part of a HYFRYDOL post, but CWB II has set George William Briggs text to HYMN TO JOY.

The text is here. I think HYFRYDOL might suit this Trinitarian hymn better, making it less over the top.

I have made a slightly less ridiculous backing but BIAB probably should leave Beethoven alone.

I have blogged this already here set to the more usual tune (at Hymnary and posted clips on Youtube) of ELLACOMBE. CWB II uses AURELIA.

The text by Leon M Atkins is based on Matt 28: 19-20 and can be found here.

This is James Quinn’s paraphrase of Ephesians 1:3-14 in the setting from ICEL’s Resource Collection of Hymns and Service Music for the Liturgy by Carl Schalk (EPHESIANS).

The text is here. It is a hymn of praise with Trinitarian applications.

I sorted the chords from the sheet music, which makes for a fussy backing:

This fine hymn of thankfulness has a text by Fred Pratt Green and is set to the Welsh traditional tune, AR HYD Y NOS.

The wonderful people at Hope Publications claim copyright on his lyrics and have the text and sheet music here. CWB II have copyright residing with Stainer & Bell, which is news to One Licence. Maybe that’s just for England – I will never understand copyright.

I have blogged the version in As One Voice, but CWB II sets the text to LUCERNA LAUDONIAE by David Evans and have chosen a different variant of the text, hence reposting.

For the beauty of the earth,
For the beauty of the skies;
For the love which from our birth,
Over and around us lies;
Lord of all, to you we raise
This our sacrifice of  praise.

For the beauty of each hour,
Of the day and of the night;
Hill and vale and tree and flow’r,
Sun and moon, and stars of light;
Lord of all, to you we raise
 This our sacrifice of  praise. 

For the joy of ear and eye,
For the heart and brain's delight, 
For the mystic harmony,
Linking sense to song and sight,
Lord of all, to you we raise
 This our sacrifice of  praise.  

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child;
Friends on Earth and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild;
Lord of all, to you we raise
 This our sacrifice of  praise. 

For Your church that evermore,
Lifts its holy hands above;
Off’ring up on ev’ry shore,
A pure sacrifice of love;
Lord of all, to you we raise
 its pure sacrifice of  praise. 

For yourself, O Gift Divine,
To our world so freely giv’n,
Word incarnate, God's design,
Peace on earth and joy in heav’n.
Lord of all, to you we raise
 This our sacrifice of  praise. 

Readings: Proverbs 8:22-31

Romans 5: 1-5

John 16: 12-15

Entrance: Sing Out Earth and Sky  (Haugen) AOV 2/32

Psalm 8 (McKenna)

O Lord our God, how wonderful your name in all the world

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

Communion: Bread Broken Wine Shared  (Horner) AOV 2/155

Thanksgiving: Trinity Song (Andersen)

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

I know this trinitarian hymn is written by John Henry Newman, but it has a touch of the doggerel about it to my ears. All the “I”s make it less wonderful for an assembly as well.

CWB II set it to Elgar’s DRAKE’S BROUGHTON, although other sources suggest SHIPSTON. It is interesting how often CWB II goes with settings that are not the most commonly associated with the text.

Firmly I believe and truly
God is Three, and God is One;
And I next acknowledge duly
Manhood taken by the Son.

And I trust and hope most fully
In that manhood crucified;
And each thought and deed unruly
Do to death, as He has died.

Simply to His grace and wholly
Light and life and strength belong,
And I love supremely, solely,
Him the holy, Him the strong.

And I hold in veneration,
For the love of Him alone,
Holy Church as His creation,
And her teachings are His own.

Praise and thanks be ever given,
With and through th’angelic host,
To the God of earth and Heaven,
Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

This is one of the few hymns to use the Didache’s call for unity as a resource. F. Bland Tucker is listed as the translator. The text is at Hymnary, although CWB II gets rid of the the archaisms this time.

CWB II sets it to RENDEZ A DIEU.

A translation of a C7 Latin Eucharistic text Sancte, venite, Christi Corpus sumite by J M Neale. It came from a manuscript found in an Irish monastry.

It is here set to a traditional Irish tune GUSTATE, which is quite pretty and singable. I note many other settings .

There seem to be innumerable variants on this text but this is the one in CWB II.

Draw nigh and take the body of the Lord;
And drink the holy blood for you outpoured.
Saved by his body and his precious blood,
Our souls refreshed, we offer thanks to God.

Our true Redeemer, Christ the only Son,
By cross and blood a mighty victory won.
Offering himself for greatest and for least,
Himself the victim, and Himself the priest.

The victims offered by the law of old,
As signs from God, eternal mysteries told.
Now Christ our light, the ransom of our race,
Gives to his own this endless source of grace.

Let us approach with loving hearts sincere,
And take the pledge of our salvation here.
Christ, who his faithful servants rules and shields,
To all believers life eternal yields.

With bread of life makes them that hunger whole,
Gives living waters to each thirsting soul,
Christ Jesus, first and last, is with us now,
To him at end of time we all shall bow.