Church Music

Michael Mangan closes out his album Setting Hearts on Fire appropriately, with a lovely song for farewell and benediction based on Numbers 6.

The sheet music can be purchased at Litmus, where you can buy CDs and even proper backing tracks.  He has also kindly put up his lyrics there.

If you are thinking he is just for schools and young people it is worth noting he has seven songs in CWB2, which is more than nearly everyone Australian except Christoper Willcock and maybe one or two others.

My backing follows the music with the second verse repeated with a key change.

Song of Blessing
Words & music: Michael Mangan

May God bless you and keep you.
May God’s goodness shine on you.
May you see God’s face
And live in God’s own peace.
Amen, Amen, Amen.

May God bless us and keep us.
May God’s goodness shine on us.
May we see God’s face
And live in God’s own peace.
Amen, Amen, Amen.

© 2001 Litmus Productions, Brisbane

This one is combined recitation and song suitable for weddings. It is found on Michael Mangan’s Setting Hearts on Fire available for purchase at Litmus.

It is based on 1 Corinthians 13.

My backing is just the sung section twice in the original key and once with a key change.

The Love Song
Words & music: Michael Mangan

If I have all the eloquence of angels but do not have love,
I am simply a gong booming or a cymbal clashing.
If I have the gift of prophecy,
Understanding all the mysteries there are,
If I have faith enough to move mountains
But do not have love, I am nothing at all.
If I give away everything that I possess
But do not have love,
It will do me no good whatsoever.

Sung

Love is the reason, love is the key.
Love is the answer for you and for me.
Love lasts forever, love has no end.
I’m tellin’ you people that you can depend
On love, Oh love, love, love, love, love, love.

Love is always patient and kind.
It is never jealous, boastful or conceited.
Love is never rude or selfish.
It is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope,
And to endure whatever comes.
There are three things that last: faith, hope and love;
And the greatest of these is love.

© 2001 Litmus Productions, Brisbane

At this point in Michael Mangan’s Setting Hearts on Fire there are three songs for Eucharist.

I have already blogged “Given For You” and “The Bread of Life” so I can move onto “One Body, One People”.

Mangan notes that this song also would work as a gathering song.

One Body, One People
Words & music: Michael Mangan

For we are one body, one people,
Sharing our journey.
For we are one body, one people,
Sharing in Christ.

1 We are as many as the stars.
We are the children of God’s love.
We are the tellers of the story.
Though many we are one.

2 We are the keepers of the dream.
We hold it deep within our hearts.
We are travellers on the journey:
One body, many parts.

3 We are the singers of life’s song.
We are the bearers of the light.
We are living future’s history.
Guide us through the night.

4 We are the sand upon the shore.
Part of time’s eternal tide.
Ebbing, flowing, growing, changing,
Through the seasons of our lives.

© 2001 Litmus Productions, Brisbane

I’m still working through Michael Mangan’s wonderful collection Setting Hearts on Fire.

He says it this one is a song for “times of sadness, desperation and despair”. Always timely – lament is especially needed now.

Jesus Our Saviour
Words & music: Michael Mangan

1 When the day is long
And the night is dark and dreary.
When we’re feeling lost and alone.
When our dreams lie shattered
And sorrow fills our hearts,
Hold us close, carry us back home.

Jesus Our Saviour,
Help us to see your face.
Show us your guiding light.
You will show the way.
You will show the way.

2 When the storm clouds gather
And we just can’t see the sun.
When are hearts are broken and in pain.
When we feel abandoned
And drifting in despair,
Lift us up, give us hope again.

3 When everything seems hopeless
And we’re tired and afraid.
When the darkness drowns another day.
When the load is heavy
And the road seems far too long,
Give us strength, lead us on your way.

© 2001 Litmus Productions, Brisbane

This is a song based on John 14 by Michael Mangan, this time in a country style. The sheet music can be purchased at Litmus.

The chorus is fine for the assembly but there are enough changes in the structure the verses to suggest a cantor/soloist might be helpful, at least until everyone is very familiar with it.

I Am the Way
Words & music: Michael Mangan

I am the Way. I am the Truth.
If you want to know God,
Come with me, I am the Life.
I am the Way. I am the Truth.
I am the Way, I am the Truth,
I am the Life.

1 Do not let your hearts be troubled.
Trust in God and trust in me.
I have prepared a place for you,
A place where you can always live with me.

2 I am one in God and God is in me.
All who believe can do great things.
Come to know God by knowing me,
For I’m in God and God is here in me.

3 I will not leave you orphans.
I will come back to you.
Even if the world cannot see me,
You will live in me and I in you.

© 2001 Litmus Productions

Continuing in Setting Hearts on Fire, this is Michael Mangan’s take on this famous prayer.

St Teresa’s Prayer
Words & music: Michael Mangan

Christ has no body now but mine,
No hands, no feet on earth but mine.
Christ has no body now but mine.
Let me be Christ, let me shine.

1 Mine are the eyes with which he looks,
Looks with love upon this world.
Mine are the feet with which he walks,
Walks to do good in this world.

2 Mine are the hands with which he works,
Works for peace here in this world.
Mine is the voice with which he speaks,
Speaks his message to this world.

3 Mine is the face with which he smiles,
Smiles a welcome to this world.
Mine is the heart with which he loves,
Loves all people in this world.

© 2001 Litmus Productions, Brisbane

We are recognising the issue of mental health this week.

Entrance: Come As You Are (Brown) AOV 1/31

Psalm 89 (McKenna)

Fill us with your love , O Lord, and we will sing for joy!

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

Communion: Will You Love Me?  (Boniwell) AOV 1/40

Thanksgiving: You Are Mine  (Haas)  AOV 2/2

Recessional: Galilee Song (Andersen) AOV 1/15

Michael Mangan based this rousing rock song on John 18:12.

The sheet music is available in his collection Setting Hearts on Fire.

Jesus Is The Light
Words & music: Michael Mangan

1 We don’t want to walk in darkness,
We don’t want to live in pain.
We know one who lights the darkness,
Jesus is his name.

He is the Light, the Light of Life.
If we follow him
We’ll always share in God’s own life.
He is the Light, the Light of Life.
He lights our way each and every day.
Jesus is the Light. Jesus is the Light.

2 We need help to make our journey,
Someone strong to lead the way.
We know one to guide our journey,
Jesus is his name.

3 We need strength when we are weary,
To calm the storms and ease the pain.
We know one who has the power,
Jesus is his name.

4 We need peace when we are troubled,
To lift the load and break the chains.
We know one who gives us freedom,
Jesus is his name.

© 2001 Litmus Productions, Brisbane

The next song in Michael Mangan’s Setting Hearts on Fire is “Holy Spirit of Fire”. This one I know and it is a very playable, reverent and singable song.

The sheet music can be purchased at Litmus.

I’ve already blogged this one here.

This is a Michael Mangan song on the theme of mission from his collection Setting Hearts on Fire. 

The sheet music omits some of the notes in the second and third verse for clarity but I’ve put them back in for my backing.

Make A Little Difference
Words & music: Michael Mangan

1 We don’t have to move mighty mountains.
We don’t have to swim stormy seas.
We don’t have to change the world overnight.
We don’t have to do famous deeds.

Wherever we are, whoever we meet,
In everything we do and say,
If we get in the groove and let the Spirit move,
We can make a little difference every day.

2 It takes a million years to make one diamond.
It needs a billion grains of sand to make a beach.
It takes a thousand years for a forest to grow.
We just have to plant the tiny seeds.

3 Just a single step begins each journey.
A race that’s never started can’t be won.
Every drop of rain helps the mighty river flow.
We can live the power of one.

Br Just a helping hand or a friendly smile,
Doing what we know is right.
Standing strong against the tide,
These little things can change somebody’s life.

© 2001 Litmus Productions, Brisbane

I worried that the verses might be beyond an assembly, but these children at Stanthorpe handle Michael Mangan’s couching with aplomb.