Church Music

Coincidentally the next song in the miscellaneous folder is another Monica Brown song. It may have been from a school liturgy from when my children were younger. This one does sound like a children’s song, although the lyrics are solid enough from a liturgical perspective.

You can hear a sample and buy the music at Emmaus.

Chorus

Let the trumpets sound, let the music play,

Let the song of God’s people be heard,

And let the praise of God resound throughout

heaven and earth.

Verse 1

People of God sing out your praise,

Sing of the glory of our God,

Lift up your voice and let your praise be heard.

Chorus

Verse 2

The sick, the needy, the broken the poor,

The rich, the strong, all gathered as one,

Blest and made whole in the love of our God.

Chorus

Verse 3

In You, oh God we place out trust.

Your love and kindness, You lavish on us,

We celebrate Your life in us, oh God.

Chorus

© Monica Brown, 1991.

This is a very wonderful song by Monica Brown that we used to sing quite a lot but haven’t lately.  It is more subtle and gentle than most. I’m sure you will find many situations where the words resonate.

It is available in “A Special Collection” on CD and music book at Emmaus.

Verse 1

Mothering and fathering, giving birth and protecting,

Nurturing and empowering love itself.

Chorus

Oh, God how shall You be named?

You are so much more than we could ever dare to dream.

Verse 2

Gentler than the falling spray, stronger than the mountain face,

Whispering and thundering life that is.

Chorus

Verse 3

Pondering and proclaiming, fashioning and creating,

Sheltering and unfolding deepest mysteries.

Chorus

Verse 4

Brighter than the morning sun, deeper than the deepest night,

Balancing and holding firm all that is.

Chorus

You are so much more than we could ever dare to dream.

© Monica Brown, 1991.

Tina asked for this song by Fr Bob Fabing.  I’m familiar with the blessing but not the song.

You can buy the sheet music from OCP and hear a sample here. This is a nice version in a language I am not familiar with.

Refrain:

May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be always with you,
May the sunshine warm you always
til we meet again.

1. May the rain fall softly on you,
May the hand of God uphold you.

2. Christ before you, Christ behind you,
Christ beneath you, Christ above you.

3. Christ to shield you, Christ be with you,
Christ be with you now and always.

4. Christ in every eye that sees you,
Christ in every ear that hears you.

5. Christ in every heart that knows you,
Christ in every word that speaks of you.

6. Christ is on your left, Christ is on your right,
Christ when you lay down and rise up.

Text based on a traditional Irish text

Music © Robert Fabing SJ, 2000, published by OCP.

This is one of Dan Schutte’s best and is a great Vene Sancte for confirmation services.  If you have the control to do it as slowly as written that would be great, but I think it is easier to take the tempo up just a little as this church choir have done. It can be purchased from OCP here.

We have done this in various keys and I can’t remember singing the last verse ever, probably because our winters don’t really chill us too long at all. Just for fun I made a backing in the original key of F with the key change to Ab for the last verse.

1. Send us your spirit O Lord.

Evening enfolds us and holds us too near.

Wake the morning light.

Make our living bright.

Shine on our darkness O Lord.

2. Hold us with mercy O Lord.

Sorrow has spoken, has broken our hearts.

Clothe us in your care.

Be the life we bear.

Feed us and fill us O Lord.

3. Teach us your wisdom O Lord.

Shadows have clouded, have crowded our sight.

Give us hearts that see.

Set our loving free.

Hear us and help us O Lord.

4. Send us good summer O Lord.

Winters have chilled us, and stilled us too long.

Give us love’s own fire.

Be our true desire.

Send us your spirit O Lord.

© Daniel L. Schutte and New Dawn Music, 1985.

Published by OCP.

This song has words by William Booth (he of the Salvos) and a tune that has several attributions on the net. (Any takers for the correct answer? I’ve seen Lex Loizides attributed with at least an adaption and also an attribution to Stoneleigh. You can buy the sheet music online here, which would have been very useful ten years ago! The lyrics are variable.

It was requested for a liturgy years ago and after unsuccessfully looking for the music I worked out the chords from a MIDI file. The MIDI file appears to have been based loosely on this version from Brownsville Worship. I’ve since played with the MIDI file out of all recognition over many years and made my backing from its carcass.

O God of burning, cleansing flame, Send the fire

Your blood – bought gift today we claim, Send the fire today

God of Elijah, hear our cry, Send the fire

And make us fit to live or die, send the fire today

To burn up every trace of sin, to bring the light and glory in

The revolution now begins, Send the fire today

It’s fire we want, for fire we plead, Send the fire

The fire will meet our every need, Send the fire today

Give us strength to always do what’s right,

And grace to conquer in the fight

for power to walk this world in white, Send the fire today

Look down and see this waiting host

And send the promised Holy Ghost

We need another Pentecost, Send the fire today

Send the Fire

Send the fire

Send the fire

Send the fire today.

Text: William Booth

Music © Lex Loizides, Thankyou Music ,1994.

(Thanks to Mary’s sleuthing)

This is a song from the old Scripture in Song collection of unknown copyright based on a Hebrew melody and a text from Zechariah 4:6.

Spirit, Spirit, Spirit of God. (rpt as mantra)

Descant (over mantra)

Not by might or power, but by the Spirit of God.

This is an obscure song from a songwriter in Canberra called Basil Morrow. It is a joyful Easter song. Sing it as if you were Mumford and Sons and you’ll get the idea.

You will need to contact him at morrowmusic@bigpond.com to get the music.

Chorus

Roll the stone away the day has dawned.

Jesus has conquered the darkness.

Fire of love burn bright and strong.

Roll the stone away.

Verse 1

Faithful people, roll the stone;

All believers, light the fire.

Chosen people, roll the stone;

Desert dwellers, light the fire.

Bridge

Christ is here to walk with us;

He is with us for all time.

Courage now, come roll the stone away.

Chorus

Verse 2

Farmers and graziers, roll the stone;

Growers and drovers, light the fire.

Writers and poets, roll the stone;

Artists, musicians, light the fire.

Bridge

Chorus

Verse 3

Labourers and builders, roll the stone;

Teachers and nurses, light the fire.

All men and women, roll the stone;

Mothers and Fathers, light the fire.

Bridge

Chorus

Verse 4

With the broken, roll the stone;

With the humbled, light the fire.

With the hungry, roll the stone;

With the thirsty, light the fire.

Bridge

Chorus

Verse 5

Let your doubts go, roll the stone.

Let your fears go, light the fire.

Find the kingdom, roll the stone;

Live the new life light the fire.

Bridge

Chorus

Roll the stone away.

© Morrow Music, 1997.

I’ve got this weeks choices early because it is the from the liturgy group in which I participate.

Entrance: You Are Welcome (Leo Watt)

Psalm: The Cry of the Poor (Foley) AOV 1/83

Gifts: Bread for the World (Farrell) Spirit and Song 1/157

Communion: We Are Many Parts (Haugen) AOV 1/86

Gift of Finest Wheat (Westendorf) Gather Australia 191

Recessional: Go Make a Difference (Angrisano-Tomaczek) AOV NG52

Incidentally, Steve Angrisano will be in Brisbane soon for a workshop. See here for details.

I want us to sing this next Sunday as we are in the right liturgies for it. Tina asked for it a few weeks ago and Chris’s church did it this week so I thought I’d have a listen.  Although written in the twentieth century it has “Olde English” folk song sound to me. The text is by Omar Westendorf and the tune is “Bicentennial” by Robert E Kreutz.  I found it in Gather Australia at number 191. You can buy it from OCP here.

You can hear a pleasant version here. This is a version on organ.

My version is lots of guitar on BIAB.

Refrain
You satisfy the hungry heart with gift of finest wheat,
come give to us o saving Lord, the bread of life to eat.
verse 1 
As when the shepherd calls his sheep, they know and heed his voice;
so when You call your family Lord, we follow and rejoice.
(refrain) 
verse 2 
With joyful lips we sing to You, our praise and gratitude,
that You should count us worthy Lord, to share this heavenly food.
(refrain) 
verse 3 
The mystery of your presence Lord, no mortal tongue can tell;
whom all the world cannot contain comes in our hearts to dwell.
(refrain) 
verse 4 
You give yourself to us o Lord, then selfless let us be,
to serve each other in Your name in truth and charity.
(refrain) 

© Archdiocese of Philadelphia, 1997.

Dan Schutte’s song for a sprinkling rite has been used locally for ages and I’m still not sick of it.  It is a fine song. You can hear it here but we push it along a bit faster and exaggerate the “rit” at the end of the verse a bit more. We also briefly tacet after “clothed in the light” until “bathed”.  The melody of the first line of the verse struck me as odd the first time I heard it, but now it is fine.

You can purchase the music from OCP here but it is in Spirit & Song (Vol 1/135) as well.

This church does it more at the speed we do it.

Refrain

River of glory, springs of our birth,
flood of God’s riches poured on the earth.
We are born from the darkness
and clothed in the light!
We are bathed in the glory of God!

1. Fountain of mercy,
grace flowing free,
streams of salvation,
spilling with love from a tree!

2. Here there is haven,
healing and health,
joy for the asking,
love in abundance of wealth!

3. Bread for our journey
God will provide.
Hope for all ages,
Jesus, companion and guide!

4. Darkness is banished,
night turned away.
Christ is our sunlight,
lifting and leading our way!

© Daniel, L. Schutte, 1991. Published by OCP Publications.