Church Music

Another lovely chant from John Bell. You can hear the harmonies at AOV.

My backing is at 80 bpm.

Through our lives and by our prayers,

Your Kingdom come.

© WGRG, Iona Community, 1995.

http://www.iona.org.uk/wgrg_home.php

Also known as “The Servant King” this is an early song from Graham Kendrick. It takes you from Christmas to Easter so has applications all over the place. Go to AOV to hear an excerpt. You can hear him sing it live with a great band here.

My backing is at 75 bpm.

Verse 1

From heaven you came helpless babe,

Entered our world, your glory veiled;

Not to be served but to serve,

And give Your life that we might live.

Refrain

This is our God, the Servant King;

He calls us now to follow him,

To bring our lives as a daily offering

Of worship to the Servant King.

Verse 2

There in the garden of tears,

My heavy load he chose to bear;

His heart with sorrow was torn.

‘Yet not my will but yours,’ he said.

Refrain

Verse 3

Come see His hands and His feet,

The scars that speak of sacrifice,

Hands that flung stars into space,

To cruel nails surrendered.

Refrain

Verse 4

So let us learn how to serve,

And in our lives enthrone Him;

Each other’s needs to prefer,

For it is Christ we’re serving.

Refrain

© Kingsway’s Thankyou Music 1983.

If you want a change from Dan Schutte’s setting of Ps 98, you could use this one by Timothy Dudley-Smith (an Anglican Bishop)and David Wilson. A sample is available to hear at AOV. You can hear a church have a go at it here.

Verse 1

Sing a new song to the Lord,
he to whom wonders belong!
rejoice in his triumph and tell of his power–
O sing to the Lord a new song!

Verse 2

Now to the ends of the earth
see his salvation is shown!
And still he remembers his mercy and truth,
unchanging in love to his own.

Verse 3

Sing a new song and rejoice,
publish his praises abroad!
Let voices in chorus, with trumpet and horn,
resound for the joy of the Lord!

Verse 4

Join with the hills and the sea
thunders of praise to prolong!
In judgment and justice he comes to the earth–
O sing to the Lord a new song!

© Hope Publishing Co. & David Wilson and Jubilate Hymns

I didn’t put up last week’s music as the parish office was being moved and so the selections weren’t sent out. We are still using the Mass Shalom, but with Brian Boniwell’s Lenten Gospel Acclamation.

Entrance: Christ Be Our Light (Farrell) AOV 2/3)

Psalm: To You O God I Lift Up My Soul (Hurd) AOV 2/14

Communion: Our Supper Invitation (Bates) AOV 1/185)

A New Heart for a New World (O’Brien/Watts) AOV 1/158

Recessional: Shout to the Lord (Zschech) AOV NG 114

Another astonishing chant/song about the Spirit from John Bell and Graham Maule of Wild Goose. Listen to the excerpt at AOV to hear how good this song can sound. There is background and commentary about the song at this blog.

My backing is at 85 bpm.

Verse 1

She sits like a bird, brooding on the waters,

Hovering on the chaos of the world’s first day;

She sighs and she sings, mothering creation,

Waiting to give birth to all the Word will say.

Verse 2

She wings over earth, resting where she wishes,

Lighting close at hand or soaring through the skies;

She nests in the womb, welcoming each wonder,

Nourishing potential hidden to our eyes.

Verse 3

She dances in fire, startling her spectators,

Waking tongues of ecstasy where dumbness reigned;

She weans and inspires all whose hearts are open,

Nor can she be captured, silenced or restrained.

Verse 4

For she is the Spirit, one with God in essence,

Gifted by the Saviour in eternal love;

She is the key opening the scriptures,

Enemy of apathy and heavenly dove.

© WGRG, Iona Community, 1988.

http://www.iona.org.uk/wgrg_home.php

This is a Marty Haugen song that I’ve never heard of, but you can hear an excerpt at AOV here. Youtube has the whole song with an introductory recitation. This version is much better than the original.

The text is here. (scroll down to page six) It can be purchased at sheetmusicplus.

The song needs delicate handling as the tune for the chorus and the verse are the same which is a risk.  You could just sing it straight through I suppose, without returning to the chorus. Whatever its merits the version in AOV gets a thumbs up as the first northern hemisphere based song that acknowledges that north and south need to be switched in the southern hemisphere.

A setting of Ps 27 by Christopher Willcock.  This is another that we use the response but not the verses and again the different melodies of the verses and the high notes suggest the use of a cantor. Listen to the snippet at AOV to hear a great voice sing it.

I couldn’t do it quite as slowly as that – my backing is at 70bpm.

Refrain 

Do not be afraid, I am with you.

I have called you by your name, you are mine.

I have called you by your name, you are mine.

 

Verse 1

The Lord is my light and my help; whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life; before whom shall I shrink?

Refrain

Verse 2

There is one thing I asked of the Lord; for this I long:

to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

Refrain

Verse 3

I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.

Hope in Him! Hold firm and take heart.  Hope in the Lord.

Refrain

© Christopher Willcock SJ 1974.

Jackie Crocker has given this setting of Ps95 the longest title in the book.  She appears to be the director of music at the cathedral in Townsville, but if someone can confirm that I’d be grateful. We have frequently used the response but not the verse.  This is a pity as they are very nice, but each verse has its own melody and it is really designed for a cantor, which we don’t use in general. The snippet at AOV can be heard here.

My backing is at 75 bpm.

Response

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Verse 1

Come, ring out your joy to the Lord.

Hail the rock who saves us.

Let us come before him giving thanks.

With songs to hail the Lord.

Response

Verse 2

Come in, let us bow and bend low.

Let us kneel before God who made us.

For he is our God and we the people

that belong to his pasture,

the flock that is led by his hand.

Response

Verse 3

O that today you would listen to his voice.

Harden not your heart as at Meribah,

as on that day at Massah in the desert,

When your fathers put me to the test;

when they tried me, though they saw my work.

Response

© Jackie Crocker 1995.

This setting of Ps 96 by Bernadette Farrell is my favourite song that we sing at Christmas. The version at AOV is, I’m sure, beautiful and how it is meant to be done. That’s not how we do it.  We speed it up a little to where my backing is at 94 bpm and do it joyfully and noisily. This version is more the speed. You can see the sheet music in scorch format here.

It can be purchased for download at OCP.

Refrain

Today, today a Saviour has been born;

A Saviour has been born to us.

He is Christ the Lord, Christ the Lord,

Jesus Christ the Lord.

Verse 1

Sing a new song to the Lord.

Sing to the Lord, all the earth.

Sing to the Lord, sing to the Lord.

Sing to the Lord, bless his name!

Refrain

Verse 2

Proclaim his help day by day.

Tell among the nations his glory.

Tell of his works, tell of his works,

and his wonders among all the peoples.

Refrain

Verse 3

Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad,

Let the sea and all within it thunder praise.

All of the land, all that it bears:

Rejoice at the presence of the Lord.

Refrain

© Bernadette Farrell 1993.

Another subtle and beautiful chant by John Bell. The snippet from AOV is enough to appreciate it. It is mentioned in this post as a sustaining song in a time of tragedy.

My backing is at 75 bpm and should be enough to learn the song.

Don’t be afraid.

My love is stronger, my love is stronger than your fear.

Don’t be afraid.

My love is stronger and I have promised,

Promised to be always near.

© WGRG, Iona Community, 1995.

http://www.iona.org.uk/wgrg_home.php