Church Music

Delores Dufner wrote this text to the tune Beach Spring 87 87 D, which is better known as the tune to “God of Day and God of Darkness.” A snippet can be heard here.

Verse 1
Pulsing Spirit, rippling river, source of mercy’s tender might.
Gentle power, humble glory,
subtle, ever dancing light.

Healing Wisdom in us flowing,
now reveal our human worth.
Play beneath the muddied waters,
come renew the face of earth!
Verse 2
Spirit free, unbounded motion,
beauty’s mirror, heart’s delight.
Gift abundant all around us,
flood the world with life and light.
Fountain ancient, ever springing,
play in new, creative ways.
Lift us, stream of lavish loving,
high on waves of joyful praise!

Text © Delores Duffner 1993.

A chant by Monica O’Brien and Trisha Watts to accompanied a series of prayers listed in AOV Vol 2. You can hear the chant here at AOV’s website.

It can be purchased for download at As One Voice.

May we see Christ’s loving face.

May we be an icon of his grace.

© Trisha Watts and Monica O’Brien 1992.

I suspect this is not one of David Haas’s best songs (do remember that I like his music usually) – it’s a bit sing-songy and soporific. Hear his version at myspace. I’ve never played it but I suspect I would take the tempo up a bit and just strum it through on guitar – I doubt that would help much.

The text is from all over (Philemon, Leviticus and Deuteronomy) and makes it suitable for communion and social justice themes.

Other than in As One Voice it can be purchased in a collection at GIA.

The tempo of my backing is 108.

This time a chant from John Bell and Graham Maule based on Ps 46. AOV suggest it as a gathering song  – that would be interesting as unaccompanied chant like this. AOV has a very basic arrangement – you can see a more interesting arrangement here on Google, but Bell takes it much further than that in his arrangements with his choir.

My backing is at 85 bpm and sticks to the basics in AOV:

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am God.

© WGRG, Iona Community, 1989.

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

The music for next week’s liturgy has been chosen by the liturgy team.  We are still using the revised Mass Shalom:

Entrance: All Are Welcome Vs 1,4(Haugen)

Psalm: The Lord is Kind and Merciful (Booth) Spirit & Song 2/274

Gifts: Jesus Christ Is Waiting (Bell & Maule) AOV 2/8

Communion: We Remember (Haugen) AOV 1/81

                        Bread for the World ( Farrell) Spirit & Song 1/157

Recessional: Go Make a Difference (Angrisano & Tomaszek) AOV NG 52

I grew up in the Presbyterian church, where we sang choruses – simple, repetitive songs that were simple to learn and sing at Sunday School and a contrast to the rather somber songs sang during the church service.

John Bell as a Scottish Presbyterian also grew up with that influence as seen in this chorus he wrote. But being John Bell he is not going to leave at that – listen to the snippet at AOV to hear the harmonising he adds.

The instruction is to play brightly, so I’ve tried to do that.  My backing is at 124 bpm and best used to learn the song then to sing without accompaniment.

Heaven and earth, join to worship your Creator!

Sing the the Lord, praise the One from whom you came. (rpt)

Sing a new song to the God who goes before us,

Making all new, leaving nobody the same. (rpt)

© WGRG, Iona Community, 1995.

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

I’ve never been able to play this Gregory Norbet song as slowly as he recommends. Personally a song about being “set afire” as slow as this feels odd to me, but that probably says more about me than the songwriter. This a bit of how it is meant to go.

I’ve cranked my version’s tempo up to 132, which is more the speed I play it at.

Refrain

Heal me, O God; create a new heart in me.

Save me, O God, with light of your presence.

Heal me, O God, and raise me to new life;

You alone are my hope.

Verse 1

Deep in the night reveal your wisdom;

Teach me to love a life that is holy.

Refrain

Verse 2

Save me, O God, you are my refuge;

Put in my heart a faith strong and searching.

Refrain

Verse 3

Be with me now, lifting each burden;

You are my hope, my strength for the journey.

Refrain

Verse 4

As you have shown mercy and kindness,

So may I grow in living compassion.

Refrain

Verse 5

Strengthen my faith, melt my indifference;

Set me afire with Spirit’s anointing.

Refrain

Verse 6

Help me extend peace and forgiveness,

Knowing so well my failings forgiven.

Refrain

© Gregory Norbet 1990.

Another Marty Haugen song, this one a reflective gentle waltz. This song suggests itself for Pentecost or where nature and environment themes are prominent.

The text is at Cantus Mundi. Apart from AOV, it is also in Gather Comprehensive, but I’m struggling to find it at the GIA site. You may have better luck.

My backing has a tempo of 88.

The perfect storm for traddies – David Haas and Marty Haugen writing together. As you can hear in the snippet at AOV the attempt at a Latin beat is hamstrung by the vocal style and the formality – loosen up guys. I’ve never played it but the text is fine and I’m sure it would be improved by being sung in a normal, or even joyful, voice.

The text is here. It can be purchased in a collection at GIA.

BIAB added a 4 bar intro F/Bb/F/C.

This is a Bernadette Farrell song that is not in AOV.  I found it in Spirit & Song Vol 1 and will be asking our liturgy group to use as a communion song for Sunday 11th as its healing motif suits the readings. I think it’s one of her prettiest tunes.

It can be purchased for download at OCP.

You can hear the original here, just click on the arrow to the right of the Spirit & Song logo.

My backing is more laid back country:

Refrain
Bread for the world:
a world of hunger.
Wine for all peoples:
people who thirst.
May we who eat
be bread for others.
May we who drink
pour out our love.

Verse 1

Lord Jesus Christ,
you are the bread of life,
broken to reach
and heal the wounds
of human pain.
Where we divide your people,
you are waiting there
on bended knee
to wash our feet with endless care.

Refrain

Verse 2

Lord Jesus Christ,
you are the wine of peace,
poured into hearts once broken
and where dryness sleeps.
Where we are tired and weary,
you are waiting there
to be the way which beckons us
beyond despair.

Refrain

Verse 3

Lord Jesus Christ,
you call us to your feast,
at which the rich and pow’rful
have become the least.
Where we survive on others
in our human greed,
you walk among us
begging for your ev’ry need.

Refrain

© Bernadette Farrell 1990.