Good News

This is a round for children and I can’t for the life of me remember who wrote it so if anyone knows please tell me.*

Good news, good news, hear the word of God.

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, hear the word of God.

© 1979 WLP.

*I’ve since discovered it is by Jack Miffleton.

 

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Glory in the Cross

This is a particularly splendid song for the Tridium by Dan Schutte that has been the backbone of our celebrations for some years now. I think it works extremely well. You can read a blurb and hear samples here. You can buy the sheet music at OCP.

The instrumental link back to the beginning of each verse is meant to vary, but that is really a bit much so we just use the first link all the time and that simplifies things a lot.

You can hear a small group sing it here and an organ version here.

 Holy Thursday
1. Let us ever glory in the cross of Christ,
our salvation and our hope.
Let us bow in homage to the Lord of Life,
who was broken to make us whole.
There is no greater love, as blessed as this:
to lay down one’s life for a friend.
Let us ever glory in the cross of Christ
and the triumph of God’s great love.

2. Let us make our journey to the cross of Christ,
who surrendered glory and grace
to become a servant of the great and small,
that all people may know God’s face.
Though his birth was divine, he knelt as a slave,
to wash common dust from our feet.
Let us ever glory in the cross of Christ
and the triumph of God’s great love.

3. Let us tell the story of the cross of Christ
as we share this heavenly feast.
We become one body in the blood of Christ,
from the great to the very least.
When we eat of this bread, and drink of this cup,
we honor the death of the Lord.
Let us ever glory in the cross of Christ
and the triumph of God’s great love.

4. Let us stand together at the cross of Christ
where we see God’s boundless love.
We are saints and sinners who are joined
by faith here on earth and heav’n above.
Neither woman nor man, not servant or free,
but one in the eyes of the Lord.
Let us ever glory in the cross of Christ
and the triumph of God’s great love.

Good Friday
1. Let us ever glory in the cross of Christ
who redeems us with his blood.
Let us tell the story of the cross of Christ
and the pow’r of his saving love.
Like a lamb he was slain;
he carried our shame,
to show us the mercy of God.
Let us ever glory in the cross of Christ
and the triumph of God’s great love.

2. Let us bring our burdens to the cross of Christ
who has known our sorrow and tears.
In the great compassion of the heart of Christ,
God has walked in our hopes and fears.
He was mocked and betrayed,
deserted by friends,
and banished to die among thieves.
Let us ever glory in the cross of Christ
and the triumph of God’s great love.

3. Let us kneel in homage at the cross of Christ
where we see God’s human face.
We behold the Maker of the sun and stars
as he hangs on the throne of grace.
As we share in his pain,
his sorrow and shame,
our hearts will be tested in fire.
Let us ever glory in the cross of Christ
and the triumph of God’s great love.

Easter
1. Let us ever Glory in the cross of Christ,
our salvation and our hope.
Let us bow in homage to the Lord of Life,
who was broken to make us whole.
There is no greater love, as blessed as this:
to lay down one’s life for a friend.
Let us ever glory in the cross of Christ
and the triumph of God’s great love.

2. Let us ever glory in the cross of Christ
who is risen from the grave.
He will come in glory to receive our hearts
at the dawn of the lasting day.
For the trumpet will sound,
the dead shall be raised,
and death shall defeat us no more.
Let us ever glory in the cross of Christ
and the triumph of God’s great love.

3. Let us raise our voices to the cross of Christ
where the earth and heaven unite.
God has wed creation on the tree of hope
where the darkness becomes our light.
Let us join in the dance of heaven and earth,
give thanks for the goodness of God.
Let us ever glory in the cross of Christ
and the triumph of God’s great love.

© Daniel Schutte 2000.

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Mass of Love

We were at the “More than a Song” conference run by the As One Voice people in Sydney last weekend, which was very good indeed, but Jetstar decided to move our flight home forward so we missed the closing mass that featured Amanda McKenna’s new “Mass of Love.” That was very annoying, particularly as I didn’t get to hear what it is supposed to sound like. Nonetheless, I’ve had a go at making backings to learn it, from the music she sent out to those attending the conference. You can buy the mass here.

My backings are typically cluttered and noisy but I don’t think even I can completely destroy her work. I’m not doing the Kyrie because we don’t sing that locally.

The Gloria is a straight through setting so doesn’t take all day, and despite repetitive motifs to aid participation it has enough flare to be memorable, including triplets and unexpected timings (eg Lord God Heavenly King). She very kindly leaves us lots of spaces to breathe. The rush to final lines is actually exciting.

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of goodwill.
 
We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you,
We give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King,
O God, almighty Father.
 
Lord, Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
You take away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us;
You take away the sins of the world,
Receive our prayer;
You are seated at the right hand of the Father,
Have mercy on us.
 
For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,
You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
With the Holy Spirit in the Glory of God the Father.
 
Amen! Amen!

 

The Gospel Acclamation switches to waltz time and is repeated with the inflection going down on the last note on the repeat.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!  (rpt)

The Holy Holy slows down somewhat but retains familiar phrases from the Gloria. There is some mild syncopation, which is fine and she has found a new way to sing the words “holy, holy, holy” and that’s a feat.

Holy, Holy, Holy
Lord God of Hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory,
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

We do the “When We Eat This Bread” Acclamation so that’s what I’ve done here. Again she is using familiar motifs throughout the mass to hold things together.

When we eat this bread and drink this cup,
We proclaim your death, O Lord, until you come again.

The Amen keeps to the style of the other responses but ends on the high C of the Holy Holy not the low C of the Memorial Acclamation.

Amen! Amen! Amen! Amen!

The Agnes Dei uses the triplets from the Gloria and the same tune for each line until it ends on a very indeterminate and pleading A. A lot of Lamb of God’s are just minor chords but they don’t predominate here.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world,
Grant us peace.

My first impressions are that she has produced a very practical mass setting and that is not surprising considering her long years of work playing in schools and churches. I also sense under a somewhat up-tempo collection of tunes a melancholy that is quite touching, which may be why her Lamb of God doesn’t have to overdo that side of things.  Even the initially joyous Gloria seems to hedge its bets. I rather suspect that a less hamfisted approach than mine would reveal the subtlety of her songs a lot better.  As I’ve said about other Australian masses I’ve blogged, I hope in doesn’t get lost in the tidal wave.

I suspect As One Voice will have sound samples up soon, so we can all hear what it is meant to sound like, but in the mean time, you can at least sing along with her mass and see what you think. I think it’s great.

 

 

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Glory

We have used this as a recessional especially at Easter in years past.  It is a Geoff Bullock song designed for power chords and a loud exuberant chorus.

I failed to find a place on the net you can get this but if anyone can pass that on I’d be grateful.

 CHORUS
Glory to the King of Kings
Majesty, Power and Strength to the Lord of Lords x2

VERSE 1
Holy One, all creation crowns
You King of kings
Holy One, King of kings
Lord of lords, Holy One

CHORUS x2

VERSE 2
Jesus, Lord with eyes unveiled
We will see Your throne
Jesus, Prince of Peace
Son of God, Emmanuel

CHORUS

© Nighlight Music 1992.

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Given For You

This is another Michael Mangan song that works for all ages, rather than just kids, and since it is a Eucharist song should be considered – there aren’t enough Eucharist songs. You can hear a sample and buy this in the “Setting Hearts on Fire” collection at Michael’s website here.

Chorus

Oh take, take and eat. Oh take, take and drink.

This is my body, this is my blood.

Oh eat of this bread and drink from this cup.

This I have given for you.

Verse 1

We are called to share this table of new life:

Old and young, weak and strong.

Come and eat, come and drink from the cup of life.

Come and lift your voices, join the song.

Chorus

Verse 2

We are called to share the story of our lives:

Rich and poor, blind and lame.

Sharing together in mystery of life,

As we gather here in Jesus’ name.

Chorus

Verse 3

We are called to share the journey of our lives:

Rich and poor, blind and lame.

Bringing our joys and hurts, our hopes and dreams.

Though one body, we are many parts.

Chorus

© Litmus Publications 2001.

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Give Me Joy in My Heart

This song is one of the very few songs we use sometimes, that I sang in my Presbyterian Sunday School forty something years ago. We did it as “Give Me Oil in My Lamp” and had weird joke verses (eg Give me umption in my gumption make me function.) We also repeated the last word of the third line of the verse 3 times (ie praisin’ praisin’ praisin’)

My copy is a dreadful combination of printed, scrawled and overlapped music that is quite hard to follow.  I’ve seen this listed as author unknown but my music says it is by an A. Sevison.

This site has backing tracks, full versions, echo tracks, music downloads, etc of this song. These kids are having fun. This is a fine organ version.

Verse 1

Give me joy in my heart, keep me praising,
Give me joy in my heart, I pray;
Give me joy in my heart, keep me praising,
Keep me praising till the break of day:

Chorus

Sing hosanna sing hosanna,
Sing hosanna to the King of kings.
Sing hosanna, sing hosanna,
Sing hosanna to the King.

Verse 2

Give me peace in my heart, keep me resting,
Give me peace in my heart, I pray;
Give me peace in my heart, keep me resting,
Keep me resting till the break of day:

Chorus

Give me love in my heart, keep me serving,
Give me love in my heart, I pray;
Give me love in my heart, keep me serving,
Keep me serving till the break of day:

Chorus

Alt Lyrics

Give me oil in my lamp keep me burning…

 

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Gifts

I have never taken to this song by Jane Mitchell but it is very suitable for the procession of the gifts and is probably best used by children. It can be done with an echo effect. Andrew Chinn did the arrangement, so if you might ask him if the sheet music is available anywhere.

Oh Lord our God,

We bring this bread,

The bread of life the bread of love, a gift from you.

Oh Lord our God,

We bring the wine,

The wine of faith, the wine of love, gift from the vine.

Please take these gifts and make the whole,

Sweet nourishment, food for the soul.

With grateful hearts,

We bring these gifts.

Oh Lord our God with humble hearts we bring our love.

© Jane Mitchell

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Music for Most Holy Trinity (Year B) 2nd/3rd June

I’ve been forgetting to put up what the liturgy team at our church has selected for each week – I’ll try to do better.

 

Entrance: Send the Fire (Booth)

Psalm: A Trusting Psalm (Bates) AOV 1/115

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

Communion:

Trinity Song (Andersen)

Shepherd Me O God (Haugen) AOV 1/33

Recessional: Go Tell Everyone (Richards)

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The Fruits of the Spirit

This is a piece a choir our children were in sang years ago and it was decided we should do it at church.  It was better as a children’s choir piece as can be heard here. You can purchase it as a download here. Terry Kirkland (1940-2001) was a prolific composer but other than that I can’t find anything about him (or her) on the net. It is based on Gal 5:22-23.

My backing sounds nothing like a children’s choir.

There is love, peace, patience and joy.

There is gentleness and kindness.

And there is goodness, faithfulness, self control,

These are the fruits of the Spirit,

The fruits of the Spirit of God.

Love, peace, patience and joy,

Gentleness and kindness,

Goodness, faithfulness, self control,

These are the fruits of the Spirit,

The fruits of the Spirit of God.

So let us love, seek peace,

Be patient and joyful.

Let us be gentle and kind.

Seek what is good,

Be faithful and strong.

For these are the fruits of the Spirit,

The fruits of the Spirit of God.

So let us love, seek peace,

Be patient and joyful.

Let us be gentle and kind.

Seek what is good,

Be faithful and strong.

For these are the fruits of the Spirit,

The fruits of the Spirit of God.

© Triune Music 2001.

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For You Have Been Our Hope (aka Sovereign Lord)

This is a song based on Ps 71 by Ian Roberts who is English and published through Kevin Mayhew, but otherwise I can find nothing about him on the net.  The song is in this collection if you need it. This must have been used a long time ago because I only vaguely remember it but it is a fine tune.

This is another ancient MIDI file of mine put through Pro Tools.

 For you have been our hope O Lord,

Our confidence from old.

Our rock, our refuge, fortress strong

Where we can always go.

We will ever praise you,

Worship and proclaim your mighty works and power.

For your faithfulness and your great love for us

We’ll sing and shout for joy.

We are those you have redeemed,

We put our trust in you.

Sov’reign Lord you’ve made us yours forever,

Sov’reign Lord you care.

All through the night, your light is shining on us,

Throughout our days you’re there.

© Kevin Mayhew 1999.

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