Church Music

This is a song by David Haas I have never run across. There is a sample at AOV to get the idea. This appears to be the full song, but I prefer the version this choir is practicing. It is a lovely tune.

The text is here. It can be purchased at sheetmusicplus or at GIA.

My version is at 70bpm.

This is a chant by Michael Mangan, which is sung by children in the sample at AOV, so I suppose it is meant for children. An extra harmony is added every second line so it would also be useful as a musical teaching tool.

Spirit of joy, Spirit of peace,

Spirit of love, Spirit of life.

Spirit of joy, Spirit of peace,

Spirit of love, Spirit of life.

Spirit of joy, Spirit of peace,

Spirit of love, Spirit of life.

© Litmus Productions 1993.

This is Marty Haugen‘s take on Ps 136. There is a sample at AOV but don’t let that put you off. It looks like the whole song can be heard at Myspace, but I can’t find any other versions and I’m sure it would sound fine sung normally.

The text is here. (scroll down) It can be purchased in a collection of psalms at GIA.

My backing is at 100 bpm.

A gorgeous tune by Robyn Horner for Eucharist. There is a sample to listen to at AOV.

My backing is at 110 bpm and has her counter melody that introduces the song reappearing in the third verse.

Refrain

Bread broken, wine shared; Jesus, here,

Taking our lives, opening our hearts, making us whole,

Setting our loving free.

Verse 1

Take all our dreams, all that we are,

All we could ever be.

Lord of all life, we want to be Yours,

We take bread and eat.

Refrain

Verse 2

Open our minds, open our hearts,

Let love set us free within.

Lord of all life, we want to be Yours,

We pour wine and drink.

Refrain

Verse 3

Make us alive, filled with Your hope,

Living what’s really true.

Lord of all life, we want to be Yours,

We know this is You.

Refrain

© Robyn Horner 1994.

*text corrected 8/7/23 by Sam – thanks.

I’ve never heard this sung in a church either but it is mentioned in Harry Chapin’s “Dance Band on the Titanic.” It was written in the nineteenth century by Sarah F. Adams and Lowell Mason. It should sound like the excerpt at AOV. This acapella version is nice as is this gentle piano arrangement. There are lots of YouTube videos about this song, many with Titanic associations.

1.	Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee! 
	E'en though it be a cross that raiseth me, 
	still all my song shall be, 
	nearer, my God, to thee; 
	nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee! 

2.	Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down, 
	darkness be over me, my rest a stone; 
	yet in my dreams I'd be 
	nearer, my God, to thee; 
	nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee! 

3.	There let the way appear, steps unto heaven; 
	all that thou sendest me, in mercy given; 
	angels to beckon me 
	nearer, my God, to thee; 
	nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee! 

4.	Then, with my waking thoughts bright with thy praise, 
	out of my stony griefs Bethel I'll raise; 
	so by my woes to be 
	nearer, my God, to thee; 
	nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee! 

5.	Or if, on joyful wing cleaving the sky, 
	sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I fly, 
	still all my song shall be, 
	nearer, my God, to thee; 
	nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

Alternative lyrics:
2.Friends may depart from me,
 Night may come down,
 Clouds of adversity darken and frown:
 Still through my tears I'll see
 Hope gently leading me ....

3. What though the shadows fall,
 Naught shall I fear;
 When darkest seems the night,
 Morning is near.
 Sweet shall my trusting be,
 Sorrow still bringing me ....

I’ve never heard of this song by Laurence Rosania.  It has a bit of a show tune style to it and I reckon it is a choir piece rather than a useful song for the assembly. You can hear an excerpt here. This is classy piano instrumental version of the song. Here is a choir’s version.

It can be purchased for download at OCP.

1. As grains of wheat are gathered in we come together;
from lives apart we bring our hearts to make one whole.

Refrain
For many are we, and broken we’ve come, but
we shall become one.

2. Each grain must fall and give it self: it first is broken;
then joined with others, makes one body and one bread.

Refrain

3. From many fields the harvest comes to feed the hungry;
the world cries out to taste the goodness of the Lord.

Refrain

4. Your harvest, Lord, is gathered in; we stand before you
to be your bread, to be your body in the world.

Refrain

Refrain

We shall be one.

© Laurence Rosania 1992.

This is a setting of Ps 66 by Marty Haugen.  We have only ever used it as a refrain and the verses are a bit tricky. You can listen to an excerpt at AOV. This version is well done.

The text is here. (scroll down) It can be purchased as part of collection of psalms at GIA.

This is an unusual song written by Tom Bolton. The verse is all on the same chord and repeats the same sequence of notes four times. The chorus is more conventional.

The text suggests it is a children’s song. Listen to a snippet at AOV.

Refrain

We could all build a bridge together.

When in need we could help each other.

God says we should love one another,

Stretch our arms out, open our hearts out,

Take good care of each other now,

Take good care of each other now!

Verse 1

Everybody’s standing, everybody’s walking,

everybody’s clapping, everybody’s singing.

Refrain

Verse 2

Everybody cries, everybody growls,

everybody jumps up and down, and everybody shouts.

Refrain

Verse 3

Everybody laughs, everybody smiles,

everybody likes to be liked,

but everybody wants to be first in line.

Refrain

© Tom Bolton 1987

This is a children’s song by Christopher Walker that turns up unexpectedly and gives the impression that the end of this collection gets a bit random. Some children sing it in the excerpt at AOV. The first sentence in the verse is sung solo and then repeated by the assembly. You can hear another version here.

It can be purchased for download at OCP.

Refrain

We are the Church
Happy to be
The Children in God’s family
We are the Church
Happy to be
The Children in God’s Family

Verse 1

We are building the Kingdom
We are building the Kingdom
Everyone old and young
Everyone weak and strong
We are building the Kingdom
For…

Refrain

Verse 2

We are sharing the Good News
We are sharing the Good News
Everyone old and young
Everyone weak and strong
We are sharing the Good News
For…

Refrain

Verse 3

We are following Jesus
We are following Jesus
Everyone old and young
Everyone weak and strong
We are following Jesus
For…

Refrain

Verse 4

We are feeding the hungry
We are feeding the hungry
Everyone old and young
Everyone weak and strong
We are feeding the hungry
For …

Refrain

© Christopher Walker 1991.

Has anyone heard a church sing this?

The excerpt at AOV is very reverent, but this is a heart felt protest song and I suppose we’ll all be singing it at church soon. The song has a complicated genesis and labyrinthine copyright as you can read at Wikipedia. As the anthem of the civil rights movement the lyrics have varied and you can find all sorts of versions on the net. These are the lyrics in AOV. Listen to Pete Seeger’s version! This gospel version shines too.

1. We shall overcome

We shall overcome

We shall overcome some day

 CHORUS:

Oh, deep in my heart

I do believe

We shall overcome some day

2. We’ll walk hand in hand

We’ll walk hand in hand

We’ll walk hand in hand some day

 CHORUS

3. We shall all be free

We shall all be free

We shall all be free some day

 CHORUS

 4. We are not afraid

We are not afraid

We are not afraid some day

 CHORUS

 5. We shall stand together…

 6. The truth will make us free…

 7. The Lord will see us through…

 8. We shall be like him…

 9. The whole wide world around …

© Abingdon Press 1983.