Church Music

Another song from Sandra Sears that you can hear a snippet at AOV or buy as a single download there. It sounds like she is channeling Carl Sagan, which is no bad thing. We’ve never sung it but it would be fine as a P&W song, or perhaps for Pentecost.

Verse 1

Father and Mother, creator and poet,

Speaking your wisdom in forest and glade:

Telling your glory in ocean and river

Pouring your pleasure on all you have made.

Verse 2

Christ of the cosmos, you sang into being,

Galaxies spinning through measureless space;

Coming among us and sharing our weakness;

Singing your songs of redemption and grace.

Verse 3

Spirit, you danced at the dawn of creation,

Rising, rejoicing on jubilant wings.

Yours is the rhythm of cycle and season,

Yours is the heartbeat of all living things.

Verse 4

Lord, you have made us of stardust and spirit,

Etching your image on ev’ry cell.

We are your lovesong, your poem and rhythm,

All cocreators, your story to tell.

© Sandra Sears 1993.

This is a very pleasant piece by the late Br Colin Smith. You can buy it as an MP3 or a single sheet or just listen to a sample at AOV. The refrain appears to be from Ps 103 but I’m not sure about the verses. The chorus in is Dmajor  and the verses in D minor, which seems to work. The verses have considerable variations to the tune to accommodate the text and the last refrain goes from D to E.

Refrain

Bless the Lord, O my soul;

All my being bless his holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul;

Give thanks to our saving Lord.

Verse 1

Our hearts and minds cry out to him,

We cry to the living God.

He is our light and our salvation;

He is our living Lord.

Refrain

Verse 2

O praise the Lord all you, his people;

Sing praises to His name.

Give thanks to the Lord his great love;

To him our praise is due.

Refrain

Verse 3

O come, ring out your joy to the Lord;

Hail, the rock who saves us.

Come before him, giving thanks;

With songs let us praise the Lord

Refrain (key change)

Amen!

© Colin Smith 1994.

A funeral song from the brother and sister songwriters Maria Millward and Damien Halloran. You can hear a sample and purchase the MP3 at AOV here. This is a professionally written song but designed to be sung as a solo at a funeral rather than by the assembly.

It can be purchased for download at As One Voice.

Verse 1

As the seasons pass, as the years go by,

You will never change in my sight.

You’ll always be young, you’ll always be walking

Freely into the light.

And I do believe in the darkest time

A star is born in the gloom,

And I do believe there’s a reason why

You had to be going so soon.

Chorus

And I feel my spirit rise

When I remember the laughter in your eyes.

And I feel my spirit fly

When I remember that Jesus will raise you high.

And I feel my spirit soar

When I remember that love’s the reason for going home,

Going home, we’re all going home.

Verse 2

It is good that you walked a short time with me

On this lovely journey of life.

I’ll remember your smile, the touch of your hand,

In times of confusion and strife.

And for the gifts you gave with an open heart

I’ll thank you for all time,

And I know you’ll be there when my journey ends:

Your friendship will still be mine.

Chorus

Chorus

Going home, going home,

We’re all going home.

© Willow Connection 1996.

I had never noticed how many Wild Goose compositions there were in AOV 2.  This is another from John Bell and Graham Maule. Listen to the sample at the As One Voice website. The two vocal lines are an octave apart and alternately sequential and in unison.

My backing is at 80 bpm and I’ve put the vocal lines at opposite ends of the stereo spectrum.

 Holy, Holy, Holy Lord of power and might.

Heaven, earth, heaven and earth are full of your glory.

All glory to your name.

All glory to your name.

Blessed, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Blessed, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.

Hosanna in the highest.

© WGRG, Iona Community, 1988.

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

The liturgy team for this week has selected these songs:

Entrance: God of Abraham (Farrell) AOV 1/137

Gifts: Will You Love Me (Boniwell)  AOV 1/40

Communion: Jesus Come to Us (Haas) AOV 1/148

Here I Am Lord (Schutte) AOV 1/90

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

This song by David Haas is one that we use a lot. It sings easily enough and the assembly sing it well. Listen to the excerpt at AOV. This is a poor quality recording and is a bit slow but it gives you the idea. Apparently this song gets some people very annoyed, but I’m struggling to find any reason to get upset about it.

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

A setting by Christopher Willcock of Ps 139.  It moves from 2/2 to 3/2 without notice in the music and at seemingly randoms spots in the verses. The first half of the antiphon is instrumental and the third verse is marked “no guitar” and has no chords marked. I’m sorry, but that is not acceptable in a guitar book.  The chords follow the second verse for the most part allowing for the time signature shifts so it is no great problem but I guess it just means this isn’t a guitar song.

There is an excerpt to hear at AOV.

My backing is at 80 bpm.

Antiphon

How rich are the depths of God.

How deep God’s wisdom and knowledge,

Whose ways we do not know.

Verse 1

O Lord you search me and you know me,

You know my resting and my rising,

You discern my purpose from afar.

All my ways lie open to you.

Antiphon

Verse 2

It was you who created my being,

Knit me together in the womb.

I thank you, Lord for my being,

For the wonder of all your creation.

Antiphon

Verse 3

O search me, God and know my spirit,

O test me and know my thoughts;

O make me not walk in evil,

But lead me in the way of truth.

Antiphon

© Christopher Willcock SJ 1991.

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