Church Music

Bernadette Farrell was certainly popular when this collection put together.  This song is very suitable for Advent but could be a more general gathering song.  We’ve never used it, so if anyone does and finds it useful, by all means let me know. It can purchased at OCP.

You can hear it done with extra vocal lines and brass here.  Otherwise you could just sing along with my backing.

Refrain

Come to set us free, come to make us your own.
Come to show the way to our people, your chosen.
Open our lives to the light of your promise.
Come to our hearts with healing, come to our minds with power,
come to us and bring us your life.

Verse 1

You are light which shines in darkness,

Morning Star which never sets.

Open our eyes which only dimly see,

The truth which sets us free.

 

Refrain

 

Verse 2

You are hope which brings us courage,

You are strength which never fails.

Open our minds to ways we do not know,

But where your Spirit grows.

 

Refrain

 

Verse 3

You are promise of salvation,

You are God in human form.

Bring to the world of emptiness and fear

The Word we long to hear.

 

Refrain

© Bernadette Farrell 1986,1988.

Ray Paxton I can only guess is an Australian who has written songs for children.  I’d love to know more, because this is another hope filled song that is not just a kid’s song, but I can find nothing about him on the net. Twenty years on I wonder if people are writing this sort of thing anymore because we do not appear to be on a new journey at all.

Apart from having the longest title around for this sort of thing, I suppose it could be a gospel acclamation.

Verse 1

Listen all who hear! The time has come to pass

When the last shall be first, and the first shall be last.

A newer age is born, the signs of change are here.

The curtain has been torn, you need not live in fear.

Refrain

We’re beginning a new journey, our hearts burning.

Will you be there?

We’re creating a new vision, in Christ risen, for all to share.

Speak a message of justice, reach out and bring it to birth!

Let’s break open the word and renew the face of the earth.

Verse 2

I chose to send you forth before I gave you life.

I will stay with you to shelter you from strife.

You say you are too young, your lips I will endow

With words to build and renew my Kingdom now.

Refrain

Bridge

Blessed be the poor, the merciful the just.

Blessed be the pure in heart, in whom I place my trust.

Verse 3

I have called you by name, I go before you now.

Do not be afraid or be frightened by the crowd.

The Lord is your help, The Lord is your light.

Trust and follow me, the flame is burning bright.

Refrain

© Ray Paxton 1991.

This is a Darlene Zschech song from the Source: New Songs 1 that actually has a liturgical use.  When I used it some years ago to match the readings, I wondered why everyone had so much trouble with the timings and now looking at it again, it is rather a difficult song to get the rhythm just right in places.  Nonetheless, it isn’t a bad song at all and probably will reward the work needed to get it up an running.  You can hear it in all of its Hillsongness here.  I note in this version she omits the first verse in the repeat. My version is more basic P&W as I don’t have the over top brass section and I follow the music I’ve got with a full repeat.

Verse 1 :
Beautiful Lord, Wonderful Saviour
I know for sure
All of my days are held in your hands
Crafted into
Your perfect plan

Verse 2 :
You gently call me into your presence
Guiding me by Your Holy Spirit
Teach me dear Lord
To live all of my life
Through Your eyes

Bridge :
I’m captured by
Your holy calling
Set me apart,
I know you’re drawing me to yourself
Lead me Lord I pray

Chorus:
Take me, mould me, use me, fill me
I give my life to the Potter’s hand
Call me, guide me, lead me, walk beside me
I give my life to the Potter’s hand

Rpt entire song

© Darlene Zchech / Hillsong Music Australia/ Kingsway’s Thankyou Music 1997.

Gregory Norbet’s song “Come to Me” uses Matt 11:28-30 as a refrain for the Twenty-third Psalm, which was a fine idea. The version in AOV has only the first verse of the psalm and an instrumental interlude, but is is clear from the nonprintable preview at OCP that all verses have been set.  We do the version in AOV and the nice thing is that you really only need the first verse of the psalm to get the idea.

This is nicely done – just organ and voice – actually Dawn’s Youtube channel is a gentle treat all round.

Refrain

Come to me all who labour and are heavy burdened,

And I shall give you rest.

Take up my yoke and learn from me,

For I am meek and humble of heart.

And you’ll find rest for your souls,

Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Verse

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall never be in need,

Fresh and green are the meadows where he gives me rest.

Refrain

Interlude

Refrain

Copyright © 1971
The Benedictine Foundation of the State of Vermont, Inc.,
Weston Priory, Weston, Vermont.

www.westonpriory.org

This song by James Walsh uses Ps 139 to make a meditation that alternates minor and major verses.  I couldn’t find any biographies of the songwriter, which is a rarity in these internet days but you can hear a snippet at OCP.  It is a beautiful psalm text.  I’m still deciding whether the setting enhances it or not.  I’ve included the descant line in the sixth verse for reference.

Verse 1

You know me, Lord, you search my heart,

My thoughts are open to your gaze.

Protect me, Lord, from evil ways

And guide me in the path of life.

Verse 2

Before a word is on my tongue

You know the secrets of my heart.

Be close to me, surround me, Lord

From all my terrors set me free.

Verse 3

Where should I go to flee from you?

How can I shelter from your face?

If heavenward, I find you there:

In earth’s dark depths you follow me.

Verse 4

If I could take the wings of dawn

And journey to the ends of earth,

Your hand would still be guiding me,

Your right hand still would hold me fast.

Verse 5

If darkness came to swallow me

And night surround me in its grasp,

No darkness would there be for you:

The light would be as light as day.

Verse 6

For it was you who fashioned me:

Knit bone to bone and flesh to flesh.

I thank you, Lord, Creator God,

That you should think and breathe on me.

Verse 7

You know me, Lord, you search my heart,

My thoughts are open to your gaze.

Protect me, Lord, from evil ways

And guide me in the path of life.

© James Walsh 1989.

Another Bernadette Farrell tune that can be used when these readings come up and more generally. The refrain is quite lyrical and flowing while the verses are essentially in a different key and the jolt matches the hard medicine in John’s text.. Because the verses are challenging, my recollection is that we have used the refrain more as a response than the whole thing. You can hear an assembly sing it here.

It is available to purchase for download from OCP.

 Refrain

Unless a grain of wheat shall fall up-on the ground and die,

It remains but a single grain with no life.

Verses
1. If we have died with him, then we shall live with him;

if we hold firm, we shall reign with him.

 

2. If any one serves me, then they must follow me;

wherever I am, my servants will be.

 

3. Make your home in me as I make mine in you;

those who remain in me bear much fruit.

4. If you remain in me and my word lives in you;

then you will be my disciples.

5. Those who love me are loved by my Father;

we shall be with them and dwell in them.

6. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you;

peace which the world can-not give is my gift.

© Bernadette Farrell 1984.

Erica Marshall wrote this light and delicate setting of Ps 51, which can also be used most other places in mass. She has also written some settings for the new translation of the Mass available at the AOV site.

In my backing I’m following the music that repeats the last line of the refrain, but I note in the snippet at the AOV site this is not done.

Refrain

Create in me, O Lord, a heart that is pure.

Shape in me a spirit strong.

Give to me your joy, a joy that will endure.

Then, O Lord, I’ll sing your song!

Then, O Lord, I’ll sing your song!

Verse 1

Have mercy, O Lord have mercy,

My sinfulness I see before me.

Let the waters of your love cover me,

To wash my guilt away.

I will rise up and say:

Refrain

Verse 2

Sincerity and truth are a joy to you.

Teach me the wisdom of your loving heart.

Let me hear the sounds of rejoicing and gladness

And through the dark and pain

I’m happy once again!

Refrain

Verse 3

O Lord, spare my life and rescue me

And I will gladly sing about your goodness.

My offering will be my humble heart.

You will not turn away

Your love, bright as the day!

Refrain

© Erica Marshall.

Ps 23 as set by Marty Haugen.  I think this is a terrific version with an unusual tune.  We should use the interesting fourth and fifth verses more but we often leave it at the first three.  You can hear his version here.  I think it would be hard for the assembly to keep it steady at the slow tempo, but it is beautiful.

The text is available at spiritandsong, which is odd for a GIA song. It can purchased for download at various sites on the net including musicnotes.

My backing is an MP3 render of an ancient MIDI that I made on Band in a Box for windows v.1 some time before the invention of the wheel.  For some reason I thought I needed tubular bells in the intro.

We’ve never used this alleluia by Christopher Walker, which is probably why I never noticed until now that in my old guitar version of AOV they put the correct heading but the music from No 32 of vol 2 here instead of the actual music for this song.  That may explain why this edition was on special for $20 when I bought it.

I do have a melody line edition and used that with made up chords for my backing so I have no idea how close it is to the original. It can be purchased as part of a collection at OCP.

This has an obvious place as a Gospel Acclamation and the words are useful, but don’t be put off by the snippet on the AOV website – it doesn’t have to be sung like that.

 Verse 1

Sing praises to the Lord, alleluia,

Sing praise to greet the Word, alleluia.

The Word is a sign of God’s wisdom and love,

Alleluia, alleluia.

Verse 2

God’s truth can set us free, alleluia,

Christ Jesus is the key, alleluia.

Our ears hear the Word but it lives in our hearts,

Alleluia, alleluia.

Verse 3

We listen for your voice, alleluia,

We praise you and rejoice, alleluia.

Your Spirit is with us she breathes in your Word,

Alleluia, alleluia.

Verse 4

Sing praises to the Lord, alleluia,

Sing praise to greet the Word, alleluia,

Creator and Son with the Spirit adored,

Alleluia, alleluia.

© Christopher Walker 1985.

A is for “Acronym”:

• AOV  =   As One Voice  (1,2 & NG ie Next Generation)
• SNS   =   The Source : New Songs
• NLMB = The National Liturgical Music Board

B is for “Board”

                   I have been somewhat critical of the whole idea of this board (the NLMB) having a “Yes” list because it implies a “No” list.  I have been assured that this was not the intention but those who would wish it were so have got the wrong end of the stick and have been beating around the bush with it.  For a defence from unlikely quarters try here.

Other than that, can I say again that I’m making these backings to learn for myself songs I don’t know, and to have a look at songs I play at lot at church afresh.  I use Band in a Box because it is a fast way of doing that, but the quality of the backings will vary.  BIAB is great for jazz and OK for rock and country and lousy at a lot of other things.  It also repays the amount of work you put in, so my quick backings aren’t always fantastic and remain untouched by human hands so give the computer a break for the occasional howler.  I haven’t put up a fail backing for a while but there are enough horrible old MIDIs in existence for which I have to claim responsibility so mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

I have a lot of overseas (ie not Australian) hits on the site.  Can I suggest that even with the current strength of the Australian dollar, the As One Voice books are excellent value?  They contain the cream of US and British material and you won’t find the Australian songs collected like this anywhere else.  End of unsolicited sales pitch.

Please feel free to contact me with corrections and requests.  From the search terms it is clear that a lot of people are still using MIDI backings in their churches. I suspect they play them through keyboards directly or through computers. It is an old technology that leaves a lot to be desired but seems to be fulfilling a need.  All I would suggest is that people doing that at least learn how to change the tempo and key and to remix the tracks to your own requirements or you are going to be stuck with some horrors.