Church Music

This song is just about the most commonly sung song at our church.  It is by Sr Deidre Brown, a Loreto sister, although for years I thought it was by Fr Frank Andersen.  As it purports to speak for God it had no chance of getting an NLMB “Yes”, but it appeals to many people.  (eg this blog – even though they don’t know who really wrote it, and this one too.)  Hear it done simply and sincerely here.

You can buy Paul Gurr’s version on I-Tunes by following this link.

On the other hand for others it is a pelagian heretical monstrosity and they want to rewrite it.  I found some very nasty threads that I won’t link to about this song.

Sometimes we need to be confronted with our failings and challenged with our sin. At other times God’s grace needs to be emphasised.  Our lives have a lot of gray margins where certainty is a bit useless and being open to God’s love is all that is important.  I think that is why this little song from a Loreto Nun means so much to people and why it would scandalise the people of God to have it anathemetised.  If you need to, why not sing it now.

Verse 1

Come as you are, that’s how I want you
Come as you are, feel quite at home
Close to my heart, loved and forgiven
Come as you are, why stand alone?

Verse 2
No need to fear, love sets no limits
No need to fear, love never ends
Don’t run away, shamed and disheartened
Rest in my love, trust me again

Verse 3
I came to call sinners, not just the virtuous
I came to bring peace, not to condemn
Each time you fail, to live by my promise
Why do you think, I’d love you the less?

Verse 4
Come as you are, that’s how I love you
Come as you are, trust me again
Nothing can change, the love that I bear you
All will be well, just come as you are.

© Deidre Browne

Published by Spectrum Publications.

http://www.spectrumpublications.com.au/

I really like this song by Gregory Norbet, a former Benedictine monk.  We play it a lot and we don’t even get phased by the third verse suddenly disappearing halfway through anymore.

I do think the instructions, “Gently with movement” are better if somewhat ignored. I quite like the way he sings it ( & listen to the snippet on his site as well) but even a good assembly singing like this one struggle to be gentle.  The other option is to rock it up and add slide guitar instead the beautifully written interlude… at least that’s what I did, so this is “roughly with movement.”

Verse 1

Come back to me with all your heart,
don’t let fear keep us apart.
Trees do bend, tho’ straight and tall;
so must we to others’ call.

Refrain

Long have I waited for your coming
home to me and living deeply our new life.

Verse 2

The wilderness will lead you
to your heart where I will speak.
Integrity and justice
with tenderness you shall know.

Refrain

Verse 3
You shall sleep secure with peace;
faithfulness will be your joy.

Refrain

Interlude

Verse 1

Refrain

Copyright © 1972.
The Benedictine Foundation of the State of Vermont, Inc.,
Weston Priory, Weston, Vermont.

www.westonpriory.org

You can tell the first AOV volume was designed to be all things to all churches and includes a lot of old (and out of copyright) favourites.  This song even has its own website and wants your money. Before you buy the book of the song, this site might have all you really wanted to now about the John Newton who wrote the song.

These old songs are the hardest ones to do on BIAB, but since you know it already that hardly matters. We don’t sing the fifth verse and I’d ditch the fourth. I think it’s one of those hymns that works by the tune and communal voice but lyrically is a text of the 1700s and has worn poorly.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

 

T’was grace that taught my heart to fear.
And grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

 

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
‘Tis grace that brought me safe thus far
and grace will lead me home.

 

The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

 

When we’ve been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we first begun.

Another song from As One Voice that is very popular with our liturgy teams, probably because it slots in just about anywhere. It is another song by Bernadette Farrell.  A very fast version in piano + vocal can be heard here.  Warning for groaners like me – it hits an E.  If you take the key down to Dm the guitarists will be unhappy, so perhaps some advance warning and creative capoing will do the trick. I find it hard to decide if I like songs like this that I have played so many times. I think this song lends itself to insensitive over playing and perhaps needs a more delicate touch than I have been able to give it.  The lyric itself is fine and even the NLMB give it a tick.

Refrain

Praise to you, O Christ, our Saviour,
Word of the Father, calling us to life;
Son of God who leads us to freedom:
glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ!

Verse 1

You are the Word who calls us out of darkness;
you are the Word who leads us into light;
you are the Word who brings us through the desert:
glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ!

Refrain

Verse 2

You are the one whom prophets hoped and longed for;
you are the one who speaks to us today;
you are the one who leads us to our future:
glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ!

Refrain

Verse 3

You are the Word who calls us to be servants;
you are the Word whose only law is love;
you are the Word – made flesh who lives among us:
glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ!

Refrain

Verse 4

You are the Word who binds us and unites us:
you are the Word who calls us to be one;
you are the Word who teaches us forgiveness:
glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ!

 Refrain

© Bernadette Farrell 1984.

This song by Robin Mark is unsurprisingly a call for revival.  You can hear a version of it in this clip.  I’m using the arrangement in the Source New Songs, but I’m aware Robin Mark does it differently, with additional words and longer verses. While it has no obvious liturgical use in the Catholic Church, the sentiments are nonetheless needed.

Verse 1

A very popular song amongst our liturgists over the years.  Written by David Haas based on a traditional Hawaiian melody, it is a struggle to sing it sensitively without it becoming tedious.  One solution is to only do the refrain at the beginning and end.  Another is harmonising the refrain, which is somewhat beyond us.

You can see a church ensemble doing a pretty good job of it here.

The text is at Cantus Mundi and you can hear Haas’s version at the internet archive. It can be purchased for download at GIA.

In my backing I just wanted to use the uke button on BIAB for a change.

This setting of the twenty third Psalm wins the local popularity stakes.   It was written by prolific local Queensland songwriter, Brian Boniwell, about whom I know nothing in particular, but whose music I have been playing for simply ages. Despite departing from the text somewhat it still gets a Yes from the NLMB.

Paul Gurr’s version can be purchased on I-Tunes by following this link.

You can hear a tasteful version on guitar and vocal here…or you could learn it from the backing if you are not familar with it.

Verse 1

The Lord is my Shepherd, and I want to follow,
wherever he leads me, wherever he goes.
Over the mountains, the waters and by-ways,
valleys and highways he’s waiting for me.

Refrain

I want to go to meet him there, to lay myself down in his love.
The Lord is my shepherd, and I want to follow,
wherever he leads me, wherever he goes.

Verse 2

And while on the journey to where we are going,
he promised to be there to help us along.
And over the mountains we’ll walk on together,
to know all the wonders he’s given to me

Refrain

© Spectrum Publications, 1978.

http://www.spectrumpublications.com.au/

Another hymn set to the old hundredth, a setting of Ps 100.  The MIDI and score are available here.  Do watch it used as an entrance with all guns blazing here.  I’m surprised it got a tick from the NLMB being only 500 odd years old and from that hot bed of radical thought, Geneva.

My backings are a bit embarrassing after listening to the arrangement on Youtube.  BIAB does not do church organ well and they would do well to get some sampled church organ sounds.  On the other hand the silly faux Herbie Hancock version is for amusement only.

All people that on earth do dwell,
sing to the Lord with cheerful voice.
Him serve with mirth, his praise forth tell;
come ye before him and rejoice.

Know that the Lord is God indeed;
without our aid he did us make;
we are his folk, he doth us feed,
and for his sheep he doth us take.

O enter then his gates with praise;
approach with joy his courts unto;
praise, laud, and bless his name always,
for it is seemly so to do.

For why! the Lord our God is good;
his mercy is forever sure;
his truth at all times firmly stood,
and shall from age to age endure.

To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost;

The God whom heav’n and earth adore,

From us and from the angel host

be praise and glory evermore.

Robin Mann is an Australian Lutheran songwriter from Adelaide. This song is reminiscent of “One Tin Soldier” and is a pleasantly simple and direct song.  It represents God as the familiar Abba to his children in a delightful way. He wrote it as a baptism song for his daughter, which is a pretty good motivation.  For a slow reverent American version watch this… or better yet on bells!

My backing is pretty obviously mostly MIDI.

Refrain

Father welcomes all his children

to his family through his Son.

Father giving his salvation,

life forever has been won.

Verse 1

Little children, come to me,

for my kingdom is of these;

life and love I have to give,

mercy for your sin.

Refrain

Verse 2

In the water, in the word,

in his promise be assured:

those who are baptised and believe

shall be born again.

Refrain

Verse 3

Let us daily die to sin,

let us daily rise with him —

walk in the love of Christ our Lord,

live in the peace of God.

Refrain

© Kevin Mayhew

Stuart Townend wrote this uplifting all purpose New Testament “psalm” and a fine thing it is too.  This is another song, not from “As One Voice”, but from “The Source New Songs 1.” Townend’s version is here.

The young calvanist who put up the video would be appalled, I suspect, but this might work at a second rite of reconciliation.

I hadn’t heard this before I did the backing but it sounds amazingly close, despite BIAB’s hatred of 6/8 time.  I suppose there aren’t many ways of doing P&W in 6/8.

Verse 1

All my days I will sing this song of gladness
Give my praise to the Fountain of delights
For in my helplessness You heard my cry
And waves of mercy poured down on my life

Verse 2

I will trust in the cross of my Redeemer
I will sing of the blood that never fails
Of sins forgiven of conscience cleansed
Of death defeated and life without end

Chorus

Beautiful Saviour Wonderful Counsellor
Clothed in majesty Lord of history

You’re the Way, the Truth the Life.

Star of the Morning, glorious in holiness,
You’re the Risen One heaven’s champion
And You reign You reign over all

Verse 3

I long to be where the praise is never-ending
Yearn to dwell where the glory never fades
Where countless worshippers will share one song
And cries of “worthy” will honour the Lamb

Refrain

*Rev Barry has noted omissions in the chorus that I have now plugged in – many thanks

© Kingsway’s Thankyou Music 1998.