Church Music

I’ll do a couple more from the amazing David MacGregor‘s inexhaustible treasure trove of music, before conceding defeat. I am fully aware that in the unlikely event that I ever get to the end of them, he will have written enough new material to confound me further.

This is a very wise recent Pentecost / Social Justice text set to NETTLETON.

The sheet music is freely available at his website.

My backing is meant to be low key BIAB Appalachian. I like his backing better than mine, but I tried for a swung rhythm.

Holy Spirit, come among us
Come upon us, God, we pray
Holy Spirit, come enliven 
Ever gift us on our way
In Your power make us bolder
to proclaim the love of Christ
Live in freedom
Work for justice
in God’s name 
to set things right

Holy Spirit, You are freedom
Holy Spirit, You are life
Come transform us in Your glory
In Your love and in Your light
Shape us as Your covenant people
to proclaim the love of Christ 
Work for freedom
Work for justice
in God’s name 
to set things right

Holy Spirit, You are truth
O Spirit Helper, lift our days
God’s forever, loving presence
Hope and compass on Your way
You our joy and You, our comfort 
to proclaim the love of Christ
Work for freedom
Work for justice
in God’s name 
to set things right

Holy Spirit, come upon us
Come among Your people now
Holy Spirit, come enliven 
Fill us with Your gospel power
Fill our hearts with deep compassion 
to proclaim the love of Christ 
Work for freedom
Work for justice
in God’s name 
to set things right

lyrics: David MacGregor
© 2024 Willow Publishing. tune: Nettleton
drawing on scriptures including: 2 Corinthians 3:17-18, Acts 2:1-11, John 14:15-15, John 16:13

David MacGregor has masterfully set Brian Wren‘s moving Good Friday text in a suitably stately and mournful way. This is a worth a look, with adoration of the cross only a couple of months away.

Wren’s lyrics are available at the ever wonderful Hope Publishing Company. The sheet music is at MacGregor’s website.

My backing is lots of Band in a Box strings following the music’s instruction to be “plaintive”.

Yes, I know. There is only one “Hearts on Fire” written in Brisbane, Australia and it is written by Michael Mangan. Except that in 2015, David MacGregor must have thought we needed another one.

An obvious pick for Pentecost, it is also a candidate for a recessional more generally. It’s a fine pop song and the chords progression won’t hurt my hands as much as the Mangan song.

The sheet music is for sale at Willow. I paid more attention than usual to his arrangement and put the piano hook in my backing.

God of life, you’re the light that shines
Love afire in these days, these times
Spirit kindling within our hearts
fire of your love
Spirit of welcome across this land
Different we are, yet as one, we stand

With our hearts on fire
With our hearts on fire
Oh … come Holy Spirit,
set our hearts on fire

We long to keep, Lord, your flame alight
Speak for truth, set injustice right
Share compassion in Christ each one
Reaching out with joy
Living the life that Jesus lives
Living the love as Jesus gives

With our hearts on fire
With our hearts on fire
Oh … come Holy Spirit,
set our hearts on fire

Come – be walking God’s holy ground
Come – be sharing God’s hope around
Stoke, O Spirit, our burning light
‘cross this ancient land
So the oppressed, the detained go free
Spirit of God bringing liberty

Set our hearts on fire
Set our hearts on fire
Oh … come Holy Spirit, set our hearts on fire
Come Holy Spirit, set our hearts on fire
Come Holy Spirit, set our hearts on fire

David MacGregor
© 2015 Willow Publishing

The is a recently composed chorus for all ages in a reggae style from David MacGregor. Done gently it may be suitable for Gifts.

The sheet music is at his site.

He loves his reggae.

We want to hear your voice;
God, hear your call; Jesus,
Know your will for us,
One and all.
Spirit, hear our voice
Every time we call.
We want to walk your way
for your glory, Lord.
Walk your way
for your glo—ry, Lord.



David MacGregor
© 2024 Willow Publishing

David MacGregor says this is “a reflective song, based on theme for UCA: Qld Synod 25th anniversary,” which was twenty something years ago. I wish them a happy fiftieth.

It is a commissioning and commitment hymn.

The sheet music is available to download at his site.

Usually I do backings not long before I post about a hymn, but I did all these some time ago, so they are a surprise to me now. This is meant to be “at first reflective… then building.” It does kick in after the key change so it does that.

1. Lord, I offer my heart
   All the passion in me
   Lord I offer my soul
   All I’m longing to be
   Take my heart and my soul
   Take my joy and my pain
   Take me wholly,
   I’m yours in surrender
   Jesus, again.
2. Lord, you’ve offered your heart
   Paying passion’s great price
   Lord, you’ve offered your soul
   so in you we’d know life.
   Lord, your heart and your soul
   take on Calv’ry our stains
   You redeem and
   restore us completely
   to life, in your name.
3. Lord, we offer our hearts
   As a people of grace
   By your Spirit, inspire us
   to love in each place.
   Lord, we offer our hearts
   To your mission, your call
   Heart and soul:
   each one serving you wholly,
   Offering all.

© David MacGregor 2002

I could see this David MacGregor song used in Lent, for anointing or even a second rite. While based on a psalm that is part lament and part prayer for protection, Jesus becomes the hope.

The sheet music is at his site.

I did this backing a while ago – I hope I followed the direction ‘with restraint.”

.. not really… sigh.

You’re the healer of hearts
when we’re opened wide
You’re the healer of hurts
when we’re pained inside
You’re the healer of body, mind and soul
Jesus, bring us your life
Come, make us whole

Hear my cry, O God, my prayer
From the heart
in deep despair
When I’m far from anywhere
Let me know that God,
you’re there

You’re the healer of hearts
when we’re opened wide
You’re the healer of hurts
when we’re pained inside
You’re the healer of body, mind and soul
Jesus, bring us your life
Come, make us whole

Keep me safe from
harm’s cruel way
You’re my refuge,
come what may
God in you: my life, my way
In your presence night and day

You’re the healer of hearts
when we’re opened wide
You’re the healer of hurts
when we’re pained inside
You’re the healer of body, mind and soul
Jesus, bring us your life
Come, make us whole

You’re the healer of body, mind and soul
Jesus, bring us your life
Come, make us whole

David MacGregor
© 2010  Willow Publishing

Then again these versions aren’t all that restrained either.

David MacGregor based this song on Psalm 78:1-7, and so it is a psalm of praise I suppose.

Looking at the text it could have a use a recessional.

The sheet music is available at his website.

I made these backings a while ago, so they often a surprise to me. I must have interpreted “purposeful” as light funk/soul.

Give ear to God’s teaching
Lean into God’s word
Hear all God’s saying
we’ve long known and heard
Truth from the saintly
Truth we’ll share forward
In praise of God’s wonders
In praise of the Lord

We won’t hide them from our children
May they tell their children too
May they trust in you, O Holy One
Your commands we’re called to do

Give ear to God’s teaching
Lean into God’s word …

Your wonders will not be forgotten
We will teach our children well
Your word, your truth, your life, your love
Have we a tale to tell!

Give ear to God’s teaching
Lean into God’s word
Hear all God’s saying
we’ve long known and heard
Truth from the saintly
Truth we’ll take forward
In praise of God’s wonders
In praise of the Lord
In praise of God’s wonders
In praise of the Lord

David MacGregor
© 2023 Willow Publishing
from Psalm 78:1-7

More children’s song goodness from David MacGregor.

The sheet music is hard to download so I have posted a pdf version below.

Oh-oh-oh
Happiness begins with Jesus
Happiness begins with love
It’s living Jesus way
today and ev’ry day
Oh – hap-ap-appiness is love.

1. Means sometimes doing things differently
   than all our friends would do.
   When sometimes people say things that hurt
   God’s there to pull us through …
2. Happiness as we help someone.
   God’s happiness we’ll bring
   With Jesus always our Lord and friend,
   for joy, we’ll dance and sing …

coda: Oh-oh-oh, hap-ap-appiness is love.
Oh-oh-oh, hap-ap-appiness is love.
Jesus’ love! (shouted)

© David MacGregor 1992

I was daydreaming at Mass yesterday – mea culpa Father Bala – and was wondering what the best mass I had ever attended was.

I can think of a lot of worse ones: our only Irish mass in Tralee with zero assembly participation and a rush for the doors after communion by all but a couple of stunned tourists. I recall some mechanical twenty minute Cathedral masses at sixish at St Mary’s in Sydney.

I was greatly uplifted by the masses at the APMN conventions. When the assembly is entirely made up of singers it is astonishing.

My mind wandered to Kagoshima at St Francis Xavier Church in the chapel at the base of their steeple with no more than twenty people singing the mass in Japanese, call and response with a cantor and a Vietnamese priest. I had sat inadvertently in an elderly lady’s favourite chair at the end of a row of seats and with her struggling to move she needed it. You have to be tough to be a Catholic in Japan. She wouldn’t leave at the end until she had given us a small gift – this has happened once or twice in Japan over the years.

The priest interrupted his homily to give us precis in English, which was most pastoral.

I think that was about perfect. I have been to mediocre masses in Japan as well mind you. I have been at masses that may have appeared perfunctory but touched me. I have been to elaborate masses that left me feeling alone.

I invite comments.

BTW I recovered in time to play the Sanctus … just.

The prolific and celebrated American hymn writer, Ruth Duck, died on Boxing Day. Her text for “As a Fire Is Meant For Burning” is a favourite of mine and set here to the traditional shape note tune BEACH SPRING.

This just about gets us to Lent.

Entrance: Gather Us In (Haugen) AOV 1/12

Psalm 91 (McKenna)

Lord, it is good to give thanks to you,’

To give thanks to you.

 Gifts: Open My Eyes  (Manibusan) AOV 1/166

Communion: To the Table We Are Called (O’Brien/Harvey) AOVD

Recessional: As a Fire is Meant for Burning  (Duck) GA 481