Church Music

This is another children’s song from David MacGregor‘s vast archive. It is a gathering song from way back in 1995.

The sheet music is freely available at his website, but you may have trouble downloading it so I converted it to a pdf and posted it here.

He asked for a strong rock rhythm and I obliged.

This may be a children’s song by David MacGregor, but the text is a fine invitation to participate in the great feast, alluding to the the parable. (Luke 14 and Matthew 22 – I prefer Luke.)

It is a “rollicking 12 bar blues”.

The sheet music is free at his website. I converted it to pdf in case you have trouble downloading it in Word format.

I made a backing, that is a little more restrained than his:

I am away at the APMN conference in Brisbane for this weekend so a fellow medical guitarist has stepped into the breach.

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

Gifts: The Cry of the Poor (Foley) AOV 1/83  

Communion: One Bread, One Body (Foley) AOV 1/129

Recessional: A New Heart for a New World   (O’Brien/Watts) AOV 1/158

This is a song that would be great for gathering by David MacGregor.

The sheet music is free at his website. He says to song it “with life and movement”.

I made a backing, but ignored the clever counter-melody in the chorus.

Chorus

Come, come, come; come together.

Holy Spirit make us one.

God come weave your grace among us.

Life is ours in Christ, God’s Son.

1 Sharing God, your life together; lead us on to places new.

Fill us all with love for Jesus; sent in mission, spent by you.

2 Call from us great love for neighbour. Gift us open minds and hearts.

In your name we’ll serve together; each one playing their special part.

3 Unity: your call, your longing; each one blessed to bless anew.

Take our giftings, take our passion; your holy people formed in you.

© 2018 David MacGregor

I started having a look at all the songs that David MacGregor has posted on his website earlier in the year, but I didn’t even get through all of the “C”s, so I’ll continue where I left off. David MacGregor is a Uniting church minister from Brisbane who has been writing songs for a couple of decades.

This is a very recent song with a text based on Isaiah 61:1-2 and Psalm 34:17-18. It sounds a bit like Pope Francis asking shepherds to smell of the sheep – acknowledging a call to be Christ to those lost. It rocks along nicely. There is a spot in the third and tenth bar of the verse where I had to change the chord to G. MacGregor is either more adventurous than I am (not hard) or he forgot to put the G chords in.

You can see what I am mean when you look at the sheet music he has freely provided. The lyrics provided on his website don’t match those in the sheet music so I have changed them to match.

He has providing a backing track, which didn’t stop me making my own, with a lot of BIAB bongos.

Spirit, you’ve anointed me.
Spirit God, you’re calling me.
Spirit, you’re empowering me,
To grace the broken-hearted.

Freedom for captives, bound.
Comfort for saddened down.
Beauty for ashes found.
Gladness ‘stead of mourning.
Hope for those who’re falling.
Close to … the broken-hearted.

Lord, you hear the call
of your people when they fall.
You rescue … in times of trouble.
Lord you come ever close
To the broken-hearted, lost.
You save when spirits crushed and breaking.

Spirit you’ve anointed me.
Spirit God, you’re calling me.
Spirit, you’re empowering me
To grace the broken-hearted

Freedom for captives, bound.
Comfort for saddened, down.
Beauty for ashes found.
Gladness ‘stead of mourning.
Hope for those who’re falling.
Close to … the broken-hearted.
Close to … the broken-hearted.

David MacGregor ©️ 2023 Willow Publishing

This is an unusual song from John Burland and Gary Pinto, which is the last song in John Burland’s recent collection Into the World.

This is another very professional collection of songs from the songwriter, John Burland. The sheet music of the whole collection can be purchased for download at his site for $A20, which is, for overseas buyers, getting less all the time. The sheet music has detailed piano arrangements and he always tweaks verse melodies and lengths to keep things from becoming dull. His recorded versions are all class.

This one is a song for personal reflection that has uses for Reconciliation and Lent. The chorus and pre-chorus are very singable, but I think the verses need a cantor. That piece of the melody is fiddly and I’m not sure an assembly can do the the long “mmms” in the verses.

I took my backing in a very different direction to his arrangement. His syncopation lends itself to a gentle Latin beat, so I was channeling Sergio Mendes and Brazil 66 here.

1 Father I’ve turned away from you again somehow… Mmm.

‘Cause I’ve done wrong falling far from grace… Mmm.

‘Cause I’ve been lost hoping someday to be found… Mmm.

But now I long to to see your mercy face to face… Mmm.

Prechorus

Now I’m coming back to you and I want to start anew.

Chorus

O my Jesus free me from my sin.

Take me hold me cleanse me from within.

Unworthy as I am, before you I will stand.

I’m coming home.

2 When darkness covered me I was lost on my own… Mmm.

Now the tears are rolling down as I head home… Mmm.

Prechorus

Now I’m coming back to you and I want to start anew.

Chorus

O my Jesus free me from my sin.

Take me hold me cleanse me from within.

Unworthy as I am, before you I will stand, to make me whole again.

I’m coming home.

© 2020 John Burland and Gary Pinto

John Burland kicks of his version of the Magnificat with some harmony ‘ah’s and an “Ave Maria”. It is from his collection Into the World, for which you can buy the sheet music at his site.

The text is the scripture and the music is by Burland. I am thinking of a choir and soloist/cantor for this, as the melody is rather intricate and someone has to do the harmonies.

My backing uses BIAB voices harmonising in the background and the melody picked out on piano to make it easy to follow.

Ah, Ah.

Ave Maria, Ave Maria

Chorus

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

My spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;

For he has looked with favour on his lowly servant,

And from this day all generations will call me blessed.

The Almighty has done great things for me, holy is his name.

1 He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,

He has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

And lifted up the lowly.

Chorus

2 He has filled the hungry with good things

And the rich sent away empty.

He has come to the aid of his servant Israel,

For he has remembered his promise of mercy,

The promise he made to our fathers

To Abraham and his children forever.

Chorus

Luke 1:46-56 New Catholic Bible

This is a wedding song from John Burland‘s latest album Into the World.

It is more broadly applicable than usual, as it has nothing that makes it specifically Catholic or Christian. In a Mass it would best fit as a reflection.

The sheet music is available as part the collection for a reasonable low price at his website.

It is in the key D#m which has six sharps (oh dear) and is a solo vehicle as it goes very high (F#). I suppose it could stand to come to Bm at least.

My BIAB backing can’t match his slick production but could be used to learn the song.

1 I’ve waited so long praying for a love so strong

And someone who could understand what I’ve been going through.

Someone who could love me, someone who could hold me just like you,

Never knowing you were there waiting to be loved.

I was searching just for you.

Chorus

You are the one my heart beats for, you are the one who I adore.

It’s the love I need forever, the love I need always.

Cause you are the one my hearts beats for.

You are the one who’s love I’m sure is the love I need.

I am yours… You are the one my heart beats for.

2 You’re here beside me, for the rest of my life,

Standing together now as husband and wife.

Building our tomorrows, sharing all our dreams as we go.

Chorus

Bridge

I was waiting here to find you, never knowing you were there.

Waiting to be loved I was searching just for you

Chorus

You are the one my hearts beats for.

© 2022 John Burland

This is another sung prayer from John Burland‘s latest album, Into the World. He wrote this one with Steven Leiweke.

This one has an interesting tune with a slow descending passages in the verses that stand out. It is set in F# of all keys (capo 4 in D for me), which BIAB dislikes but can do. I should note that Burland frequently varies the verses to keep you interested and does it again here.

It would be great for Lent.

The sheet music can be purchased cheaply with the whole collection at his website.

Chorus

Lord shine your light on me today.

Reveal to me the path that I might see.

Lord shine your light on me today.

Reveal to me the path that I might see.

To hear your voice within to show your face again.

1 In the times I turned away and I almost lost my way,

In the times you’ve shown your grace.

Lord hear my prayer.

Chorus

2 In the times you’ll carry me, and give me the strength to be,

In the times I’ll hold you close.

For you always hear me call, and you’ll never let me fall.

You surround me in your peace.

Lord hear my prayer.

Chorus

…to hear your voice within to show your face again.

© 2022 John Burland and Stephen Leiweke

This song from John Burland‘s most recent collection, Into the World, was written by Burland, Phillipe-Marc Anquetil and Stephen Leiweke. The subscript says it is based on the life of Carlos Acutis.

The simple lyrics make this suitable for schools, especially if the life of Acutis was being studied, but don’t preclude more general use. The text would suit use for Eucharist.

The sheet music can be purchased with the whole collection at his site.

I made a backing as usual to sing along with, to help learning the song.

Chorus

Not me but God, I’m living with Jesus in my life.

Not me but God, I’m living with Jesus in my life.

Where do I look to find true meaning in my life,

Not me but God.

1 Living with Jesus, united, united with him.

Living for Jesus, not things that don’t please him.

Living in Jesus, for I know Christ lives in me, in me.

Chorus

2 Receiving Jesus, in love, to be like him.

Following Jesus, following in his ways.

Sharing Jesus, so all can see God’s grace, God’s grace.

Chorus

Bridge

Happiness is looking towards God.

It’s no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.

Chorus.

© 2022 John Burland, Phillip-Marc Anquetil, Stephen Leiweke