Lectionary Suggestions for June 1st 2008 (Proper 4A / Ordinary 9A / Pentecost +3)

Genesis 6:9-22; 7:24; 8:14-19
The story of Noah
NCH 32 / HPP 32 / VU 229 / HPSS 272 God of the sparrow, God of the whale. This is a beautiful song, but I find the reference to creatures kind of odd. Works especially well this week with the lyric: “God of the rainbow, God of the cross, God of the empty grave”. I like to listen to this version from the River's Voice album Namaste.
TiS 668 / NCH 569 Touch the earth lightly, sings of the redemption of all creation.
Tune In: Tune in. A simple kid’s song. “Tune in, tune in, there’s a message coming in.” Encourages kids to look for signs of God’s love. Lyrics and sample available here.
Seeds of Faith: It’s a sign of God’s love. Not a congregational song – needs someone to sing this to the kids, really. Sample and lyrics available on this website.

Recorded Music: "Just look up" by Eric Bibb and Michael Jerome Browne. On Eric Bibb's album "Friends" and on Putumayo's "Folk Playground". "There's a rainbow waiting for you, just look up".

Psalm 46
God our refuge and strength, even in the midst of disaster
TiS 103 / AHB 8 / NCH 439 / HPP 382 / VU 262 / GC 607 / HPPS 260 A mighty fortress is our God. The old versions are not gender inclusive for God, but the rest of the words are so ancient and poetic it doesn't bother me as much as some other hymns. The New Century Hymnal has excellent lyrics that are inclusive and have not lost their poetry.
NCH 408 All my hope on God is founded. The lyrics in the AHB and TiS (and most other hymnals) are not gender inclusive for God at all, and it’s hard to make one or two simple replacements. The lyrics in the New Century Hymnal are excellent and well worth using.
ATOK 311 / Iona / AOV(2)54 Be still and know that I am God (Iona)
ATW 496 / Come all you people (Iona) / AoV ?? Don’t be afraid, my love is stronger, my love is stronger than your fear – excellent parts for this simple song. Reminds me of a Billy Joel song. Sorry, that’s probably ruined it for some of you.
TiS 621 / VU 677 / GC(2) 717 O God of every nation. Excellent modern words “O God of every nation, of every race and land, redeem your whole creation with your almighty hand; where hate and fear divide us and bitter threats are hurled, in love and mercy guide us, and heal our strife-torn world”. Tune is not unfamiliar, but not well known by our congregation. Works quite well sung to Passion Chorale / O Sacred Head (TiS 339).
TIS 184 / Heaven Shall not wait When trouble strikes and fear takes root Good English folk melody. May be a little tricky if unfamiliar
TiS 262 When pain and terror strike by chance These excellent words may be particularly helpful given the recent disasters in Burma and China. Very familiar Irish folk tune.
Many and Great (Iona) / GC(2) 673 Stand, O Stand Firm: excellent call to be strong in faith. Fits well with the Romans reading also.
Linnea Good: Come and ponder everything. A quiet meditative chant of only these 4 words to be sung as a refrain to the reading over background music. Quite a different take on the psalm; would be good to provide some space in the worship service to include this. Could also use the 4 chants below in a similar manner - depending on the message you'd like to focus on.
TiS 737 / Heaven Shall Not Wait (Iona) Lord Jesus Christ, Lover of All.
TiS 747 / Taize / The Lord is my light, my light and salvation
Taize / TiS 739 / AoV2-041 / ATOK 404 / VU290 / GA269 / SFFS 2054 / G(II)451 / GC639 / GC(II)626 / CP568 / W&R421 Nada te turbe / Nothing Can Trouble
TiS 725 / Taize / In our darkness there is no darkness (La tenebre)
Tune In: Alive in Me “Quieten our minds so that we may hear the voice of love that will heal our fears”. Lyrics and sample available here.
Tune In: All will finish well “You, in all our worries, you offer peace”. Lyrics and sample available here.
Tune In: the God that I know. A ballad drawing on God’s strength and comfort. Lyrics and sample available here.

Romans 1:16-17; 3:22b-28, (29-31)
Not ashamed of the Gospel, Paul gets into a circuitous argument.
Justification by Faith
ATOK 376 Faith, hope and love: rocky little number from Trisha Watts.
TiS 671 Faith will not grow from words alone. Excellent inquisitive words to a standard hymn tune.
TiS 604 Make me a channel of your peace

Matthew 7:21-29
Not everyone who says Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom.
"The wise man built his house upon the rock" Old kids action song. Search on google if you can't remember it. It's good for smaller kids; my 4 year old loves this song!
TiS 578 / AHB 491 / NCH 407 / HPP248 How Firm a Foundation. Really masculine language, except, again for the New Century Hymnal. Use those words if you can.
TiS 624 Christ be my leader by night as by day – Good celtic tune, excellent words.
Heaven Shall not wait / VU 952 Through our lives and by our prayers, your kingdom come. A simple chant.
Worldmaking: Ground and Source of all that is, one that anchors all our roots. This song is very beautiful and easy to sing. We’ve sung it a few times at Brunswick and it would be nice to sing it again. Listen to it, and read the lyrics here.
GC(II)660: Deliver us, O Lord of truth (Stuempfle). Solid, challenging words of speaking carefully; specifically mentions this passage in the last verse. American folk tune.

Year A Pentecost 2 Suggestions (Epiphany 8A) - Sunday May 26th

Isaiah 49:8-16a
Cosmic praise (see last week’s suggestions for the Genesis reading) plus God being faithful in times of difficulty
ATW 448 / TiS 417 / SFFS 2123 Loving spirit - Beautiful words from Shirley Murray
ATW 435 Like the woman of old (Wellsprings) “each day we go to the wellsprings of life to find Jesus there”
TIS 184 / Heaven Shall not wait When trouble strikes and fear takes root Good English folk melody. May be a little tricky if unfamiliar.
TiS 262 When pain and terror strike by chance These excellent lyrics may be particularly helpful given the recent disasters in Burma and China. Very familiar Irish folk tune.
Tune In: All will finish well: A simple hymn-like tune of hope. Lyrics and a sample on this website.
Tune In: Can you see God? A good song of imagining God in various situations. Good for older kids “Can you see God in a world that’s unfair?”Lyrics and a sample on this website.
Tune In: Cover us with love. A challenging song about seeing the world’s problems and seeking the courage to change it. Lyrics and a sample on this website.
Tune In: Father of Earth, Mother of Sea: A good latin-rhythmed song that seeks Christ’s presence. Lyrics and a sample on this website.

Psalm 131
Curiously short Psalm about God providing calmness and quiet. Some authors suggest it means a child that has just been breastfed, not a weaned child, which is how the NRSV translates it (which makes the Psalm very curious indeed).
TiS 82 In you, Lord, I have found my peace, I have found my peace. (O Lord, my heart is not proud) Excellent cantored Psalm with a very simple chant-like refrain that could easily be used on its own or with the Psalm being read if you have no cantor. The paraphrase of the psalm is very straightforward.
Linnea Good “You have calmed and quieted my soul”. A fairly straightforward simple chant. I personally prefer TiS 82, but they are both good.
StF/FwS 2128 / In every corner sing (Shirley Murray) Come and find the quiet centre of the crowded life we lead – beautiful, timely and peaceful words to a familiar hymn tune.
Tune In: The God that I know. “He comes with his arms open wide, a sheltering place I can hide”. Beautiful words; if this is not familiar to your congregation it would be a good song for a soloist, too. Lyrics and a sample on this website.
ATW 448 / TiS 417 / SFFS 2123 Loving spirit More excellent words from Shirley Murray, picks up on God enfolding us
Iona: Be still and know that I am God (not the old Scripture in song version, which is okay really, but I like this one better). This is a very simple chant. I think it may be ATO 311, but I am not sure.

Recorded Music: Trisha Watts: In the stillness (From the album Invokation 1994, available here) “In the stillness there is a sweet gentle voice, calming the storms in the night”.

1 Corinthians 4:1-5
Do not judge, leave it to God.
TiS 453 / AHB 335 / NCH 316 We limit not the truth of God. The first verse is very challenging. If you are using TiS or AHB, a simple substitution of “Creator, Christ and Spirit” for “O Father, Son, and Spirit” in the 3rd verse will make the song gender-inclusive for God. NCH has quite different lyrics for the 2nd verse.
ATW 459 God Version 1.0. I don’t believe in a God up in the sky…
TiS 674 / Heaven shall not wait Inspired by love and anger Excellent challenging words to a lilting Irish tune. I love verse three “Don’t query our position! Don’t criticise our wealth! Don’t mention those exploited by politics and stealth!”. It’s easy for us to be judgemental on these things. Also fits with the Gospel reading.

Matthew 6:24-34
You cannot serve God and money. Live in the moment. Do not worry.
TiS 674 / Heaven shall not wait Inspired by love and anger (see above).
NCH 475 His eye is on the sparrow (a bit of a sentimental favourite – I don’t know if this makes much sense to Australian congregations) also Recorded music: Sister Act 2 soundtrack: His eye is on the sparrow (a quite moving pop R&B African-American gospel style rendition) Many others have recorded this too, I'm sure!
TiS 739 / Taize Nothing can trouble, nothing can frighten, those who seek God shall never go wanting….. God alone fills us (Nada te turbe, nada te espante). The Spanish is not too hard for non-Spanish speakers once they’ve heard it a few times. Words from St. Theresa of Avila.
TiS 645 Seek ye first the kingdom of God. It’s a bit of a sentimental favourite, I suspect.
One is the body (Iona) Take this moment, time and space
ATFG (not sure of the number) We belong to God. Very simple song, very deep words. Would work really well.

Recorded music:
Martine Locke had a great album in 1995 called “Living in this moment” – The title track would work really well if you’re able to find a copy, or if you bought a cassette way back in 1993 (like I did) and didn’t lose it (like I did). I wish I could find it...
Bobby McFerrin: Don’t worry, be happy! I’m serious. I’m sure this is the first song most of us think of when this reading comes up – there must be a creative way of using this.