1 Kings 17:8-16 or 1 Kings 17:17-24
Elijah and the poor widow. God provides if we listen to God’s messenger. Hospitality. The resuscitation of the widow's son (if you continue the reading).
CH258 / UMH434 / VU702 / StJ / R249 / ELW725 / PH407 W&R624 Cha662 SgTJ1027 When the hungry who have nothing share with strangers / Cuando el Pobre / When the poor ones (Olivar / Manzano) Lk Wow… This song has a beautiful and interesting (but easy to sing) tune and really moving words ending with the phrase "God goes with us on the pathways of our lives" or "Then we know that God still goes that road with us" in each verse. I prefer the English translation in Church Hymnary (Bringle). Very highly recommended. Lyrics in English, Spanish and chords. Slightly odd, but helpful sound sample.
Seeds of Faith Always Enough (Bruxvoort-Colligan) A cool and bluesy song that tells the story. This is not a congregational song, but could be sung by your musicians, or if you are a musical Sunday school teacher, you could use this to tell the story. Lyrics and sound sample.
Tune In: You in all our worries / All will finish well “In this world where injustice reigns, you are in the midst of pain”. Excellent words of reassurance in a difficult world. Sound sample, lyrics and songbook available here.
Tune In: Community (Brown) A song about being welcomed and part of a community. Sound sample and lyrics. "a glass of water shared with the thirsty".
CH763 / MV193 God bless to us our bread (Traditional Argentinian) A lovely simple grace for meals and for communion. More Voices has Spanish and French lyrics as well as English. "God bless to us our bread, and give bread to all those who are hungry, and hunger for justice to those who are fed. God bless to us our bread". This would be very appropriate if you are celebrating communion this week.
Psalm 146
God is great and cares for the widow, and brings justice etc.
Cha766 Blessed are the poor and needy for God's justice surely is theirs Simple, very familiar sung response, and responsive reading
TiS 596 / AHB 515 CH183 / CP(E) 424 / Srce2-121 Fill my whole life / Fill now our life / Fill thou my life O Lord my God (Bonar) Inclusive language for God and a plea for praise in the whole of life. Verse 4 may be bothersome "poor though I be, and weak". Church Hymnary is very inclusive and has a less bothersome 4th verse.
TiS 90 / AHB 44 / UMH60 / VU867 / PH253 / CP346 / CP(E) 473 / W&R79 / Cha20 I'll praise my Maker while I've breath (Watts) A great classic hymn. Most sources are not inclusive; Voices United is!
URW357 Praise to the One who sets prisoners free (Eslinger) A great tune, and the response can be sung in three parts, or as a round. Can be sung with one or two cantors / readers or without the cantors. The refrain alone as a round could be good for kids.
WCC website: Hear the message we now are proclaiming / El mensaje que hoy proclamamos. This jubilant Colombian song of liberty and new life for the poor and suffering would fit well with this reading. Free sheet music!
Psalm 30
Psalmy psalm – sorrow into dancing, God hears the cry for help.
PH181 Come Sing to God O Living Saints (Anderson / ELLACOMBE) Good, simple, inclusive, humble and realistic words based specifically on this Psalm. Sung to a well known hymn tune (I sing the mighty power of God). Many congregations choose to sing only the first and last verses; the middle two are much more challenging. Lyrics for the first and last verse (search for “come sing”).
Iona (There is one among us) Lord you can turn all mourning into dancing An excellent simple refrain from John Bell “Lord you can turn all mourning into dancing, evenings of grief to mornings of great joy”
ATE 253 He turned my mourning into dancing This happy little chorus is not at all inclusive, but some versions change the lyrics to make it addressed to God “You turned my morning into dancing” which is much better.
Tune In: You in all our worries / All will finish well “In this world where injustice reigns, you are in the midst of pain”. Excellent words of reassurance in a difficult world. Sound sample, lyrics and songbook here.
TiS 647 / AoV2-012 / ATN 25 Comfort comfort all my people (Mann) Easy to sing, beautiful lyrics. Chorus is“Comfort, comfort all my people, with the comfort of my word. Speak ye tender to my people, all your sins are taken away”. Lyrics, mp3 sample.
TiS 670 / AoVK-138 / ATE 258 / CH692 Jesus put this song into our hearts (Kendrick) A fun Yiddish tune that gets even more fun if you get faster and faster as you go. Try teaching your congregation a simple side to side “dance” step. If you teach them and make it clear that it’s okay, you’ll be surprised how many people dance to God. Great for kids, too.
AoVK-125 / ATW 489 Turn our sadness upside down (Leigh Newton) Good for kids, and adults too. Simple tune, but not so simple that it’s boring. Lyrics (search in the page for "sadness").
NCH85 I woke up this morning with my mind set on Jesus A joyful and very simple freedom song. Many versions with lots of different words out there.
TiS 242 / AHB 183 / AoV1-018 / ATN 27 / CH404 / UMH261 / VU352 / HPP163 / PH302 / G(II)481 / GC708 / GC(II)689 / CP(E) 468 / W&R118 I danced in the morning / Lord of the Dance (Carter / SIMPLE GIFTS). Lyrics and tune sample.
TiS 181 / AoV2-032 / GC(II)497 / CP589 Come O God of all the earth / Sing Out Earth and Skies (Haugen). A big favourite of our congregation; Good energy and easy to sing. Sheet music sample. Sound sample.
ATE 216 / Iona (SBL) / CH126 / StJ / ELW555 / PH472 / G(II)365 / GC527 / RS 671 O sing to the Lord / Cantai ao Senhor / Cantad al Señor (Traditional Brazilian) A good, fun and simple song that is easy to learn in Portuguese or Spanish too. Sheet music sample. Sound sample (click on the play button).
MV187 We give our thanks / Reamo leboga (Traditional Botswana) A great song to sing for the offering. Sound sample (scroll to the 3rd album). We usually sing it much more quickly than this sample.
Galatians 1:11-24
Paul was a persecutor, but then he experienced God and was lead to change and proclaim Christ. Even him.
TiS 210 / AHB 141 / NCH42 / CH352 / UMH57 / VU326 / LBW42 / ELW295 / HPP74 / PH466 / CP306 O for a thousand tongues to sing A classic. I particularly love NATIVITY for these words. They are so jubilant. In the AHB, Christ is masculine, but I think that's okay. Lyrics and one possible tune.
TIS 624 / W&R453 Christ be my leader by night as by day. Excellent words of following Christ in times of struggle to a traditional Scottish melody. Lyrics
TiS 727 / ATE 208 / CH121 / VU745 / AA70 In the presence of your people A good Yiddish tune - lots of fun for kids and adults. Good to get fast and dance around on this one.
TiS 129 / AHB 56 / AoV1-029 / ATA 131 / NCH547 / CH555 / UMH378 / VU266 / LBW448 / ELW779 / GA437 / HPP334 / PH280 / G(II)434 / GC612 / GC(II)586 / CP352 / CP(E) 375 / W&R422 / Cha546 / ZSS202 / Srce25 Amazing grace how sweet the sound (NEW BRITAIN/Newton)
ATOK 413 / Iona (HSNW) / CH533 / VU567 / StS039 / R276 / ELW798 / GA502 / SFFS 2130 / HPP317 / G(II)510 / GC700 / GC(II)687 / CP430 / CP(E) 622 / W&R350 / URW060 Will you come and follow me / The Summons (Iona / KELVINGROVE) A classic, but it has been overdone sometimes. Don't sing it too slowly or it really drags and takes forever!
Luke 7:11-17
Jesus resuscitates the widow’s son.
Tune In: Our God who weeps (Kate Scull) Very simple folk-like tune and challenging and hopeful lyrics. "When death has taken those held dear"... Reference recording, lyrics and songbook available here.
TiS 737 / Iona (Common Ground, HSNW, T1AU) Lord Jesus Christ lover of all (Bell) A beautiful and simple chant. Note that some versions (T1AU at least) has a beautiful 4 part harmony arrangement with excellent moving parts in the lower registers.
TiS 665 / AoV2-008 / Iona (Common Ground) / CH360 / VU117 / StJ Jesus Christ is waiting (Bell) A good and well known hymn. Lyrics here (scroll down just a little bit).
TiS 690 / CH259 / StS115 Beauty for brokenness hope for despair (Kendrick) The themes of healing from personal and universal suffering make this a good choice for this reading. Lyrics.
TiS 638 / NCH175 / CH717 / UMH265 / LBW380 / ELW675 / PH380 / CP291 / CP(E) 346 / W&R638 / Cha503 O Christ the healer we have come Beautiful words and simple to sing. Good to sing during intercessions. I like the tune INVERCARRY best. Lyrics and sound sample (of an alternative tune)
No comments:
Post a Comment