Songs and Hymns for Proper 14C / Ordinary 19C / Pentecost +11 (August 8th 2010)

Isaiah 1:1, 10-20
Making offerings and celebrating festivals without doing good and working for justice doesn't please God.
Tune In Peace In Our Time (Brown) A groovy bossa nova song of peace and justice. Lyrics. Sound sample. Songbook.
TiS 473 / NCH314 / W&R615 / Cha655 Community of Christ (Murray) Beautiful words to a traditional Hebrew synagogue melody (LEONI). Easy to sing. Lyrics (downloads a pdf of an excellent service of lamentation - scroll to the end).
TiS 663 / NCH108 / CH241 / VU680 / PH337 / W&R532 Isaiah the prophet has written (Patterson) Great tune, and excellent words of Isaiah's vision for the future. Lyrics (note: a different tune).
AoV1-050 Act Justly (O'Brien/Watts) This is based on Micah 6:8, but also fits this reading very well. Simple chant-like chorus, and strong verses. I love this one. Sound sample (click on the music symbol next to the title)
AoVNG1 / CH685 / FFS17 / W&R617 For everyone born / A place at the table (Murray, True) Words of welcome and change to everyone regardless of sex, age, sinfulness. There are two possible tunes. The Lori True tune is the most common, but the Colin Gibson tune in FFS is also good. Use whatever you have! This song is good for a service when communion is celebrated, but it makes sense without communion, too. Lyrics.
HPP28 / PH285 / W&R24 God You Spin the Whirling Planets (Jane Parker Huber / AUSTRIAN HYMN) Good words to a very familiar tune (TiS 772). Really good for the final hymn or response to the sermon. Lyrics.

Psalm 50:1-8, 22-23
God the creator; Those who practice thanksgiving and righteousness will be saved.
TiS 30 / VU775 Be exalted O God above the earth (Marshall) A simple and beautiful refrain, with an inclusive cantor line. If you have no cantor, it will work well with the Psalm read as verses between the refrains.
AoV1-003 / HPP258 / GA394 / G(II)342 / GC497 / GC(II)495 / RS638 The heavens are telling the glory of God (Canticle of the Sun) (Haugen) Energetic waltz of cosmic praise. For some reason the sun is male (but there is no sister moon). "The heavens are telling the glory of God! And all creation is shouting for joy! Come dance in the forest, come play in the field! And sing, sing to the glory of the Lord!". Sound sample. Lyrics and sheet music sample.
TiS 149 / UMH144 / VU296 / LBW554 / ELW824 / HPP263 / PH293 / W&R21 / Cha59 / URW071 This is my Father's world / This is God's wondrous world (Babcock) I'm not a fan of this hymn, but it fits this reading and if you want to sing it, there are inclusive lyrics in Voices United.
Emergent Psalter To the wicked God says (Everett) Powerful words in this refrain. Nice 3/4 rhythm.
Iona (T1AU) Give thanks worship and praise (Bell) A four part short song of thanks. Can be used as a processional. Sound sample.
NCH565 LBW408 ELW678 PH422 CP601 W&R572 Cha606 URW091 God whose giving knows no ending (Edwards) Excellent words of thanks for God's many good gifts to us. Can be sung to a range of tunes including BEACH SPRING, HYFRYDOL, AUSTRIAN HYMN, RUSTINGTON.
Taize / AoV2-109 / CH772 / GA429 / SFFS 2195 / G(II)396 / GC566 / GC(II)546 / W&R448 In the Lord I'll Be Ever Thankful / El Senyor (Berthier) A joyful and bouncy Taize song. Works well in English, German and Spanish at least. Good for kids. Sheet music, translations into many other languages, sound samples.
TiS 743 / AoVK-31 / CH170 / GGives1 Praise and thanksgiving let everyone bring (Thomas) A simple round. Most versions have a masculine God; AoVK has inclusive language. Good for kids.

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16
The faith of Abraham; Heavenly home.
AoVK-28 / ATOK 376 Faith hope and love (Watts) This is so easy, and so cool. If you have some groovy musicians, this can even be a very funky rock song. Very easy, and great for kids and non-readers. I think I suggest this about once a month, which may be getting excessive. Sound sample (scroll to F and click - it's a bit silly).
TiS 569 / AHB 478 / NCH18/19 / CH167 / UMH127 / VU651 / LBW343 ELW618 / HPP432 / HPSS281 / CP565 / CP(E) 455 / W&R501 / Cha622 Guide me O thou great Jehovah A rousing hymn of God’s presence and strength. Sound sample and lyrics.
NCH598 / UMH724 / LBW36 / ELW249 / W&R519 On Jordan's Stormy Bank I Stand / On River Jordan's Bank I stand It's the Sacred Harp singer in me that likes this, not the progressive contemporary Christian. Sound sample and lyrics. Here's a great gospel version (youtube).
GC(II)565 Lord increase our faith (Haas) Quite nice simple song of devotion and turning to God. Sound sample. Sheet music and lyrics.
AoV1-137 / ATOK 403 / GA306 / G(II)286 God Of Abraham lead us (Farrell) This one is great. Just don't try to sing all 17 verses! Choose what you like… I love this energetic call and response with the response "Lead us to your kingdom". You can sing with a cantor and response, or you could split your congregation in the middle doing half and half, or you could just have people singing all the way through. Lyrics (downloads a pdf). Sound sample (scroll to G).
NCYC09 Stories of faith calling us to explore / Stories of Hope (Hanks / Newton) Not easy, but the words are great. Best to get someone to sing it - perhaps during the offering?

Luke 12:32-40
Be ready! Sell your stuff, give alms, have your lamps lit!
GC(II)647 Where Your Treasure Is (Haugen) This song is based on this passage, and nearby verses. Quite easy to sing, particularly if the congregation only joins in on the chorus. Lyrics and partial sheet music. Sound sample.
MV019 / StS002 Maranatha Maranatha Come Lord Jesus Come (Skibsted) A very simple chant.
MV175 May we but wait (Petricko) A simple refrain which would work well as a response for prayers of Intercession.
TiS 280 When he comes back, our lamps will be burning to welcome him when he comes back. I really like this song, and wish for excuses to sing it more often. The words are particularly appropriate for this reading and the tune has a simple lilting joy to it.
World Council of Churches / GC(II)651 You must never give up / Sizo bambelela/Never Give Up This African acapella song is just excellent. Sound sample, Free sheet music.
ATN 85 Give me oil in my lamp. A little bit of silly happy-clappy stuff is sometimes good fun. The littler kids will like this, and the older ones may even stop looking too cool for school for a moment.
AoV2-003 / ATOK 313 / CH543 / StJ / R127 / ELW715 / GC(II)512 Longing for light we wait in darkness (Christ be our light) (Farrell). This song is just excellent.
Traditional: Keep your lamp trimmed and burning Bob Franke has an excellent post on this song here including a great recording of Willie Johnson playing and singing this old song.