Joel 2:23-32
Abundance after drought; The coming of the Spirit: prophecies, dreams, visions; salvation
Tune in A vision strong (Whelan) Anthemic rock song about being strong in vision and courage, including an optional verse about women's empowerment - "the victims of oppression call to us to sing their song". Lyrics, sound sample and songbook.
Tune In: Come O God and visit us sick we pray / Your abundant life (Brown) A joyful song "Lead us into your abundant life". Lyrics and sound sample.
Tune In: The desert will spring to life / Making things new (Anderson). A catchy pop song. Great for kids, and excellent imagery. Sound sample, lyrics and songbook.
Tune In: You in all our worries / All will finish well (Brown) “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.
Tune In: Alive in me Catchy boppy pop song about God's spirit within us and within the world. Music sample, sound sample and lyrics here.
TiS 421 Where the Spirit is there's freedom (Harling) Fun and good. Lyrics.
Iona (Common Ground) / CH257 Singing we gladly worship the Lord together (Traditional Guatemalan) This song has an energetic chorus with a great rhythm, and sings of us "sowing seeds of peace and love" in a troubled world.
TiS 547 / AHB 455 / AoV1-009 / NCH451 / CH465 / UMH451 / VU643 / WoV776 / ELW793 / HPP353 / HPSS339 / CP505 / CP(E) 386 / W&R502 / Cha595 / Srce70 / URW180 Be thou my vision O Lord of my heart (8th century Irish) Most recent hymnals are fairly inclusive in their language for this. Please note that the High King imagery is quite important in terms of Irish history. This has been changed in some hymnals because it is masculine, but the hymn is based on an ancient story of St. Patrick refusing to follow the High King Logaire, but choosing instead the "High King of Heaven". Probably worth telling this story to your congregation if you choose this song. Lyrics, tune and a little of the story.
NCH495 / HPP443 / HPSS343 / W&R581 Called as partners in Christ's service (Beecher) A good song of commitment - particularly good if you are commisioning people to new roles this week, and good for any other service too. Sung to a standard tune.
MV084 In you there is a refuge (Wehlander / Good) A simple quiet song. "In you there is a silence, in you our minds are clear. When all we hear is discord may your quiet draw us near".
TiS 672 / GA554 Lord of earth and all creation (Thwaites) A call for renewal of creation and all God's created people in Australia. Two possible tunes. The newer tune is very good, but if your congregation can't do a new tune this week, it can also be sung to WESTMINSTER ABBEY which is very well known. Lyrics (split by words of mission and blessing).
CP517 / W&R503 O God your constant care and love (Lanier) Quite good words about God's presence with us through our lives. Sung to a standard hymn tune. Lyrics and tune sample.
NCH263 / UMH539 O Spirit of the living God (Tweedy) Excellent words of hope for a church that needs to turn to God and do things right. The tune in NCH (ST MATTHEW) is not one I'm familiar with, but it's pretty straightforward. UMH uses FOREST GREEN which is much better konwn. Lyrics and sound sample.
NCH286 / ATE 218 / VU375 / WoV684 / ELW396 / HPP239 / W&R326 Spirit spirit of gentleness (Manley) Lovely, gentle song. Very easy to sing, but can get slow and ponderous if you're not careful. Lyrics and kind of odd sound sample.
Psalm 65
Deliverance, hope, God’s power over nature, rain and harvest
MV144 SP&P073 Like a healing stream (Harding) Gentle folksy ballad with a lot of water imagery - healing stream, gentle rain, river strong and mighty sea. Would need to be introduced, but would catch on pretty quickly, I think. Sound sample, sheet music sample, and pdf for purchase.
TiS 119 / AHB 40 / NCH012 / UMH152 / VU231 / HPP39 / PH288 / W&R31 / Cha064 I sing the almighty power of God (Watts) Note that most versions of this are not inclusive, with the exception of NCH and Chalice. I prefer to sing this to ELLACOMBE.
MV163 River running in you and me (Macdonald / Light) Terrific words with lots of river imagery, a song of the spirit, and of challenge when times are hard. If this is not familiar, just get a soloist to sing it while the congregation joins in the last line "River run deep, river run free". The verses are not metrical, so it will take more time to sing them with confidence.
CH227 The earth is yours O God (Saward) A simple hymn paraphrase of the Psalm. To the tune ROSSLEIGH.
TiS 100 / AHB 3 / NCH17 / CH147 / UMH62 / VU217 / LBW527 / ELW835 / GA395 / HPP261 / HPSS455 / GC534 / GC(II)523 / RS 670 / CP(E) / 250 / W&R23 / Cha022 All creatures of our God and King (Francis of Assissi) A good classic sing! Hymnals vary in how inclusive (or not) the lyrics are. Using only Alleluia Alleluia, eliminates the "Oh praise him" which makes it annoying male exclusive. Also "Sing your praises" can be used instead of "Oh praise him". NCH has "To you, O God, all creatures sing" and eliminates all kingly language. ELW has "All creatures worship God most high". Lyrics and sound sample.
Emergent Psalter The fields are clothed with grain (Everett) A good quality sung refrain. The author also suggests using this Psalm as a grace. Nice idea. Sheet music sample (refrain only).
TiS 474 / AoV1-012 / ATE 295 / CH623 / SFFS 2236 / HPP553 / G(II)539 / GC839 / GC(II)743 / CP465 / W&R649 / Cha284 / URW054 / SP175 Here in this place new light is streaming / Gather us in (Haugen) Excellent and very well known. Sample.
TiS 690 / CH259 / StS115 Beauty for brokenness hope for despair (Kendrick) Themes of healing from personal and universal suffering and a rousing chorus. Lyrics.
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.
Alternate readings: Sirach 35:12-17 or Jeremiah 14:7-10, 19-22 and Psalm 84:1-7
For Psalm 84, see Proper 16B.
2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18
Timothy finishes up and everyone has deserted him, but he's still pretty upbeat because God will rescue him.
TiS 643 / UMH206 / StJ / WoV649 / ELW815 / G(II)352 / GC508 / GC(II)513 / W&R248 I want to walk as a child of the light (Thomerson) An old-style favourite. Lyrics here. Sound sample.
TiS 411 / AHB 328 / NCH266 / UMH537 / VU194 / CP658 / CP(E) 425 / W&R331 Filled with the Spirit's power Excellent inclusive words to a very well known hymn tune.
TiS 586 / AHB 502 / AoV2-128 / NCH99 / CH580 / UMH700 / VU436 / LBW272 / ELW629 / CP024 / CP(E) 10 / W&R521 / Cha636 / Srce2 Abide with me; fast falls the eventide (Lyte) I'm not a big fan of this old hymn, but it is very meaningful to those who are feeling alone, and are seeking God's strength, particularly older people. Most versions are not inclusive, with NCH, AoV and VU providing good, more modern and inclusive versions. Doesn't have to be sung in the evening. Lyrics and sound sample.
Luke 18:9-14
The proud pharisee and the humble and contrite tax collector.
TiS 681 Lord let me see see more and more (Langmead) An excellent song - kind of long with 5 verses, but very simple lyrics on some quite tricky themes. The tune is very natural to sing as well. Free sheet music. Conditions of use and more songs by Ross Langmead.
MV127 I saw the rich ones (Mayberry) This is simple to sing and a great song for kids “But with God the world is turned upside down. The poor are embraced and the lost they are found. Let’s work for a world where all people are free. Where it’s good to feel good about God loving you and me”.
TiS 474 / AoV1-012 / ATE 295 / CH623 / SFFS 2236 / HPP553 / G(II)539 / GC839 / GC(II)743 / CP465 / W&R649 / Cha284 / URW054 / SP175 Here in this place new light is streaming / Gather us in (Haugen) Excellent and very well known. Sample.
W&R383 If My People’s Hearts Are Humbled (Cloniger) This song is a new one to me, but the lyrics are good, and it is sung to either ODE TO JOY or LOVE DIVINE, both very well known tunes, so easy to use even if new. Lyrics.
TiS 728 Jesuchristo Reina reina ya! A fun Latin American song. It's particularly fun if someone is brave enough to yell out a "call" at the start of each verse.
PH390 O Savior in This Quiet Place (Pratt Green) Honest, open words of coming to God in prayer. Traditional, and simple hymn tune.
Liturgy for the Whole Church p174 The tax collector and the pharisee (Bock) A dramatic reading for two people.
A Kyrie would also fit very well with this reading.
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