Exodus 32:1-14
The Golden Calf. Who brought the Israelites out of Egypt? A cow? Moses? God?
*Taize / MV016 / StJ / R180 / ELW528 / GA430 / SFFS 2157 / HPP410 / G(II)398 / GC570 / GC(II)550 / RS710 / CP402 / URW378 Come and Fill our hearts/ Confitemini Domino (Taize) Can be sun in English as "Come and fill our hearts with your peace, you alone O God are holy. Come and fill our hearts with your peace, Alleluia". A good song of recommitment. Sound samples and sheet music.
*Tune In / NCYC '07: Forgive us now (Brown) I think I’ve been suggesting this one a lot lately, but it also fits well with this reading “Forgive us now, O mother love for all the idols we have built, For all the time we’ve worshipped there in company of dark despair. Forgive us mother of all hope”. Lyrics, sound sample, and songbook.
Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23
See above and...
NCH Psalter: Psalm 106 “Remember me O God, when you show favour to your people”. A like the NCH Psalter a lot because its Psalms are inclusive and the refrains, like this one, are simple.
*Iona (Sent By the Lord) / MV066 Senzenina? / What have we done? (South African) A good song for confession. If you have some part-singers in your congregation, this would be particularly good. It's good to let people ask this question. It is also on the soundtrack for "The Power of One" so you could also play the recorded music if appropriate. Free sheet music (loads a pdf).
*MV007 Gather us in ground us in you (Hann) A simple chant which would be great for an invitation to worship.
*UMH729 / VU682 / LBW161 / WoV762 ELW627 / HPSS450 / CP573 / W&R539 / Cha711 / URW140 / 82Hml-597 O day of peace that dimly shines (Daw) A song of hoped-for peace. The tune in Chalice hymnal is really nice (CANDLER) or O WALY WALY which is used in URW. Other sources use JERUSALEM, which is a bit too militaristic for me. Lyrics and JERUSALEM sample
*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.
AA150 Whakatau mai te Atua Mona Rona Riini Hoki Tawa I don't have this book, or know this Maori song, but if you've got the book, have a look and tell me if it's good!
Alternative Hebrew Scripture: Isaiah 25:1-9
*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.
*AoV1-012 / ATE 295 / CH623 / SFFS 2236 / HPP553 / G(II)539 / GC839 / GC(II)743 / CP465 / W&R649 / Cha284 / SP175 / URW054 Here in this place new light is streaming / Gather us in (Haugen). Excellent words, very well known. “Nourish us well and teach us to fashion lives that are holy and hearts that are true”
*TiS 545 / Iona (LFB) / CH676 / VU482 Shout for joy! The Lord has let us feast. A very joyous communion song. Lyrics
Alternative Psalm for the Isaiah reading: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd. Again.
*Tune In: Like the sun upon my skin / God’s Mercy A beautiful ballad about identifying God's mercy in the beauty of creation. Lyrics, sound sample and songbook available here.
*Tune In: The God that I know. A ballad drawing on God’s strength and comfort; not easy if unfamiliar. Lyrics and sample available here.
*NCYC2007 Lead me on (Gioia) A pretty cool gospel rock song from the NCYC before last.
*TiS 10 / AHB 16 / AoV1-144 / NCH479 / Iona (Common Ground) / CH14/16 / UMH136 / VU747/8 / StS099 / LBW451 / ELW778 / GA473 / HPP55 / HPSS170 / CP519 / CP(E) 594 / W&R86 / Cha0789 / Srce662 The Lord's my Shepherd I'll not want / God is my shepherd It's not inclusive, but I think it's more than a sentimental favourite. Good to sing to a different tune every now and then, e.g. Brother James' Air. NCH, VU and Chalice all have an inclusive language version. You know, we've only sung this twice at Brunswick in the last 5 years.
*Recorded Music 23rd Psalm (Bobby McFerrin) A beautiful feminine rendering of the Psalm. From the album Medicine Man. Listen to it here on Youtube. Gave people some challenging images of God last year when we played it. If you'd like to sing it, it's also in the Unitarian Universalist book "Singing the Journey" and "Music for Liturgy" from St. Gregory of Nyssa.
*Recorded music I am your true shepherd (Meet me in the middle of the air) - Paul Kelly. A beautiful song mainly based on Psalm 23 except for that "middle of the air" bit. Listen to a nice a cappella rendition here. Lyrics. It's on Paul Kelly's 2005 album "Foggy Highway".
*ATN 84 / NCH490 / CH539 / UMH521 / LBW660 / WoV660 / ELW325 / HPP433 / HPSS363 / CP512 / W&R506 / Cha627 / ZSS69 / URW110 I want Jesus to walk with me An excellent simple song. There are also many good recordings of this song. A few years ago we listened to an Eric Bibb recording of this song (from his album Roadworks) during the distribution of communion. I think it worked very well.
TiS 233 / AHB 173 I will sing the wondrous story A good old fashioned sing (HYFRYDOL). Note that it uses masculine language for Christ, which may bother some. “I was lost but Jesus found me, found the sheep that went astray, raised me up and gently led me back into the narrow way”.
AoV1-033 / WoV690 / ELW423 / SFFS 2058 / G(II)29 / GC31 / GC(II)23 Shepherd Me O God (Haugen) A nice reworking of the 23rd Psalm. The chant could also be used on its own: “Shepherd me O God beyond my wants, beyond my fears, from death into life”. Sheet music, lyrics and a fairly unhelpful sound sample here.
G(II)458 / GC654 / GC(II)628 With a Shepherd's Care (Chepponis) Very nice words with feminine and masculine images for God. Would be very straightforward to sing. Painfully slow sound sample, lyrics and sheet music sample here.
*CH355 / VU210 / HPP81 / GC(II)525 / RS699 / CP630 You Lord Are Both Lamb and Shepherd (Dunstan) Beautiful words. Can be sung to many tunes. I like it to PICARDY or WESTMINSTER ABBEY. Sound sample, lyrics and sheet music sample here.
*Taize / CP563 In God alone my soul can find rest and peace / Mon Ame Se Repose (Berthier) A very beautiful chant from Taize. Music and sound samples for practice here.
FFS39 It all depends on where I'm going (Gibson) Good words of God's constant presence through all of life's travels, sung to a simple Celtic-style tune (TE HORO). Full music and lyrics here.
*CH716 / VU374 / FFS10 / SFFS 2128 / W&R477 / Cha575 Come and find the quiet centre (Murray) A good song for the beginning of worship. I would prefer to sing this to one of the more traditional melodies offered (Tune 1 in FFS) or BEACH SPRING (TiS 493).
*W&R655 / URW202 Come Away from Rush and Hurry (Dawn) Excellent words of resting in a sacred space to the familiar tune BEACH SPRING (TiS 493).
*Cha734 (I) / URW244 My shepherd you supply my need and holy is your name Responsive psalm with sung refrain to the tune of the first line of Brother James' Air.
Here in this place Breathe in the morning air (Wiltshire) Lovely words for a soloist to sing at the start of a morning service to welcome the congregation. Sung to LOVE UNKNOWN. Free sheet music.
Philippians 4:1-9
This reading has about a thousand different significant theological concepts in it, so I have listed only some possible songs that may not be obvious choices...
*Sound the Bamboo 289 / Sing with the World Now I know / Ey lou nis A beautiful and very simple call and response benediction from Cambodia. “Now I know by God’s own grace all of you are the children of God. So with hope go out in peace, bring good news to all people on earth." A sample in Khmer here.
GC(II)719 Let your gentleness be known / The Peace of God. A quite lovely song that picks up the images of purity without being overly pious. “Let your gentleness be known so that all may know the Lord is near. Do not worry, do not worry. Reach out to God in prayer” Sample sheet music and a fairly tacky sound sample here (look up Gather Comp. 2, number 719). It’s much better than it sounds in the sample.
ATW 485 Praying in the morning Good song for kids about praying all the time.
TiS 596 / AHB 515 Fill my whole life O Lord my God (Bonar) An older style hymn with 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".
NCH55 / NCH71 / UMH160 / LBW171 / ELW430 Rejoice you pure in heart (Plumptre) A good solid joyful hymn. I prefer it sung to MARION – somehow it’s easier.
*Taize / AoV2-109 / CH772 / GA429 / SFFS 2195 / G(II)396 / GC566 / GC(II)546 / SP128 / W&R448 / URW381 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.
*Taize / TiS 739 / AoV2-041 / ATOK 404 / VU290 / GA269 / SFFS 2054 / G(II)451 / GC639 / GC(II)626 / CP568 / W&R421 / URW388 Nothing Can Trouble / Nada te turbe (Berthier) Excellent and quite well known Taize chant. Spanish lyrics are not too hard for non-Spanish speakers. Sheet music, sound samples, lyrics and translations.
*Iona (Many & Great, There is One Among Us) /MV99 / GC(II)673 Stand O Stand Firm (Cameroon) I love having an excuse to sing this simple song from Cameroon. Very easy for your congregation. You can make up cantor parts too “Oh my sisters…. Oh my brothers… Oh my children….” or you can name countries you are praying for in your intercessions. Good for kids. Free sheet music.
Here in this place May we love goodness and give praise (Wiltshire) Lovely words for the end of the service. Sung to the tune OMBERSLEY, but will also work with TALLIS CAROL. Download songbook for free here.
Matthew 22:1-14
Who will come to the wedding banquet? God invites everyone!
*Tune In / NCYC 2009: God has laid a feasting table / Invitation (Whelan). Feminine imagery of God gathering her guests to a feasting table. Fun Cuban rhythm. Sample and songbook here.
*MV 145 / CP418 Draw the circle wide (Light) A great song about welcoming all people. Lyrics (downloads a Word document).
TiS 259 / NCH201 / Iona (LFB) Among us and before us Lord you stand Good if you are celebrating communion this week. The tune is simple and the words provide a fully inclusive welcome “Who dare say No, when such is your request that each around your table should be guest?”
*AoV1-012 / ATE 295 / CH623 / SFFS 2236 / HPP553 / G(II)539 / GC839 / GC(II)743 / CP465 / W&R649 / Cha284 / SP175 / URW054 Here in this place new light is streaming / Gather us in (Haugen). Excellent words, very well known. “Nourish us well and teach us to fashion lives that are holy and hearts that are true”
AoV1-071 / GC(II)742 Gather Your People (Hurd) Excellent words and eucharistic theology. Good if you are celebrating communion this week. Lyrics, sheet music and sound sample.
*ATA 138 I cannot come to the banquet / The wedding banquet This song from the Medical Mission Sisters lists all the excuses (I have married a wife! I have bought me a cow!). Lyrics and CD.
*ATW 475 / NCYC'01 / SP&P008 Come to the banquet there’s a place for you. An excellent song by Melbourne singer and songwriter Faye White. "Though you maybe have no money, though you maybe feel unworthy, in your strength and in your weakness you are welcome, come."
*AoV2-020 Come to the feast of Heaven and Earth / Table of Plenty (Schutte) “God will provide for all that you need, here at the table of plenty”. I love this song. It’s very straightforward and has excellent words.
*ATOK 351 You won't get a letter in the post (Mann) A bit silly with the spelling out the chorus bit, but you could have a lot of fun with it, especially if you have kids in your congregation. Lyrics here and mp3 sample here.
*TiS 544 / AHB 88 / Iona Since the world was young there’s a song that’s been sung / God’s Table. I wish this song wasn’t exclusively masculine for God. “God has a table, and he calls his friends to a feast that never ends. God has a table, and one day we’ll meet him there”. The tune is great though and the images are excellent, so I just sing it as it is, and try to balance it out elsewhere in the service. It’s very awkward to change it.
The Golden Calf. Who brought the Israelites out of Egypt? A cow? Moses? God?
*Taize / MV016 / StJ / R180 / ELW528 / GA430 / SFFS 2157 / HPP410 / G(II)398 / GC570 / GC(II)550 / RS710 / CP402 / URW378 Come and Fill our hearts/ Confitemini Domino (Taize) Can be sun in English as "Come and fill our hearts with your peace, you alone O God are holy. Come and fill our hearts with your peace, Alleluia". A good song of recommitment. Sound samples and sheet music.
*Tune In / NCYC '07: Forgive us now (Brown) I think I’ve been suggesting this one a lot lately, but it also fits well with this reading “Forgive us now, O mother love for all the idols we have built, For all the time we’ve worshipped there in company of dark despair. Forgive us mother of all hope”. Lyrics, sound sample, and songbook.
Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23
See above and...
NCH Psalter: Psalm 106 “Remember me O God, when you show favour to your people”. A like the NCH Psalter a lot because its Psalms are inclusive and the refrains, like this one, are simple.
*Iona (Sent By the Lord) / MV066 Senzenina? / What have we done? (South African) A good song for confession. If you have some part-singers in your congregation, this would be particularly good. It's good to let people ask this question. It is also on the soundtrack for "The Power of One" so you could also play the recorded music if appropriate. Free sheet music (loads a pdf).
*MV007 Gather us in ground us in you (Hann) A simple chant which would be great for an invitation to worship.
*UMH729 / VU682 / LBW161 / WoV762 ELW627 / HPSS450 / CP573 / W&R539 / Cha711 / URW140 / 82Hml-597 O day of peace that dimly shines (Daw) A song of hoped-for peace. The tune in Chalice hymnal is really nice (CANDLER) or O WALY WALY which is used in URW. Other sources use JERUSALEM, which is a bit too militaristic for me. Lyrics and JERUSALEM sample
*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.
AA150 Whakatau mai te Atua Mona Rona Riini Hoki Tawa I don't have this book, or know this Maori song, but if you've got the book, have a look and tell me if it's good!
Alternative Hebrew Scripture: Isaiah 25:1-9
*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.
*AoV1-012 / ATE 295 / CH623 / SFFS 2236 / HPP553 / G(II)539 / GC839 / GC(II)743 / CP465 / W&R649 / Cha284 / SP175 / URW054 Here in this place new light is streaming / Gather us in (Haugen). Excellent words, very well known. “Nourish us well and teach us to fashion lives that are holy and hearts that are true”
*TiS 545 / Iona (LFB) / CH676 / VU482 Shout for joy! The Lord has let us feast. A very joyous communion song. Lyrics
Alternative Psalm for the Isaiah reading: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd. Again.
*Tune In: Like the sun upon my skin / God’s Mercy A beautiful ballad about identifying God's mercy in the beauty of creation. Lyrics, sound sample and songbook available here.
*Tune In: The God that I know. A ballad drawing on God’s strength and comfort; not easy if unfamiliar. Lyrics and sample available here.
*NCYC2007 Lead me on (Gioia) A pretty cool gospel rock song from the NCYC before last.
*TiS 10 / AHB 16 / AoV1-144 / NCH479 / Iona (Common Ground) / CH14/16 / UMH136 / VU747/8 / StS099 / LBW451 / ELW778 / GA473 / HPP55 / HPSS170 / CP519 / CP(E) 594 / W&R86 / Cha0789 / Srce662 The Lord's my Shepherd I'll not want / God is my shepherd It's not inclusive, but I think it's more than a sentimental favourite. Good to sing to a different tune every now and then, e.g. Brother James' Air. NCH, VU and Chalice all have an inclusive language version. You know, we've only sung this twice at Brunswick in the last 5 years.
*Recorded Music 23rd Psalm (Bobby McFerrin) A beautiful feminine rendering of the Psalm. From the album Medicine Man. Listen to it here on Youtube. Gave people some challenging images of God last year when we played it. If you'd like to sing it, it's also in the Unitarian Universalist book "Singing the Journey" and "Music for Liturgy" from St. Gregory of Nyssa.
*Recorded music I am your true shepherd (Meet me in the middle of the air) - Paul Kelly. A beautiful song mainly based on Psalm 23 except for that "middle of the air" bit. Listen to a nice a cappella rendition here. Lyrics. It's on Paul Kelly's 2005 album "Foggy Highway".
*ATN 84 / NCH490 / CH539 / UMH521 / LBW660 / WoV660 / ELW325 / HPP433 / HPSS363 / CP512 / W&R506 / Cha627 / ZSS69 / URW110 I want Jesus to walk with me An excellent simple song. There are also many good recordings of this song. A few years ago we listened to an Eric Bibb recording of this song (from his album Roadworks) during the distribution of communion. I think it worked very well.
TiS 233 / AHB 173 I will sing the wondrous story A good old fashioned sing (HYFRYDOL). Note that it uses masculine language for Christ, which may bother some. “I was lost but Jesus found me, found the sheep that went astray, raised me up and gently led me back into the narrow way”.
AoV1-033 / WoV690 / ELW423 / SFFS 2058 / G(II)29 / GC31 / GC(II)23 Shepherd Me O God (Haugen) A nice reworking of the 23rd Psalm. The chant could also be used on its own: “Shepherd me O God beyond my wants, beyond my fears, from death into life”. Sheet music, lyrics and a fairly unhelpful sound sample here.
G(II)458 / GC654 / GC(II)628 With a Shepherd's Care (Chepponis) Very nice words with feminine and masculine images for God. Would be very straightforward to sing. Painfully slow sound sample, lyrics and sheet music sample here.
*CH355 / VU210 / HPP81 / GC(II)525 / RS699 / CP630 You Lord Are Both Lamb and Shepherd (Dunstan) Beautiful words. Can be sung to many tunes. I like it to PICARDY or WESTMINSTER ABBEY. Sound sample, lyrics and sheet music sample here.
*Taize / CP563 In God alone my soul can find rest and peace / Mon Ame Se Repose (Berthier) A very beautiful chant from Taize. Music and sound samples for practice here.
FFS39 It all depends on where I'm going (Gibson) Good words of God's constant presence through all of life's travels, sung to a simple Celtic-style tune (TE HORO). Full music and lyrics here.
*CH716 / VU374 / FFS10 / SFFS 2128 / W&R477 / Cha575 Come and find the quiet centre (Murray) A good song for the beginning of worship. I would prefer to sing this to one of the more traditional melodies offered (Tune 1 in FFS) or BEACH SPRING (TiS 493).
*W&R655 / URW202 Come Away from Rush and Hurry (Dawn) Excellent words of resting in a sacred space to the familiar tune BEACH SPRING (TiS 493).
*Cha734 (I) / URW244 My shepherd you supply my need and holy is your name Responsive psalm with sung refrain to the tune of the first line of Brother James' Air.
Here in this place Breathe in the morning air (Wiltshire) Lovely words for a soloist to sing at the start of a morning service to welcome the congregation. Sung to LOVE UNKNOWN. Free sheet music.
Philippians 4:1-9
This reading has about a thousand different significant theological concepts in it, so I have listed only some possible songs that may not be obvious choices...
*Sound the Bamboo 289 / Sing with the World Now I know / Ey lou nis A beautiful and very simple call and response benediction from Cambodia. “Now I know by God’s own grace all of you are the children of God. So with hope go out in peace, bring good news to all people on earth." A sample in Khmer here.
GC(II)719 Let your gentleness be known / The Peace of God. A quite lovely song that picks up the images of purity without being overly pious. “Let your gentleness be known so that all may know the Lord is near. Do not worry, do not worry. Reach out to God in prayer” Sample sheet music and a fairly tacky sound sample here (look up Gather Comp. 2, number 719). It’s much better than it sounds in the sample.
ATW 485 Praying in the morning Good song for kids about praying all the time.
TiS 596 / AHB 515 Fill my whole life O Lord my God (Bonar) An older style hymn with 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".
NCH55 / NCH71 / UMH160 / LBW171 / ELW430 Rejoice you pure in heart (Plumptre) A good solid joyful hymn. I prefer it sung to MARION – somehow it’s easier.
*Taize / AoV2-109 / CH772 / GA429 / SFFS 2195 / G(II)396 / GC566 / GC(II)546 / SP128 / W&R448 / URW381 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.
*Taize / TiS 739 / AoV2-041 / ATOK 404 / VU290 / GA269 / SFFS 2054 / G(II)451 / GC639 / GC(II)626 / CP568 / W&R421 / URW388 Nothing Can Trouble / Nada te turbe (Berthier) Excellent and quite well known Taize chant. Spanish lyrics are not too hard for non-Spanish speakers. Sheet music, sound samples, lyrics and translations.
*Iona (Many & Great, There is One Among Us) /MV99 / GC(II)673 Stand O Stand Firm (Cameroon) I love having an excuse to sing this simple song from Cameroon. Very easy for your congregation. You can make up cantor parts too “Oh my sisters…. Oh my brothers… Oh my children….” or you can name countries you are praying for in your intercessions. Good for kids. Free sheet music.
Here in this place May we love goodness and give praise (Wiltshire) Lovely words for the end of the service. Sung to the tune OMBERSLEY, but will also work with TALLIS CAROL. Download songbook for free here.
Matthew 22:1-14
Who will come to the wedding banquet? God invites everyone!
*Tune In / NCYC 2009: God has laid a feasting table / Invitation (Whelan). Feminine imagery of God gathering her guests to a feasting table. Fun Cuban rhythm. Sample and songbook here.
*MV 145 / CP418 Draw the circle wide (Light) A great song about welcoming all people. Lyrics (downloads a Word document).
TiS 259 / NCH201 / Iona (LFB) Among us and before us Lord you stand Good if you are celebrating communion this week. The tune is simple and the words provide a fully inclusive welcome “Who dare say No, when such is your request that each around your table should be guest?”
*AoV1-012 / ATE 295 / CH623 / SFFS 2236 / HPP553 / G(II)539 / GC839 / GC(II)743 / CP465 / W&R649 / Cha284 / SP175 / URW054 Here in this place new light is streaming / Gather us in (Haugen). Excellent words, very well known. “Nourish us well and teach us to fashion lives that are holy and hearts that are true”
AoV1-071 / GC(II)742 Gather Your People (Hurd) Excellent words and eucharistic theology. Good if you are celebrating communion this week. Lyrics, sheet music and sound sample.
*ATA 138 I cannot come to the banquet / The wedding banquet This song from the Medical Mission Sisters lists all the excuses (I have married a wife! I have bought me a cow!). Lyrics and CD.
*ATW 475 / NCYC'01 / SP&P008 Come to the banquet there’s a place for you. An excellent song by Melbourne singer and songwriter Faye White. "Though you maybe have no money, though you maybe feel unworthy, in your strength and in your weakness you are welcome, come."
*AoV2-020 Come to the feast of Heaven and Earth / Table of Plenty (Schutte) “God will provide for all that you need, here at the table of plenty”. I love this song. It’s very straightforward and has excellent words.
*ATOK 351 You won't get a letter in the post (Mann) A bit silly with the spelling out the chorus bit, but you could have a lot of fun with it, especially if you have kids in your congregation. Lyrics here and mp3 sample here.
*TiS 544 / AHB 88 / Iona Since the world was young there’s a song that’s been sung / God’s Table. I wish this song wasn’t exclusively masculine for God. “God has a table, and he calls his friends to a feast that never ends. God has a table, and one day we’ll meet him there”. The tune is great though and the images are excellent, so I just sing it as it is, and try to balance it out elsewhere in the service. It’s very awkward to change it.
2 comments:
MT Winter of the Medical Mission Sisters has rewritten her popular song the Wedding Banquet with inclusive lyrics. Those are found in the book Songlines.
"Come to the Banquet" by Faye White is also available in the 2009 "Sing! Prayer and Praise" from The Pilgrim Press (United Church of Christ), hymn No. 8
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