Acts 4:5-12
Christ the cornerstone, through which healing and salvation come - you could really sing just about any hymn to this passage!
*NCH387 / HPSS443 / GC(II)646 / CP524 O Christ the great foundation (Lew) Excellent words of salvation and justice from Timothy Tingfang Lew, sung to the tune of "The church's one foundation" (AURELIA). There is a second possible tune (ABREU), which is more challenging. Lyrics. Note that the translation in the NCH is slightly different, and more inclusive.
TiS 457 / AHB 385 / NCH386 / CH739 / UMH545 / VU331 / LBW369 / ELW654 / HPP484 / HPSS442 / GC661 / CP525 / 82Hml-525 The Church's one foundation (AURELIA) This is not my favourite hymn, but I have listed it so you know that alternative lyrics are available that don’t have that image of bride and groom that really annoys me. Maybe it’s just me, anyway. The lyrics I prefer to sing are in NCH386. But really, I like “O Christ the great foundation” (above) much better.
ATE 213 I go to the rock (Rambo) This just has the chorus, which is slightly, but I think it still works OK. I didn't know there were verses until typing this; and I think I like it better without the verses! Good for kids. Lyrics. Dottie Rambo herself singing it!
G(3)767 Called by Christ (Duck) A lovely song with a joyous chorus that feels like a good one to build community. "Built on the bedrock". Lyrics and lead sheet. Sound sample.
*TiS 669 / GGives2 Well Jesus is the rock (Dyson) Fun song for kids. Good for kids Lyrics, melody line and chords.
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd. Again.
*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.
*MV126 Are you a shepherd? (Duck) Good and joyous. Lots of images of God: shepherd, teacher, mother, father. A catchy chorus. Good for kids.
*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.
*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. Good for kids.
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.
1 John 3:16-24
The importance of love and generous living.
*GtB God is love and love is giving (Langmead) A simple kids' song about God's love. A round. Good for kids. Sound sample.
*CH115 / MV089 / Iona (Love from Below) Love is the touch of intangible joy (Robertson / Bell) words of different kinds of love – deep friendship, romantic love (Love is the lilt in a lingering voice), and the love of God. Each verse ends with "God is where love is, for love is of God". Tune is simple enough for a congregation to sing first go, and it has gorgeous chords. Lyrics (loads a pdf).
*TiS 699 / AHB 571 / ATN 65 / WoV664 / GA318 / Srce35 A new commandment I give unto you (Westwood) Note that older sources do not have inclusive words, but more recent publications use "others" rather than "all men" to make it inclusive for all people.
UMH710 / VU580 / LBW500 / ELW812 / ELW813 / HPP505 / GC600 / GC(II)579 / RS 726 Faith of Our Fathers living still / A Living Faith (Faber) Good words and a simple, standard hymn tune. Words include fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers. Sound sample, lyrics and sheet music sample.
G(II)445 / GC629 / GC(II)608 God Is Love and all who live in love live in God (Haas) This is a nice cantor and refrain piece. The refrain is very simple and the cantor part is inclusive. The words are really good. Lyrics and lead sheet. Slow sound sample.
*TiS 657 / CH263 / VU700 / AA50 / CP(E) 447 / Cha656 God of freedom God of justice (Murray / Guthrie Foote) Powerful lyrics. Can be sung to either TREDEGAR (new, but not too hard) or PICARDY (very familiar). Lyrics and midi.
Taize / MV075 / StS079 / SFFS 2118 / GC(II)479 / SP99 / URW395 Holy Spirit Come to Us / Veni sancte spiritus / Tui amoris (Berthier) Good if you have a cantor, but works equally well if you don't. Sheet music, translations, sound samples.
*MV094 Love knocks and waits (Damon) Lovely words and a simple lilting melody. Groovy bossa nova mp3 sample here. I reckon I would play it faster for our congregation.
TiS 630 / AHB 554 The law of Christ alone can make us free Great words by Australian poet James McAuley. Lyrics are not gender inclusive for God. The tune may be tricky if not familiar, so you may need to introduce the melody to your congregation.
UMH592 / HPP548 / W&R555 / Cha470 When the Church of Jesus shuts its outer door (Pratt Green) Sung to tune KING'S WESTON, this hymn has strong words of reproach and mission. Could work as a confession, sending out, or offering song. Lyrics.
John 10:11-18
Christ as the good shepherd who gathers the flock
In addition to those suggested for Psalm 23 above, you could also sing:
*MV126 Are you a shepherd? (Duck) Good and joyous. Lots of images of God: shepherd, teacher, mother, father. A catchy chorus. Good for kids.
TiS 420 Holy Spirit go before us (Elizabeth Smith) Great words of evangelism and justice to a simple lilting melody. If you think your congregation can't cope with a new tune this week, it can be sung to AUSTRIA (TiS 93).
TiS 239 / AHB 185 / ATE 236 / NCH48 Jesus the Christ said "I am the bread" Note verse 4 “The one good shepherd of the sheep am I”. This simple Urdu song is quite good for kids. Some books have “Jesus the Lord said...” and some say "for mankind", but some change that to "for the world"
*TiS474 / 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”. Lyrics and sound sample.
Christ the cornerstone, through which healing and salvation come - you could really sing just about any hymn to this passage!
*NCH387 / HPSS443 / GC(II)646 / CP524 O Christ the great foundation (Lew) Excellent words of salvation and justice from Timothy Tingfang Lew, sung to the tune of "The church's one foundation" (AURELIA). There is a second possible tune (ABREU), which is more challenging. Lyrics. Note that the translation in the NCH is slightly different, and more inclusive.
TiS 457 / AHB 385 / NCH386 / CH739 / UMH545 / VU331 / LBW369 / ELW654 / HPP484 / HPSS442 / GC661 / CP525 / 82Hml-525 The Church's one foundation (AURELIA) This is not my favourite hymn, but I have listed it so you know that alternative lyrics are available that don’t have that image of bride and groom that really annoys me. Maybe it’s just me, anyway. The lyrics I prefer to sing are in NCH386. But really, I like “O Christ the great foundation” (above) much better.
ATE 213 I go to the rock (Rambo) This just has the chorus, which is slightly, but I think it still works OK. I didn't know there were verses until typing this; and I think I like it better without the verses! Good for kids. Lyrics. Dottie Rambo herself singing it!
G(3)767 Called by Christ (Duck) A lovely song with a joyous chorus that feels like a good one to build community. "Built on the bedrock". Lyrics and lead sheet. Sound sample.
*TiS 669 / GGives2 Well Jesus is the rock (Dyson) Fun song for kids. Good for kids Lyrics, melody line and chords.
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd. Again.
*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.
*MV126 Are you a shepherd? (Duck) Good and joyous. Lots of images of God: shepherd, teacher, mother, father. A catchy chorus. Good for kids.
*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.
*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. Good for kids.
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.
1 John 3:16-24
The importance of love and generous living.
*GtB God is love and love is giving (Langmead) A simple kids' song about God's love. A round. Good for kids. Sound sample.
*CH115 / MV089 / Iona (Love from Below) Love is the touch of intangible joy (Robertson / Bell) words of different kinds of love – deep friendship, romantic love (Love is the lilt in a lingering voice), and the love of God. Each verse ends with "God is where love is, for love is of God". Tune is simple enough for a congregation to sing first go, and it has gorgeous chords. Lyrics (loads a pdf).
*TiS 699 / AHB 571 / ATN 65 / WoV664 / GA318 / Srce35 A new commandment I give unto you (Westwood) Note that older sources do not have inclusive words, but more recent publications use "others" rather than "all men" to make it inclusive for all people.
UMH710 / VU580 / LBW500 / ELW812 / ELW813 / HPP505 / GC600 / GC(II)579 / RS 726 Faith of Our Fathers living still / A Living Faith (Faber) Good words and a simple, standard hymn tune. Words include fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers. Sound sample, lyrics and sheet music sample.
G(II)445 / GC629 / GC(II)608 God Is Love and all who live in love live in God (Haas) This is a nice cantor and refrain piece. The refrain is very simple and the cantor part is inclusive. The words are really good. Lyrics and lead sheet. Slow sound sample.
*TiS 657 / CH263 / VU700 / AA50 / CP(E) 447 / Cha656 God of freedom God of justice (Murray / Guthrie Foote) Powerful lyrics. Can be sung to either TREDEGAR (new, but not too hard) or PICARDY (very familiar). Lyrics and midi.
Taize / MV075 / StS079 / SFFS 2118 / GC(II)479 / SP99 / URW395 Holy Spirit Come to Us / Veni sancte spiritus / Tui amoris (Berthier) Good if you have a cantor, but works equally well if you don't. Sheet music, translations, sound samples.
*MV094 Love knocks and waits (Damon) Lovely words and a simple lilting melody. Groovy bossa nova mp3 sample here. I reckon I would play it faster for our congregation.
TiS 630 / AHB 554 The law of Christ alone can make us free Great words by Australian poet James McAuley. Lyrics are not gender inclusive for God. The tune may be tricky if not familiar, so you may need to introduce the melody to your congregation.
UMH592 / HPP548 / W&R555 / Cha470 When the Church of Jesus shuts its outer door (Pratt Green) Sung to tune KING'S WESTON, this hymn has strong words of reproach and mission. Could work as a confession, sending out, or offering song. Lyrics.
John 10:11-18
Christ as the good shepherd who gathers the flock
In addition to those suggested for Psalm 23 above, you could also sing:
*MV126 Are you a shepherd? (Duck) Good and joyous. Lots of images of God: shepherd, teacher, mother, father. A catchy chorus. Good for kids.
TiS 420 Holy Spirit go before us (Elizabeth Smith) Great words of evangelism and justice to a simple lilting melody. If you think your congregation can't cope with a new tune this week, it can be sung to AUSTRIA (TiS 93).
TiS 239 / AHB 185 / ATE 236 / NCH48 Jesus the Christ said "I am the bread" Note verse 4 “The one good shepherd of the sheep am I”. This simple Urdu song is quite good for kids. Some books have “Jesus the Lord said...” and some say "for mankind", but some change that to "for the world"
*TiS474 / 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”. Lyrics and sound sample.
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