Season of Creation 1B - Planet Earth Sunday (1 Sept 2024)

Genesis 1:1-25
God creates the physical universe. The central character is Earth. Earth waits beneath the waters below and at God’s summons, emerges from the waters like a child at birth and then, at God’s command, brings forth all the fauna and flora on our planet. 

• SFFS 2059 I Am Your Mother. Do not neglect me! (Shirley Erena Murray) Great words about the earth as our mother and the need to care for her. Lyrics and sheet music.
• Online Resource Can Weeping for our Planet be Enough (Adam Tice / Sally Ann Morris) Powerful words calling us to action, rather than just lamenting the destruction around us. Contemporary tune which will need to be taught. Sheet music, lyrics sample, and purchasing options. 
• Online Resource Wake O My Soul to Earth and Sea and Sky (Pat Mayberry) A lovely new hymn with a rousing chorus. It would fit for many services during Season of Creation. Sheet music. 
• VU297 All praise to you O God of all creation (Omer Westendorf) Good words of God's role in creation and our role to care for it. Sung to the familiar tune FINLANDIA. Lyrics. New words to old tunes.
• CH809 Praise God the Source of life and birth (Ruth Duck) Excellent inclusive doxology which can be sung instead of "Praise God from whom all blessings flow" to Old Hundredth. Highly recommended! Lyrics. New words to old tunes.
• CH242 Is this the way you made the world (Douglas Gay) Wow! This song has a great tune, and wonderful wondering words. Highly recommended. Sound sample.
• URW155 Earth and all who breathe (Ruth Duck) Excellent words about care for creation, our role as stewards of the earth, and the struggle against destructive progress. Sung to the familiar tune ICH HALTE TREULICH STILL. Lyrics and sheet music. New words to old tunes.
• AHB 329 / VU200 / GC462 / GC(II)475 / G(3)551 / CP638 / 82Hml-501 O Holy Spirit by whose breath (Rabanus Maurus) Quite nice hymn from around 800 ACE guys! It varies in translation and inclusivity in all hymnals. I would sing this to DUKE STREET. Lyrics.  New words to old tunes.
• STB269 God of the galaxies spinning in space (Shirley Murray) Excellent words about our beautiful creation, and our call to care for it. Chorus is "Let us care for your garden and honour the earth". It has 5 verses, so get the congregation to join in as they learn it. Lyrics.
  
• STB257 Green the wild fields (I-to Loh) This Taiwanese song reflects on the way we devastate creation and seeks repentance and better behaviour. The English translation could be better, but I quite like it.
• AA126 / STB222 / StF396 Spirit who broods (Shirley Murray) Good repetitive words, to a soothing Taiwanese tune (in STB) or a lilting waltz (in StF). Lyrics and sheet music.
  
• TiS 157 / AHB 103 / CH246 / A&M547 / PH297 / CP411 / CP(E) 263 O Lord of every shining constellation / Great God of every shining constellation (Albert Bayly) Great words; the tune in the Australian hymnals (NORTHBROOK) is a little tricky. Note that AHB is masculine for all people, so look up other sources for inclusive language. Lyrics.
• NCH057 / VU379 / WoV688 / LBW459 / ELW399 / SFFS 2121 / CP(E) 188 / Cha251 / URW079 / VF055 O Holy Spirit root of life (Jean Janzen) Good words of "Holy Spirit","Eternal Vigour" and "Holy Wisdom". I like the phrase "encompass us with wings unfurled". Simple known tune (PUER NOBIS). Lyrics. New words to old tunes.
• Seeds of Faith Breath of Life (a creation story) (Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan) A simple chant, with a narration of the creation story. The chant could be used on its own, but the creation story is also very beautiful. “Breath of life, breathe in me, you have created all I see… you have created even me”. Sound sample. Good for kids.
• TiS 447 / AHB 61 / CH112 / VU313 / LBW400 / ELW673 / A&M810 / CP560 / CP(E) 267 / 82Hml-371 / Lau887 / StF106 / MP699 God whose almighty word / Lord your almighty word chaos and darkness heard / Thou, whose almighty word (John Marriott) A good hymny hymn, very familiar, with the memorable “Let there be light” line at the end of each verse. TiS lyrics are fairly inclusive, but VU is better. Lyric video. Oldy-but-a-goody. 
• StF109 In the darkness of the still night (Margaret Rizza) Good words connecting God's creative love with our own lives and concerns. The tune is gentle, but not simple. I suggest encouraging the congregation to join in on the line "Creator God you are there" during the verses for the first time it is used (but let them know that the tune is a little bit different in the middle of the verse, compared to the end of the verse). Sound sample.
  
• NCH462 / UMH109 / VU265 / WoV757 / ELW684 / HPSS134 / GC580 / RS711 / CP410 / W&R32 / Cha335 / URW067 / 82Hml-384 Creating God Your Fingers Trace (Jeffery Rowthorn) A good Trinitarian hymn about Creating, Sustaining and Redeeming God. There are many possible tunes. I like the Presence tune better. Lyrics and sheet music. 
• VU282 Long before the night was born (Carolyn McDade) This is a beautiful creation song; wonderful imagery of feminine God loving the world into being. The tune is not familiar, and a little tricky, so best to get your musicians to start the song, and ask the congregation to join in as they become comfortable. Lyric video.
  
• TiS 418 / AoV2-075 / Iona (EoA, Common Ground) / CH593 / GA372 / A&M259 / Cha255 / SP94 / URW165 / StF393 / Lau305 She sits like a bird brooding on the waters (John Bell) My favourite Holy Spirit song. Beautiful words and very easy to sing, provided it is not played too quickly The Iona recordings are generally very quick, but there are a lot of words to fit in, so keep it elegantly moderate in speed! Lyrics and sound sample.   
• SP&P118 Imago Dei (Jill Kirsten Warner) This energetic song has a simple groovy chorus about being made in God's image, and good verses about what that might mean. Sound sample. Good for kids.
• CP256 Yours the hand that made creation (Elliot Rose) Excellent words. 
• TiS 156 / AHB 91 / AoV1-135 / ATA 123 / CH212 / UMH145 / VU409 / ELW556 / GA537 / A&M545 / HPP267 / GtG664 / PH469 / G(II)546 / GC756 / GC(II)748 / G(3)855 / CP003 / W&R35 / Cha053 / URW186 / 82Hml-008 / StF136 / Lau671 / MP467 Morning has broken (Ellen Farjeon) This song makes me smile every time. Here's Yusuf Islam (when he was Cat Stevens) in 1976 (love those green boots).Oldy-but-a-goody.
• SSSL31 (Songs from the Still Strange Land) From the beginning / Let the light shine (Neil Quintrell / Doug Simper) Good song, tricky accompaniment, but once you get it it's okay. Will need to be taught to most congregations, or could be presented by the musicians at some point in the service.
• TiS 135 / AHB 70 / AoVK-110 / NCH31 / A&M533 / CH137 / UMH147 / VU291 / WoV767 / HPP35 / PH267 / GtG020 / CP415/6 / CP(E) 251 / W&R30 / Cha061 / Srce21 / StF100 / Lau685 / MP023 All things bright and beautiful (Cecil Frances Alexander) The TiS version has beautiful Australian imagery. If you are in Australia and your congregation only has the AHB or other versions of the music, it is worth making copies of the TiS lyrics; the congregation will know the tune. Verse 2 and 5 have masculine language for God. Lyrics & story.Oldy-but-a-goody.
• ATW 469 Wind is moving on the waters (Gerry Holmes) Nice earthy round. Very simple. Good for kids.
• CH144 I love the sun it shines on me (Gwen Smith) Very simple kid's song, that somehow avoids being tacky despite being really really simple. Little kids would especially like this. Lyrics. Good for kids.
• Online Resource Let There Be Light (Bruce Harding) A simple Taize-style chant "God said let there be light, and there was light, and there was light". Sheet music.
• NCH58 / CH618 / AA125 Spirit of love you move within creation (Shirley Murray) Good words; "come work with us and weave us into one". Lyrics. A range of tunes for this, both familiar and new. I like the Colin Gibson tune in AA (WEAVER), but it can also be sung to PERFECT LOVE. New words to old tunes.
• Online Resource / CP408 / Cha247 Wind upon the waters (Marty Haugen) I really love the words to this song. “Wind upon the waters, voice upon the deep, rouse your sons and daughters, wake us from our sleep, breathing life into all flesh, breathing love into all hearts, living wind upon the waters of my soul.” Note to our liturgists, I have a copy of this at home if you would like to use it. Sound and sheet music samples and purchasing options. 
• TiS 392 At the dawning of salvation (Jock Curle) Good hymn words of Easter theology and Christ’s presence at Creation to a fun standard American folk tune (NETTLETON). Lyrics. New words to old tunes.
• TiS 668 / AoVK-34 / ATFG587 / NCH569 / CH243 / VU307 / R254 / ELW739 / AA143 / A&M553 / GtG713 / G(3)805 / W&R38 / Cha693 / URW189 / StF729 Touch the earth lightly (Shirley Murray) Sings of the redemption of creation and our complicity in its destruction. Sources vary in their set tunes. TiS has a good tune (TENDERNESS) with a nice minor key change to the relative minor for the second verse. Can also be sung to BUNESSAN, if you need a familiar tune. Youtube video with all lyrics.New words to old tunes (if you want).
• TiS 187 / AoV2-130 / CH149 / StS122 / A&M539 / SP247 Let all creation dance (Brian Wren) I just love the imagery of this one, and it's a very joyous and familiar hymn tune too. Lyrics and sheet music.
• ACS948 / NCH274 / CH118 / SFFS 2046 / GTG003 / CP390 / Cha014 Womb of Life and source of being (Ruth Duck) Feminine trinitarian imagery. An easier tune, listed in some hymnals is IN BABILONE. Others have LADUE CHAPEL which is a little less intuitive. Lyrics and sheet music.
• Online Resource Made in the image (David MacGregor) A lovely simple song that would be easy for congregations to pick up quickly. Sound sample. Lyrics. Sheet music.
• Online Resource Creator of this great land we adore you / Doxology (Ross Langmead) A strong favourite in our congregation. Sheet music.
• Online Resource Imago Dei (Richard Bruxvoort Colligan) A simple chorus with simple verses. Very catchy! Lyrics, sound sample, lyric video, and purchasing options. 
  
• TiS 242 / AHB 183 / AoV1-018 / ATN 27 / CH404 / UMH261 / VU352 / A&M667 / HPP163 / GtG157 / PH302 / G(II)481 / GC708 / GC(II)689 / G(3)796 / CP(E) 468 / W&R118 / Lau765 / StF247 I danced in the morning / Lord of the Dance (Sydney Carter). Lyrics. You all know this one, right? Good for kids Oldy-but-a-goody
• A&M220 / SP81 Word that formed creation (Marty Haugen) Really lovely words of creation to the familiar tune NOEL NOUVELET. Sound sample. New words to old tunes.

Romans 1:18-23  
Creation reveals God’s eternal power and divine nature.
See the songs listed above and below. 

John 1:1-14  
The Word, that is before all things and is God, is the source of all creation. And that Word becomes flesh and blood, the very stuff of creation.

• BUC Song Project We are love (Sheree Anderson) This is one of the new songs collated in 2009 at Brunswick Uniting. It's got a quite anthemic chorus "We are love, made in the image"....
• NCH164 / VU79 / StS030 / WoV652 / LBW652 / ELW314 / PH411 / GtG744 / W&R231 / URW138 Arise your light is come! (Ruth Duck) Good general words of Christ coming to bring justice to the familiar tune ST. THOMAS (TiS 271).
• STB047 Sarennam (Govada Dyvasirvadam)  This song from India will need to be taught, but I think it's worth it. Quite nice; the English translation is very poetic.
• VU886 / SFFS 2005 Arise Shine for your light has come (Gary Alan Smith) A simple call and response. Good for an intro to worship. This would be great for the whole Christmas season.
• Music by Heart 61 Arise shine for your light has come (Ruth Cunningham) A simple two-part chant, which can easily be taught before, or during, the service. We used this last year.
• GtG467 / STB058 Give Us Light / Jyothi dho Prabhu (Charles Vas)  This song in Hindi or English is simple and repetitive and could be sung in either language (with a little teaching time). You could sing all 5 verses or just a few. It might also work during Advent as a candle lighting song.
• TiS 156 / AHB 91 / AoV1-135 / ATA 123 / CH212 / UMH145 / VU409 / ELW556 / GA537 / A&M545 / HPP267 / GtG664 / PH469 / G(II)546 / GC756 / GC(II)748 / G(3)855 / CP003 / W&R35 / Cha053 / URW186 / 82Hml-008 / Lau671 Morning has broken (Eleanor Farjeon) This song makes me smile every time. Here's Yusuf Islam (when he was Cat Stevens) in 1976 (love those green boots).
• TiS 447 / AHB 61 / CH112 / VU313 / LBW400 / ELW673 / A&M810 / CP560 / CP(E) 267 / 82Hml-371 / Lau887 God whose almighty word / Lord your almighty word chaos and darkness heard / Thou, whose almighty word (John Marriott) A good hymny hymn, very familiar, with the memorable “Let there be light” line at the end of each verse. TiS lyrics are fairly inclusive, but VU is better. Older style lyrics and sound sample.
• TiS 477 / Iona (LFB, Common Ground) / CH510 / StJ / GA529 / A&M450 / CP059 / SP218 / URW056 Jesus calls us here to meet him (John Bell) Good words and a rollicking or gentle Celtic tune (depending on how you play it!). Lyrics (downloads PowerPoint slides) 4th verse (not in TiS, but in Iona sources) leads to communion.
• Iona (M&G) / ATAR609 / CH359 / MV033 / GtG137 / ZSS54 / StJ / ELW253 / GA293 / SFFS 2085 / G(II)276 / GC370 / GC(II)364 / G(3)429 / CP368 / W&R402 He came down that we may have love/ Jesus came bringing us hope (Traditional Cameroon) A lovely simple song - you can make up words and have a lot of fun with this if you also use some drums. Scottish sound sample. Good for kids.
• WoV768 / ELW737 / CP456 / W&R412 He comes to us as one unknown (Timothy Dudley-Smith) Great words to a very familiar hymn tune (REPTON).
• W&R104 / URW102 Hidden Christ Alive for Ever (Brian Wren) Wonderful and inspiring words of Christ in all things. Can be sung to HYFRYDOL or HOLY MANNA, so would be easily sung by most congregations. A good song for just after the sermon. Lyrics and sheet music.
• StS028 / WoV638 / A&M067 / G(II)275 / GC369 / GC(II)354 / G(3)443 / W&R199 / Lau148 Holy Child within the Manger (Marty Haugen) Lovely words and a simple gentle tune. Lyrics.
• TiS 666 / AoV2-113 / AoVK-126 / ATOK 409 / NCH526 / Iona (Common Ground, Freedom is Coming) / CH516 / VU646/647 / WoV650 / ELW866 / A&M483 / SFFS 2235 / HPP153 / GtG853 / G(II)357 / GC513 / GC(II)516 / G(3)594 / Cha442 / SP235 / Srce737 We are marching in the light of God / Siyahamba / Caminando (South African) A very popular chorus, with possible alternate verses, depending on your source. Sometimes people get anxious about the word "marching", but remember that this song comes from apartheid-era South Africa, where people were protesting so that they could vote in their own country. And the marching is toi-toing, much less militaristic than what you may imagine. Good for kids.
• Iona / CH317 / CP621 Before the world began (John Bell) Excellent words from John Bell.
• TiS 242 / AHB 183 / AoV1-018 / ATN 27 / CH404 / UMH261 / VU352 / A&M667 / HPP163 / GtG157 / PH302 / G(II)481 / GC708 / GC(II)689 / G(3)796 / CP(E) 468 / W&R118 / Lau765 I danced in the morning / Lord of the Dance (Sydney Carter). Lyrics and history. You all know this one, right?Good for kids.
• AoVK-123 / NCH3 / Iona (M&G) / UMH148 / VU308 / WoV794 / ELW837 / GtG021 / PH271 / G(II)338 / GC499 / G(3)911 / CP407 / W&R26 / Cha58 / URW232 / 82Hml-385 Many and Great O God are your works / Wakantanka Taku Nitawa (Joseph Renville) Good words. Simple tune. Sounds great accompanied by a good Native American-style drum beat, which is a great way to get people (especially kids) involved in music-making. Lyrics here.
• AA016 Christ is our peace (Shirley Murray) Wow. This one is excellent. Would also be good for the offering. Very simple Irish traditional tune.
• NCH401 / GtG308 / W&R388 O god in whom all life begins (Carl P Daw) Excellent words of living as a community of faith. Sung to a simple English melody. 
• NCH111 O loving founder of the stars (Latin 9th Century) Lovely words, to a plainsong-like tune. Plainsong is not as hard as people think....
• CH348 / StS001 / LBW196 / ELW843 / CP397 / W&R93 / SP304 / URW090 Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness (Rusty Edwards) Good words of Christ's ministry to all. Can be sung to the familiar tune NETTLETON, or the less familiar and very lovely tune JOEL. Lyrics and sheet music.