Songs, Hymns & Music for Proper 4C / Pentecost 2C (May 29 2016)

1 Kings 18:20-21, (22-29), 30-39 
Elijah beats the pants off the prophets of Baal, and the Israelites get the point

• AoV1-173 Holy Holy Holy Lord (Ham) Simple chant. "Holy holy holy Lord; praise and honour are yours, for you alone are worthy to receive the glory and praise."  Lyrics and electronic sound sample, and a great story in the comments on how this song came to be written.
• Taizé / GtG814 / CP563 / PfAS062DIn God alone my soul can find rest and peace / Mon ame se repose (Berthier) A beautiful healing chant from Taize. Words and music and sound samples for learning the parts Good for kids.
• Iona (M&G, T1AU) / MV099 / GC(II)673 / G(3)763 / Lau996 Stand O Stand Firm (Cameroon) I love having an excuse to sing this simple and powerful song; didn't Elijah have to be pretty brave? 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. Scottish sound sample. Lead sheet.
• AoV2-070 / ATW 496 / MV090 / StJ Don't be afraid (Bell) Excellent. I love this song of reassurance. "Don't be afraid, my love is stronger. My love is stronger than your fear". This song can be used as a response to intercessions. Good for kids. Sound sample.  

Psalm 96  
Sing a new song!

• Recorded Music New Song (Audrey Assad) A lovely song about needing to find a new song to sing, and still praising God as well. Catchy. Youtube. 
• BUC Song Project >Sing, Sing with me (Potter) A fun song for kids about being part of God's family.  Good for kids.
• Tune In: We will sing a new song to the world (Brown) An energetic song about the gospel. Sound sample and lyrics.
• PfAS096C Let the heavens rejoice (TenClay) A joyous Psalm refrain. Would work well on its own as an acclamation or call to worship as well.
• PfAS096G Sing to the Lord no threadbare song (Daw) Just lovely words and a joyful 6/8 tune. "Sing to the Lord no threadbare song, no time-worn, toothless hymn!". I really quite like this one. 
• PfAS096F Sing to the Lord a new song (Soper) Good simple and inclusive words to the familiar tune ES IST EIN ROS ENTRSPRUNGEN. Fairly plain, but good.New words to old tunes.
• TiS 54 O praise the Lord all you nations (Willcock) Cantored version of the Psalm. 
• TiS 704 / AoV2-090 / NCH760 / Iona (M&G) / CH824 / VU431 / WoV786 / ELW846 / SFFS 2067 / GtG598 / G(II)369 / GC536 / W&R741 / ZSS56 / URW398 / StF770 Amen We Praise Your Name O God / Siakudumisa (South African) A simple and popular Amen. Not wild about the GIA hymnals English version. Sheet music sample. A choral version, which is very nice, but not very gutsy. 
• TiS 166 / AHB 102 / GA398 / StB 35 Sing a new song sing a new song Excellent inclusive words from Australian poet James McAuley. The last verse annoys me a bit, but the rest is excellent. Lyrics. 
• NCH009 / StJ / ELW791 / SFFS 2001 / CP523 We Sing to You O God (Proulx) Good hymny hymn with inclusive lyrics of praise. A good opening hymn. Nice descant part also.
• MV 180 Sing, Sing Out! Sing a new song (Hannah) An excellent two-part round. It’s worth teaching it to your congregation so they can sing it with confidence and break into two parts. Alternately, you could have a small group sing it in canon with the rest of the congregation.
• Taizé / GC(II)533 Sing to God with joyful hearts / Singt dem Herrn (Berthier) A joyful round. Works well in English and German, and probably other languages too. Sound samples, sheet music and lyrics here. 
• URW293 We Sing to You O God (Grindal) Good words to a standard hymn tune (DARWALL'S 148th).  New words to old tunes.
• CH207 Grant now your blessing upon this offering (Tinio) Simple short song for receipt of the offering to a familiar tune (HALAD) that alludes to this Psalm. New words to old tunes.
• ATE 216 / Iona (SBL) / CH126 / StJ / ELW555 / PH472 / G(II)365 / GC527 / RS 671 / CP417 / W&R15 / StF042 O sing to the Lord / Cantai ao Senhor / Cantad al Señor (Traditional Brazilian) A good, fun and simple song that is easy to learn in Portuguese or Spanish too; note that not all versions are inclusive. Sheet music samples.  Good for kids! 

Alternative Hebrew Scripture: 1 Kings 8:22-23, 41-43  
Solomon has built a house for God. Prays that all who pray “toward the house” be forgiven, fed, welcomed, healed including foreigners.

• CH198 / MV001 / HPP550 / A&M365 / GtG301 / GC753 / GC(II)741 / G(3)850 / SP176 / URW058/ Lau458 / StF409 Let Us Build a House / All are welcome (Haugen / TWO OAKS) This song has wonderful lyrics of hope for what a Christian community can be like, and a chorus that joyfully says “All are welcome, all are welcome, all are welcome in this place”. Sheet music sample. Sound sample. New words to old tunes.
• Brunswick UCA Songs Take this space (Brown / Lees / McKinnon) This song was written for the opening of our renovated church space and it would be good to sing it again.
• Taizé / GtG814 / CP563 / PfAS062DIn God alone my soul can find rest and peace / Mon ame se repose (Berthier) A beautiful healing chant from Taize. Words and music and sound samples for learning the partsGood for kids.
• Iona (LFB) / Lau930 Listen Lord (Iona / Bell) Beautiful chant-like chorus, can be used on its own or as a response, or used with the verses. Good to use for the intercessions. “Listen Lord, Listen Lord, not to our words but to our prayers. You alone, you alone, understand and care.”
• Iona (SBL) / CH140 / MV181 / WoV727 / ELW554 / G(II)341 / GC495 / StB178 Lord Your Hands Have Formed This World / The Earth is the Lord's (Oliano) Good words of creation to a lovely, and not too difficult, Phillippino melody; it will need to be taught. Lyrics (first verse only)
• Taizé / TiS 741 / AoV1-017 / ATE 282 / LBW368 / ELW407 / GA431 / SFFS 2200 / GtG471 / G(II)410 / GC586 / GC(II)566 / G(3)666 / W&R484 / Srce519 / URW390 / Lau929 / PfAS013A / PfAS102A / MP908 O Lord hear my prayer (Berthier) A simple and very well known Taizé chant. Works well during intercessions. You could read the Psalm between repeats of this chant, or just use as a chant as is. Sheet music samples. Good for kids
• Online Resource In my father's house (Somerville) A great new song, with an inspiring, and very singable chorus. Lyrics, sound sample, and source.
• ACS947 / CH133 / UMH113 / GtG011 / GC(II)563 / G(3)667 / Cha012 Source and sovereign rock and cloud (Troeger / ABERYSTWYTH) Excellent words of many names for God / I AM. Can be sung to BIRINUS, but I would sing it to the more familiar ABERYSTWYTH. Sheet music and lyrics. New words to old tunes

Galatians 1:1-12 
Paul reminds the Galatians that they should be interested only in the true Gospel

• NCH387 / GtG361 / PH443 / GC(II)646 / RS782 / CP524 / Lau829 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) which is in all standard hymnals. Lyrics There is a second possible tune (ABREU), which is more challenging. Note that the lyrics in the NCH are slightly different, and more inclusive.New words to old tunes.
• STB066 Joy found in Truth Will Set the World free (Korea) (Kim) John 8:32 Simple words of seeking and living by truth. Fairly simple tune, but will need to be taught.
• ATW 459 I don't believe in a God up in the sky / God Version 1.0 An excellent rock song about how we think about God, or not! Lyrics and mp3. Good for kids
• MV031 Pure Love (Good) I think this song would be good for reflecting on truth. Very simple and beautiful. Good for kids.

Luke 7:1-10
The faithful Centurion; Christ's mission extends to the Gentiles.

• CH348 / StS001 / LBW196 / ELW843 / G(3)625 / CP397 / W&R93 / SP304 / URW090 Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness (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. New words to old tunes.
• Iona (Love From Below / common ground) / CH718 / VU613 / A&M522 / GtG797 / G(II)401 / GC575 / GC(II)558 / G(3)657 / CP292 / CP(E) 348 / W&R628 / SP140 / URW146 / Lau433 / StF655 We Cannot Measure How You Heal (Bell) Really very excellent words to a very familiar celtic air. Easy to sing; be careful not to get too fast; it's tempting but the words need a slower tune. Sheet music sample. Sound sample.
• Iona (Heaven Shall Not Wait) When our Lord walked the earth (Bell / PERSONET HODIE) Familiar and easy tune, excellent words. Chorus is “Power to speak and heal, grace to know what’s real, wisdom, insight and faith, grace and understanding”New words to old tunes.
• TiS 638 / NCH175 / CH717 / A&M518 / GtG793 / PH380 / UMH265 / LBW380 / ELW675 / PH380 / CP291 / CP(E) 346 / W&R638 / Cha503 / Lau430 / StF653 O Christ the healer we have come Beautiful words and simple to sing. Good for intercessions. I like the tune INVERCARRY best, but it can also be sung to TALLIS' CANON if your congregation needs a more familiar tune. Lyrics and sound sample (of an alternative tune). New words to old tunes.
• AoVK-28 / ATOK 376 Faith hope and love, this is what we long for (Watts) A groovy, easy, fun song. Good for kids. 

I'd love to hear your ideas, especially if you know of songs that I have not included. Please join the discussion by adding a comment below!