Songs, Hymns & Music for Lent 3A (March 12, 2023)

Exodus 17:1-7
God delivers water from the rock to the grumbling Israelites.

• Online Resource Meroo / Water seeping up outta the ground (Nelson Varcoe) The Dharug / Tharwal word "Meroo" means water. Simple chorus and good words about the importance of water, and a chorus about the rising of the Holy Spirit, carrying our prayers up to the sky. Book available here (BUC people, I have this!).
  
• Online Resource/ BUC Song Project Broken (Elaine Loukes) This song seeking God's open arms at the end of a dry journey fits this reading well.  Lyrics, sound sample, and sheet music.
• Tune In / Online Resource / ATAR663 Save us in the time of trial (Shawn Whelan) A song with a reflective almost-Taize-like chorus. We have sung this a cuople of different ways, it's quite flexible. I will suggest this quite a bit during Lent. Lyrics, sound sample and free downloadable songbook.
• Online Resource Thirsty we wander the desert / Even from rock (David Bjorlin / Mark Miller) An excellent new song - easy and energising to sing. It really identifies with the wandering Israelites and our own thirst for salvation. Sheet music sample and purchasing options. Sound sample. 
  
• GtG053 O God who gives us life and breath (Carl P Daw) Excellent words of God providing living springs of hope, and the need for us to face our fears and follow God through difficult times. An excellent fit for this reading. Straightforward hymn tune (NOEL). Sheet music and lyrics. New words to old tunes.
• Online Resource / AoV2-006 / The tide has turned Deeper River / There's a river running deep within the silence of our souls (Digby Hannah). An excellent song of restoration for tired desert-like souls. Sound sample and purchasing options.
  
• ATW 435 Wellsprings / Like the woman of old (Don Stewart) Another song of seeking water in the desert. A favourite of our congregation; can be tricky to sing if it's not familiar. Sound sample.
• NCH045 Christ is the Mountain of Horeb which is flowing / Cristo es la pena (Unknown author) Puerto Rican pasodoble folk melody. Very repetitive and easy. Can start slow and get fast, which is always a winner move. We have not sung this for a while. Youtube of some cool pianist doing a groovy jazzy version. Good for kids.
• TiS 569 / AHB 478 / NCH18/19 / CH167 / UMH127 / VU651 / LBW343 / ELW618 / StF465 / A&M652 / HPP432 / GtG065 / PH281 / CP565 / CP(E) 455 / W&R501 / Cha622 / 82Hml690 / StF465 / Lau960 / MP201 Guide me O thou great Jehovah / Redeemer (William Williams) A rousing hymn of God’s presence and strength and making it to the other side. "Bread of heaven, feed me now and evermore." Sheet music and lyrics. Oldy-but-a-goody.
• Tune In / Online Resource We will sing a new song to the world (Dave Brown) An energetic song about the gospel. Lyrics, sound sample and free downloadable songbook.
• AoV1-114 / HPP376 / G(II)430 / GC608 / GC(II)596 / G(3)683 / W&R430 / Lau964 You shall cross the barren desert / Be not afraid (Bob Dufford) Beautiful words. Well known (at least, the chorus). Verses may be tricky. Lyrics.
• CH191 When you Walk through the waters I’ll be with you / Do Not Be Afraid (Gerald Markland) A simple and very singable song. Thanks to Bud for this suggestion. Lyric video.
  

Psalm 95

• 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 (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
• MV092 / SP&P099 Like a Rock (Keri Wehlander / Linnea Good) A lovely simple song (with actions!) from Linnea Good. Youtube sound sample. Great for kids.
• AoVK-47 / HPP51 / A&M656 / W&R80 / Lau973 He's Got the Whole World in His Hands (Unknown) It’s possible to make this inclusive. I’ve seen “God’s got the whole world in safe hands”, which is a little clumsy. AoVK has "The whole world is in God's hands" which works really well, or you could sing "You've got the whole world in your hands"! Video of Mahalia Jackson singing it (but I don't think it's how a congregation should sing it!). Good for kids.Oldy-but-a-goody. 
• Taizé / AoV2-109 / CH772 / GA429 / GtG654 / A&M334 / SFFS 2195 / G(II)396 / GC566 / GC(II)546 / G(3)639 / SP128 / URW381 / Lau944 / W&R448 / StF776 / MP865 In the Lord I'll Be Ever Thankful / El Senyor (Jacques Berthier) A joyful and bouncy short song. Works well in English, German and Spanish at least. Good for kids. Sheet music, translations into many other languages, sound samples.
• PfAS095E / Lau52a O that today you would listen (Susan Sayers) A nice Psalm response.
• PH215 / URW292 Come Sing with Joy to God (Arlo Duba) Good lyrics which can be sung to the well known tune DARWALL'S 148th. New words to old tunes.
• Iona (SBL) / CH140 / MV181 / WoV727 / ELW554 / G(II)341 / GC495 / StB178 Lord Your Hands Have Formed This World / The Earth is the Lord's (Ramon and Sario Oliano) Good words of creation to a lovely, and not too difficult, Phillippino melody. Lyrics (first verse only)
• Emergent Psalter Come let us sing (Isaac Everett) Very simple refrain. Sheet music (refrain only).
• Online Resource / NCH036 / PH219 To God compose a song of joy (Ruth Duck) Beautiful words of praise to the standard hymn tune RICHMOND.  Sheet music sample, lyrics and purchasing options.  New words to old tunes
• Taizé / MV009 O Come and let us sing to God our hope (Taize Community) Joyful gathering chant. Sound samples, sheet music.
• 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 involved in music-making. Lyrics here.
• Cha747 Come into God's presence with a joyful song (Larry Sivis) Joyful sung response, and responsively read passage.
• TiS 119 / AHB 40 / NCH012 / UMH152 / VU231 / HPP39 / GtG032 /  PH288 / W&R31 / Cha064 / 82Hml-398 / Lau684 / StF107 / MP293 I sing the almighty power of God / We sing the mighty power of God (Isaac Watts) I really like this old hymn, especially sung to ELLACOMBE, but it can also be sung to FOREST GREEN. VU, NCH and Chalice have inclusive language, but other hymnals (like TiS and AHB, are not).  Lyrics and sheet music. Oldy-but-a-goody.

Romans 5:1-11
Justified by faith, gives us peace and reconciliation; suffering.

• TiS 683 / WoV735 / ELW603 / W&R416 / StF649 God when human bonds are broken (Fred Kaan) These words pick up an unusual theme, and fit really well with this reading. There are a couple of possible tunes, none of which are immediately familiar, but they are not difficult either. Lyrics.
• Online Resource/ BUC Song Project Broken (Elaine Loukes) This song seeking God's open arms at the end of a dry journey fits this reading well.  Lyrics, sound sample, and sheet music.
  
• TiS 164 / AHB 105 / CH358 The great love of God (Daniel T Niles) A simple creed song from the Christian Conference of Asia. The tune in TiS and AHB is really beautiful, and I prefer that to the tune in CH (although the CH tune is easy to sing). Lyrics.
  
• Online Resource / AoVK-28 / ATOK 376 Faith hope and love (Tricia Watts) "Freedom for all, this is what we long for!" This is so easy, and so cool. If you have some groovy musicians, this can even be a very funky rock song. Very easy, and great for kids and non-readers. Sound sample and purchasing options. Good for kids.
• Scripture in Song 29 Therefore being justified by faith (Unknown author) A relaxed swingy song which is a direct paraphrase of the passage. You can really jazz this up, especially if you play it in 3/4. There's also the "Chui Chui" version - which I just discovered tonight - there are about a hundred Youtube videos of various actions to this. Maybe fun for a Sunday School class or camp?  Lyrics and sound sample (in 4/4). 
• TiS 129 / AHB 56 / AoV1-029 / ATA 131 / NCH547 / CH555 / UMH378 / VU266 / LBW448 / ELW779 / A&M587 / GA437 / HPP334 / GtG649 / PH280 / G(II)434 / GC612 / GC(II)586 / G(3)645 / CP352 / CP(E) 375 / W&R422 / Cha546 / ZSS202 / Srce25 / Lau846 Amazing grace how sweet the sound (John Newton) I once was lost... I think you all know this one. Nice youtube of some Sacred Harp singing, and a story.  Oldy-but-a-goody.
• TiS 398 / AHB 310 / AoV1-118 / NCH289 / CH489 / UMH475 / VU367 / GA375 / A&M238 / LBW508 / ELW804 / GtG282 / PH313 / GC465 / GC(II)471 / G(3)556 / RS617 / CP645 / CP(E) 175 / W&R330 / Cha582 / Srce100 / Lau303 Come down O Love divine (Bianco da Siena) Old fashioned, but still inclusive and very well known. Words and tune. Hymnals vary a lot in the lyrics with respect to thees and thys and words like "vesture". Here's a folksy cover for your listening pleasure (Danke Yotin!).  Oldy-but-a-goody.
• TiS 710 / CH758 / Iona (Enemy of Apathy) / VU204 Come Holy Spirit gracious heavenly dove (The Iona Community) A beautiful and simple chant.

John 4:5-42
Jesus and the Samaritan Woman at the well

• Online Resource Meroo / Water seeping up outta the ground (Nelson Varcoe) The Dharug / Tharwal word "Meroo" means water. Simple chorus and good words about the importance of water, and a chorus about the rising of the Holy Spirit, carrying our prayers up to the sky. Book available here (BUC people, I have this!).
• MV117 By the well a thirsty woman (Elizabeth Stilborn) An excellent song that brings this story to us, with words of Christ being our source of living water. The tune will probably need to be taught. Video.
• ATW 435 Wellsprings / Like the woman of old (Don Stewart) Another song of seeking water in the desert. A favourite of our congregation; can be tricky to sing if it's not familiar. Sound sample. 
  
• TiS 693 / AoV1-031 / GA212 Come as you are that's how I want you (Deidre Browne) This song is beautiful, gentle, simple, and very well known. Lyrics. Slow and mushy youtube. A good song to start the service.
  
• VU471 / W&R692 / URW122 / StF582 Eat this bread and never hunger (Dan Damon) Very simple tune. The first verse refers to this passage. Particularly good if you are celebrating communion this week, but will be fine if you are not. I will suggest this song again next week and the week after, so this is a good week to introduce it! Video. Sheet music and lyrics.
  
• W&R655 / URW202 Come Away from Rush and Hurry (Marva Dawn) Excellent words of resting in a sacred space to the familiar tune BEACH SPRING (TiS 493). Lyrics. New words to old tunes.
• ATW 451 Jesus Saviour of the world (David Schubert) Simple chant-like song.
• Taize / MV102 / GC(II)648 / G(3)752 Jesus your spirit in us (Taize Community) "Jesus your spirit in us is a wellspring of life everlasting" Lyrics in English and German. Sheet music sample. Very very slow sound sample. You know, Taize music is not necessarily slow. When one of the brothers visited here, he strongly encouraged us not to be so slow!
• Online Resource/ BUC Song Project Broken (Elaine Loukes) This song seeking God's open arms at the end of a dry journey fits this reading well.  Lyrics, sound sample, and sheet music.
• CH348 / StS001 / LBW196 / ELW843 / A&M762 / G(3)625 / 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. I will suggest this again next week! Lyrics and sheet music. New words to old tunes.
• Folk song Jesus met the woman at the well (Early Gospel song) An old gospel song - a storytelling song. Here's an old movie of Peter Paul and Mary doing a good version of it (thanks to Keith Howden for this suggestion). And here's Nick Cave, which I like better, except the ending, which is just odd. Oh, and how about Rev Cleophus Robinson? I think that's the best one! It would be cool to play this. Sheet music. David MacGregor has written a new set of lyrics for it with a slightly different focus which you may find helpful. 
  
• Online Resource / StJ / GtG048 / GC(II)505 / W&R444 / G(3)582 / URW144 / Srce2-502 Rain Down (Jaime Cortez) A good simple gospel song. A very easy chorus, and good verses too. Sound sample and purchasing options.
  
• Online Resource A traveller unknown to me (Adam Tice / Randall Sensmeier) Excellent words to a really memorable and moving tune; the words explore the thoughts of the woman at the well. Sheet music sample, lyrics and purchasing options. 
  
• TiS 661 / UMH274 / GtG161 / W&R364 / Cha188 Woman in the night (Brian Wren) A song about many women in the Bible and the women that we meet every day. Tune will be fine if you give the congregation a chance to join in only on the chorus until they are confident (8 verses, but they are short ones). Might be good used a few times with a few verses each time through the service. Lyrics
• Online Resource / AoV1-151 / GA400 / GtG479 / G(II)350 / GC504 / GC(II)499 / G(3)585 Oh everyone that thirsts Come to the waters! (Marty Haugen) I like this one. Would be good for the musicians to play during communion if you are celebrating it. Sound sample and purchasing options.
  
• NCH597 / UMH723 / VU710 / LBW221 / WoV690 / ELW547 / GtG375 / HPP480 / G(II)560 / GC774 / GC(II)761 / W&R522 / Cha701 / SgTJ1046 Shall we gather at the river? (Robert Lowry) This old song has a lot of meaning for many. Translations vary. NCH is most inclusive. Oldy-but-a-goody.Lyrics and sheet music. 
• Online Resource Life to the brim (Andrew Dutney) Thanks to Duncan for this suggestion. This is an excellent song, appropriate for this reading, and many others, so it's a good one to learn. Sound sample and sheet music for download. 
• Online Resource Come to the Well (Casting Crowns) This is not a congregational song, but it's very comforting and may be helpful to your congregation. Lyric video. 
• TiS 585 / AHB 500 / AoV1-054 / ATA 137 / NCH489 / CH540 / VU626 / LBW497 / ELW611 / GtG182 / GA468 / GC646 / GC(II)622 / G(3)724 / CP508 / CP(E) 469 / Srce280 / 82Hml-692 / Lau795 / StF248 / MP275 I heard the voice of Jesus say (Horatio Bonar) Hymnals vary a lot in their translations of this older hymn and in the tunes to which it is set. Thanks to Jenny for this suggestion. Oldy-but-mostly-a-goody. Lyrics and sheet music.

What will you be singing? Add a comment, especially if you'd like to share something I haven't thought of!