Songs, Hymns and Music for Easter 6A (14 May 2023)

Acts 17:22-31
Paul preaches in Athens; universal longing for God; call to repentace; universality of the gospel. 

• Online Resource / Worldmaking.net God of My Breathing (Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan). Excellent words to a well-known hymn tune (BUNESSAN). Sample and lyrics.  New words to old tunes..
• AoV2-003 / ATOK 313 / CH543 / StJ / GA404 / A&M042 / ELW715 / GtG314 / GC(II)512 / G(3)590 / SP13 / URW114 / Lau883 / StF706 Longing for light we wait in darkness / Christ, be our light (Bernadette Farrell) One of my favourites, especially if someone can sing or play the descant line in the later verses. Sound sample and lyrics. Good for kids.
• UMH088 / VU321 / CP329 Maker in whom we live (Charles Wesley) Good inclusive lyrics to DIADEMATA. The first verse picks up a lot on Acts 17:28.  Lyrics, sheet music and sound samples.  Oldy-but-a-goody.
• Online Resource / Tune In: Longing for you (Elaine Loukes). A simple chant of longing for God. Reference recording, lyrics and free downloadable songbook
• TiS 182 / AoV2-010 / NCH11 / CH134 / VU268 / GtG760 / SFFS 2047 / HPP13 / CP395 Bring many names beautiful and good (Brian Wren) This is a beautiful song, but it's very long (especially if sung too slowly). Try singing one verse unison, then one women, one men, then all together again, to keep people interested in what they are singing. Lyrics and sheet music. 
• Here in this place As we live and have our being (Helen Wiltshire) Lovely words to one of my favourite scripture verses, focused on God in all our life and action. Suggested tune is FELICITY. Lyrics (dowloads a PDF).
• SP&P89 / Worldmaking.net Ground and Source of all that is (Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan) This song is very beautiful and easy to sing. Lyrics and sound sample. 
• StF033 O Lord we are always in your presence (Philip Jakob) A lovely chant, best if you can sing it in parts. Slightly mushy tune. "O Lord we are always in your presence, in you we live and move and have our being. You hold us in the palm of your hand. And you lead us to your glory". Sound sample.
• TiS 387 / CH416 / UMH318 / VU158 / LBW363 / ELW389 / A&M199 / GtG246 / PH108 / CP(E) 140 / W&R312 / 82Hml-182 / Lau272 / StF297 Christ is alive Let Christians sing (Brian Wren) Excellent words of Christ's saving, and still relevant grace. A couple of tunes are offered in different hymn books. I prefer TRURO. Lyrics and sheet music New words to old tunes.  
• NCH70 / UMH660 / VU389 / WoV719 / ELW526 / A&M445 / HPP486 / GtG409 / PH461 / GC741 / GC(II)737 / G(3)843 / CP(E) 301 / W&R1 / Cha280 / STB049 / StF025 God is here as we your people (Fred Pratt Green) Great lyrics, but not inclusive in all sources and set to a range of tunes. I like it sung to the familiar tune ABBOT'S LEIGH. Lyrics, sound sample and sheet music sample. New words to old tunes.
• TiS 180 / UMH105 / W&R58 / Cha013 God of many names (Brian Wren) If this is new it will need to be taught to your congregation as the tune is not intuitive, but it is worth knowing. The chorus is particularly appealing to kids. Lyrics
• Iona (One is the Body) / ATAR601 / MV103 Ka mana'o 'i 'o (Joe Kanoelehua Camacho) Hawai'ian song. Fun to sing and good words. The chorus is not too hard to sing in Hawai'ian if you teach it. Nice with guitar and/or ukelele. Note for BUC: We have two ukelele players in the congregation. Sound sample.
• NCH398 / MV044 / W&R599 / URW072 Shadow and Substance (Daniel Damon) Good clear words of being Christ's community in all our diversity. A simple tune. Sample sheet music.
• Online Resource In this one holy one (Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan) A simple chorus, designed for community singing, with verses that pick up the theme of oneness with the universe and earth. Sound sample, lyrics, and purchasing options. 

Psalm 66:8-20
Make a joyful noise, God’s brought us through some rough stuff.
You could sing an Alleluia!

• Online Resource / GWA009 All creation sings God's greatness (Jacque Jones / Benjamin Brody) A joyful song of celebration with the chorus "Grateful souls cannot be silent; in God's presence we must sing. To the source of all compassion songs of gratitude we bring". The tune is a little tricky, but once you get the rhythm, it's really catchy. Be careful not to let it become to "musical theatre"-like in the transition to the chorus. Sheet music sample, sound sample and purchasing options.
• AoVK-18 Clap your hands our God is good! (Monica Brown) Good kid's song. Good for kids.
• Tune In / Online Resource Peace In Our Time (Dave Brown) A groovy bossa nova song of peace and action for peace. Not easy for congregational singing. Sound sample and downloadable songbook.
• 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!
• TiS 152 / NCH4 / UMH89 / VU232 / LBW551 / ELW836 / HPP22 / GtG611 / PH464 / GC529 / GC(II)520 / G(3)614 / CP425 / W&R59 / Cha002 / URW065 / 82Hml-376 Joyful joyful we adore thee (Henry Van Dyke) Note that this hymn is not always very inclusive. I prefer more modern translations (e.g. TiS, VU, NCH, GC(II) ). Oldy-but-a-goody. Older version lyrics.
• NCH9 / StJ / ELW791 / SFFS 2001 / CP523 / URW293 We Sing to You O God (Gracia Grindal) Excellent new words to a standard hymn tune (DARWALLS 148th) New words to old tunes. Nice descant part also. Lyrics.
• Taizé / GC(II)533 Sing to God with joyful hearts / Singt dem Herrn (Jacques Berthier) A joyful round. Works well in English and German, and probably other languages too. Sound samples, sheet music and lyrics
• CH171 / A&M568 /  SP253 Take up the song and sing the praise of God (Rae Whitney) Simple, upbeat tune, and great words about creation, our choice and responsibility. Nice time signature. Sound sample.
• Tune In / Online Resource You in all our worries / All will finish well (Dave Brown) “In this world where injustice reigns, you are in the midst of pain”. Excellent words of reassurance in a difficult world. Sound sample and downloadable songbook.
• Taizé / TiS 739 / AoV2-041 / ATOK 404 / VU290 / GA269 / SFFS 2054 / GtG820 / G(II)451 / GC639 / GC(II)626 / G(3)733 / CP568 / W&R421 / URW388 / Lau947 / LUYH444/ VF088 Nothing Can Trouble / Nada te turbe (Theresa of Avila / Taizé) Excellent and quite well known Taizé chant. Spanish lyrics are not too hard for non-Spanish speakers. Sheet music, sound samples, lyrics and translations. Good for kids.
• MV175 May we but wait upon Love's word (Will Petricko) A simple refrain which would work well as a response for prayers of Intercession.
• TiS 720 / AHB 295 / AoVK-85 / AoV2-046 / ATOK 319 / NCH236 / Iona (Many & Great, There is one among us) / CH345 / VU958 / StJ / A&M836 / SFFS 2026 / HPP571 / GtG591 / GC(II)261 / G(3)329 / W&R005 / Cha041 / ZSS76 / SP324 / PfAS150G / URW370 / Lau178 Halle halle hallelujah (Traditional Caribbean) A good Alleluia would work well for this passage, and I think this one is particularly excellent – simple, great for kids, good rhythm. PfAS uses it as a Psalm refrain which would work well for any translation of the Psalm. Good for kids. Sound sample.
• AoVK-30 / ATW 419 / Iona (Common Ground, CAYP) / CH757 / MV002 / WoV717 / ELW819 / A&M361 / SFFS 2274 / HPP551 / GC(II)744 / G(3)849 / PfAS066B / SP&P022 / SP179 Come all you people (Uyai mose) (Zimbabwe) Joyful and pretty easy really for the congregation. If you have WoV or SP&P, they each have a nice Trinitarian version of this. Come and praise the "Most high" / "Saviour" / "Spirit". Awesome sound sample (much more energetic than what's in the hymnals!). Sound sample. Good for kids.
• TiS 670 / SiS569 / AoVK-138 / ATE 258 / CH692 / Srce385 / MP376 Jesus put this song into our hearts (Graham Kendrick) A fun Yiddish tune that gets even more fun if you get faster and faster as you go. Try teaching your congregation a simple side to side “dance” step; give them an excuse to join in! Good for kids. Youtube .
• Taize / TiS 739 / AoV2-041 / ATOK 404 / VU290 / GA269 / SFFS 2054 / GtG820 / G(II)451 / GC639 / GC(II)626 / G(3)733 / CP568 / W&R421 / URW388 / Lau947 Nothing Can Trouble / Nada te turbe (Jacques 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. Good for kids. 

1 Peter 3:13-22
Suffering to do good; Jesus’ descent into hell; Baptism.

• Online Resource / Tune In He left his home, fam'ly, friends / A grain of wheat (Sheree Anderson) Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it won't form roots and grow. A boppy song with deeply meaningful lyrics. Free downloadable songbook and sound sample. Good for kids & teenagers.
• Online Resource / Tune In O Spirit God / In the shape of a cross (Dave Brown) A cry to God for help and a call for God to enter our world. Free downloadable songbook and sound sample.
• NCH575 / VU697 / GtG372 / PH386 / Cha683 O for a world where everyone respects each others ways (Miriam Therese Winter) A song with good words sung to a well known hymn tune (AZMON). The words are a prayer for a world of peace and the reign of Christ. Lyrics. New words to old tunes.
• TiS 494 / W&R678 / Cha375 In water we grow (Brian Wren) Great words, especially if you have a baptism this week. Tune is quite straightforward. Lyrics and sheet music. 
• TiS 590 / AHB 165 / AoVK-117 / NCH506 / UMH526 / VU663 / LBW439 / ELW742 / HPP408 / GtG465 / PH403 / CP532 / W&R473 / Cha585 / Srce 776 / StF531 / MP746 What a Friend we have in Jesus (Joseph Scriven) There is a bit of masculine language, but the song has so many other good things about it. I like both tunes. AOVK has different lyrics, written specifically for kids, which I think are worth singing. Lyrics and sheet music. Good for kids. Oldy-but-a-goody.
• VU306 God of the farmlands hear our prayer (Thomas Charles Hunter-Clare) Good words about harvest, waters, mining (!), city and industry, guidance for politicians, nation-hood. It's pretty good, and could fit with this reading if you want to focus on authorities. Lyrics and sheet music sample.

John 14:15-21
Promise of the Holy Spirit

• 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 / StF372 / MP089 Come down O Love divine (Richard Littledale, based on Bianco di Siena) Old fashioned, but still inclusive and very well known. Lyrics and sound sample of a totally different tune, which is not so great for congregations. Hymnals vary a lot in the lyrics with respect to thees and thys and words like "vesture". Oldy-but-a-goody.
• ATW 487 Make your home in me (Fay White) A simple beautiful invitation. “If you fly to the point of the day’s sunrise or westward across the sea, if you travel to the uttermost ends of the earth, there I will be; Make your home in me as I make my home in you. I am everywhere that you can be. Make your home in me”. Lyrics.
• NCH520 / VU573 / LBW441 / ELW402 / AA033 / CP557 / W&R475 / 82Hml-698 Eternal Spirit of the living Christ (Frank von Christierson) There are many tunes to these very honest and realistic words. For a more modern alternative, Gibson's tune in AA (ARGYLE STREET) is quite good. Lyrics.
• NCYC'99 / ATW 494 For you deep stillness (Julie Perrin) This homegrown favourite with a tune by Robin Mann is just excellent. Lyrics and mp3 sample. Might be nice to sing this at the end of the service.
• TiS 412 / AHB 324 / ATE 251 / G(II)328 / GC468 / CP651 / W&R130 God sends us the Spirit to befriend and help us / Spirit Friend (Tom Colvin and people of Malawi) I like this song from Malawi, but the lack of inclusive language for God sometimes drives me a bit crazy. In Tom Colvin's book "Come Let us walk this road together" he uses more inclusive language than many hymnals. That is, he writes “God sends us the Spirit” instead of “God sends us His Spirit” and "Spirit of our Maker" rather than “Spirit of our Father”. Good for kids. Lyrics and sheet music.
• Online Resource / Walk as One If you love me / Mercy Road (Leigh Newton) A hopeful song about how to love each other and the planet in the way that Christ calls us. Sound sample and free sheet music.
  
• VU619 / WoV738 / ELW612 / SFFS 2213 / GtG795 / G(II)642 / GC882 / GC(II)854 / G(3)960 / RS 958 / CP612 / W&R630 / Cha506 / URW161 / Lau427 Healer of Our Every Ill (Marty Haugen) Good straightforward words of healing and simple tune. "Give us strength to love each other, every sister, every brother". Can get overly mushy. Lyrics and sheet music sample. Sound sample.
• TiS 217 / AHB 148 / NCH43 / CH519 / UMH384 / VU333 / A&M721 / LBW315 / ELW631 / A&M721 / GA463 / HPP48 / GtG366 / PH376 / GC622 / GC(II)613 / G(3)641 / CP485/6 / CP(E) 516 / W&R358 / Cha517 / Srce457 / URW100 / 82Hml-657 / Lau801 / StF503 / MP449 Love divine all loves excelling (Charles Wesley) A beautiful classic song and most hymnals use a very inclusive version of this hymn, even the AHB. Lyrics, sheet music and sound sample. You may also like to give Rend Collective Experiment's version a listen (hard for congregations to sing, but nice for listening). Oldy-but-a-goody.
• TiS 711 / ATOK 334 / Iona (M&G) / WoV681 / VU383 / SFFS 2124 / GtG283 / G(II)330 / StF038 Come O Holy Spirit / Wa Wa Wa Emimimo (Nigeria) This song is just fun. And very easy. Try to sing it in its original language (Yoruba), it sounds a bit inane in English and it’s not hard!! You might like to encourage your congregation to dance a simple side-to-side step to this; they will enjoy it even more. A good song to help us remember that our faith is global, and to think of the church and all people in Africa. Sound sample including John Bell teaching the song. I have been thinking lately that this song would be really fun sung with more of a "highlife" sensibility, like Nigerian pop music. Good for kids.

Do you have some ideas I've not listed? Please add them below in the comments section.

Updated on the Isle of Skye 2023.