Songs, Hymns & Music for Proper 7A / Ordinary 12A / Pentecost +3 (June 25 2023)

The casting out of Hagar and Ishmael coupled with the gospel reading including Christ’s words that he came, not to bring peace, but a sword makes me think that it would be particularly pertinent to pray for peace between the three faiths descended from Abraham.

• MV148 Hope of Abraham and Sarah (Ruth Duck / Judith Snowdon) This song is simple to sing and speaks of unity for the Abrahamic faiths (Islam, Judaism and Christianity). “So may Torah, cross and crescent, each a sign of life made new, point us t’ward your love and justice, earth at peace and one in you”. The tune is a very straight forward (and new!) hymn tune, but more familiar alternative tunes (e.g. ABBOTS LEIGH) are suggested. Lyrics.
• Online Resource Peace, Salaam, Shalom (Pat Humphries / Opatow). This is a beautiful and simple chant with two cantor lines over the top. The congregation could easily sing the basic round even without the cantor lines as a meditative focus. Sheet music available for free here. The spine-tingling story of the song. A choral version.
• Recorded music Salaam (Sheva) This Israeli-Palestininan group have coupled Jewish and Muslim prayers for peace. It was also arranged for a cappella choir by the late Melanie Shanahan, and has been recorded by Living out Loud. Sheva's version.
• Online Resource / MV159 In star and crescent wheel and flame (Mary Louise Bringle) This maybe verges too far into synchretism for me, but could be useful as an introduction to a discussion about what we really believe about coexistence of multiple faiths. Tune in MV (AMITY) is quite straightforward, but it can also be sung to CANDLER if you need something more familiar, or to YE BANKS AND BRAES, as in the version available from GIA. Lyrics and sheet music sample and purchasing options.
  

Genesis 21:8-21
Hagar is cast out; God hears her prayer and saves the life of Ishmael. 
See also the Psalm suggestions for songs focused on God hearing prayer.

• TiS 184 / Iona (HSNW) When trouble strikes and fear takes root (John Bell / Graham Maule) Actually based on Isaiah 49, but the parallels with the hopelessness of Hagar and God’s love for her children make it worth singing this week. The tune is a very straightforward English folk tune. Lyrics.
• TiS 683 / WoV735 / ELW603 / W&R416 God when human bonds are broken (David Kaan) These words pick up an unusual theme, and fit well with this reading. There are a couple of possible tunes, none of which are immediately familiar, but they are not difficult either. We have not sung this for a while. Lyrics. Sheet music.
• TiS 617 / NCH413 / UMH517 / WoV736 / ELW626 / A&M605 / GtG818 / PH342 / W&R75 / SP164 / 82Hml-695 / Lau428 By gracious powers so wonderfully sheltered (Dietrich Bonhoeffer / Fred Pratt Green) Wonderful words by Bonhoeffer. Lousy tune. Words fit well to O Perfect Love if you find the tune too tricky. Can also be sung to BERLIN or INTERCESSOR. The 5th verse is omitted in some hymnals. I will suggest this again next week, so this may be a good time to introduce it. Lyrics. There is also a very nice contemporary tune for the same words by Douglas Simper in his book Singing the Journey.  It makes the words feel much more relevant sung to this tune, but it will need to be taught, or sung by a soloist.
• Online Resource Do you know that I am your friend? / I’m Gonna Stick With You (Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan) How do you present this reading to kids? No idea, but if you choose to focus on being a faithful friend (in contrast to Sarah), this is a fun song about friendship for kids to sing. Lyrics and sound sample. Good for kids.

Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17
Listen to me in my trouble; prayer

• NCH Psalter 86 O God you abound in steadfast love (Judy Hunnicutt) A nice joyful refrain for this cantored or read Psalm.
  
• CH493 / UMH352 / HPP411 / Cha579 / StF523 It's Me It's Me O Lord / Standing in the Need of Prayer (African-American) A well known spiritual; good for prayers of confession or a time of personal reflection. Lyrics & sheet music.  
• Taizé / TiS 741 / AoV1-017 / ATE 282 / LBW368 / ELW751 / 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 (Jacques 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 
• 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. 
• Music by Heart 68 Incline your ear (Ben Allaway) This is quite lovely. It will need to be taught (instructions on how to do that are in the book), but is not difficult. It has 5 parts. Google books has a preview.
• Online Resource / GtG844 Incline your ear O Lord to me (Michael Morgan) Excellent words. There are two possible tunes. The one in GtG (DANBY) is a Yorkshire folk tune and will likely need to be taught. The one in the online version is an arrangement of O WALY WALY and will be more familiar to most congregations. Sound and sheet music sample and purchasing options.
  
• TiS 136 / NCH023 / CH187 / UMH121 / VU271 / LBW290 / ELW587 / HiOS135 / A&M806 / HPP45,46 / GtG435 / PH298 / GC626 / GC(II)603 / G(3)644 / CP606 / CP(E) 598 / W&R61 / Cha073 / SP316 / 82Hml-469/70 / StF416 / Lau810 / MP683 There's a Wideness in God's Mercy (Frederick Faber) This is a good older style hymn. Not all sources are inclusive, but some (like NCH, GtG, StF) are. One version of the lyrics.
  
• 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. AoVK version is Good for kids.
  
• TiS 689 / ATE 286 / GtB Lord hear my praying, listen to me / Sorrowing song (Robin Mann) Powerful words of prayer to a simple tune. Words are straightforward about asking difficult questions of God. Lyrics (loads a pdf).

Alternative Hebrew Scripture: Jeremiah 20:7-13
Jeremiah is derided for his burning faith, but God will deliver him.

• Online Resource / AoV1-143 Light Of Christ, light flaming bright (Rufino Zaragoza) Simple chant. "Light of Christ, light flaming bright, burn in my heart holy fire"; you could easily make this plural if you wish. Sound and sheet music sample, purchasing options. 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. 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..
• Taizé / MV075 / StS079 / SFFS 2118 / GtG284 / GC(II)479 / G(3)547 / SP99 / URW395 Holy Spirit Come to Us / Veni sancte spiritus tui amoris (Jacques Berthier) Best if you have a cantor, but works well if you don't, too. Sheet music, translations, sound samples.
• ATFG582 / NCYC'97 Like a candle burning wildly (Craig Mitchell) "We are called to live the passion". Good song. Particularly nice on guitar. Note that the NCYC version has good notes on how to play it on guitar. Lyrics.

Psalm for the Jeremiah reading: Psalm 69:7-10, (11-15), 16-18
A zealous faith leading to isolation and persecution; a call to God.

• ATA 145 / NCH223 / CH395 / UMH292 / VU147 / VU148 / LBW385 / ELW666 / HPP192 / GtG215 / PH085 / G(II)295 / GC627 / GC(II)614 / CP400 / W&R257 / Cha200 / 82Hml-439 What wondrous love is this? (Unknown author) I just really like this old hymn. And the "sinking down" verse fits this Psalm really well. Versions vary widely in their inclusiveness; if you want inclusive language, use the New Century Hymnal. Here's an awesome bluegrass version.  Oldy-but-a-goody.
• MV048 I can feel you near me God / Jump for joy (Pat Mayberry) Good song for smaller kids about God being with us. I reckon you could get the kids to Jump in the chorus. Maybe it's a bit too happy clappy for some? Good for kids.  Sound sample.
• GtG478 / PfAS069A Save me O God I sink in floods (Marie Post)  Excellent words. Some may find them too sad, but I think they would be excellent to acknowledge that sometimes we just feel overwhelmed with sadness, particularly those (who are many) who suffer depression or great grief. The tune is a simple folk tune. Don't be too jolly in the playing of the tune! Lyrics (GtG and PfAS include only verses 1, 6, and 10 and use a different tune to this link).
• Online Resource / ATOK 321 / Iona (T1AU) / PfAS069C Lord draw near (John Bell)  Simple chant "Lord draw near (x2) Draw near (x2) and stay". PfAS uses it as a Psalm refrain. Sheet music sample and digital download for purchase.
  

Romans 6:1b-11
Died with Christ to be raised with Christ; baptism

• Online Resource / Tune In 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. Reference recording, lyrics and free songbook.
• Online Resource / Tune In In the shape of a cross (Dave Brown) A cry to God for help and a call for God to enter our world. Reference recording, lyrics and free songbook.
• TiS 465 / AHB 399 / ATA 115 / NCH279 / A&M271 / Iona (SBL) / CH116 / GA381 / Lau313 Our God in heaven / Father in heaven / Loving Creator grant to your children (Elena Maquiso / Daniel T Niles) I really like this hymn, especially the Philippino folk melody to which it's set. Newer versions of the hymn from the Christian Conference of Asia have altered the lyrics to "Our God in heaven / Creator God" in the first verse. Other versions, such as CH4 have "Loving Creator / Parent and God". Some versions are not at all inclusive. Lyrics (older version).
  
• MV162 Christ within us hidden, Christ in all and each (Michael Leunig) Quite remarkable words based on a prayer by Michael Leunig. Tune is simple, but will need to be taught. Why is this in a Canadian song book and not any Australian song books?!? Verse 4 and 5 are particularly appropriate for this week’s reading “Christ, in bodies broken, Love new crucified. Christ, the Word new spoken, death by love defied; Christ, in love recovered. Christ, in hope revealed. Christ, in faith discovered. Christ in tombs unsealed”.
• TiS 691 Faith will not grow from words alone (Elizabeth Smith) Excellent strong words of a questioning faith to a familiar hymn tune. Lyrics (ppt slides). New words to old tunes.
• Online Resource Hidden with Christ (Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan) "Hidden with Christ, hidden with Christ, all of us deep within God’s love". Tune is simple enough for first-time singers. Sample, songbook and lyrics.
• NCH328 / GtG489 / PH499 / Cha378 Wonder of wonders here revealed (Jane Parker Huber) Fairly formal hymn, straightforward to sing; verse 2 could be omitted if you are not celebrating communion. Lyrics.
  
• ATOK 320 / NCH351 / VU645 / StJ / WoV770 / ELW732 /SFFS 2051 / GtG488 / HPP516 / W&R680 / Cha075 I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry (John Ylvisaker) A song of God’s presence in all stages of life. Very simple tune to sing. This always makes me think of Center Church on-the-Green in New Haven, CT. Lyrics, and a nice (slow) sound sample. 
• TiS 686 / ATE 292 Lord Jesus we belong to you / Because we bear your name (Robin Mann) A straightforward and practical song asking God to help us to follow Christ well, with a refrain of "because we bear your name". Lyrics (loads a pdf).
• ATW 432 Girl or boy big or small (Gerry Holmes) This would be good for a kids' song if you choose to focus on the meaning of baptism.  Good for kids. 

Matthew 10:24-39
Lots of odd sayings all grouped together. Including: I have not come to bring peace, but a sword! Following is not easy.

• 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. 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.
• Online Resource / Tune In 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. Reference recording, lyrics and free songbook.
• Online Resource / Tune In In the shape of a cross (Dave Brown) A cry to God for help and a call for God to enter our world. Reference recording, lyrics and free songbook.
• AA123 / VU361 Small things count (Shirley Murray) Good simple morality song for kids. Easy to sing. I will suggest this again next week, so maybe good to introduce it this week. Lyrics and sheet music sample. Good for kids.
• ATOK 413 / Iona (HSNW) / CH533 / VU567 / StS039 / A&M510 / ELW798 / GA502 / SFFS 2130 / HPP317 / GtG726 / G(II)510 / GC700 / GC(II)687 / G(3)790 / CP430 / CP(E) 622 / W&R350 / URW060 / Lau877 / StF673 Will you come and follow me / The Summons (Iona) A classic. Don't sing it too slowly or it really drags and takes forever! Lyrics.
• Online Resource / GC(II)651 / G(3)755 You must never give up / Sizo Bambelela (South African) An excellent song from an amazing church in Capetown, South Africa. The phrase Bambelela means "Hold on". It would be fun to get a few singers together to sing the parts to this. If you purchase the music on this link, all royalties go to support the JL Zwane Church and their programs. Sheet music and sound sample, and purchasing options.  Good for kids.  
  
• ATW 499 / The tide has turned songbook It was me when you came that extra mile (Digby Hannah) Simple tune and good simple words. Good for older kids.
• TiS 686 / ATE 292 Lord Jesus we belong to you / Because we bear your name (Robin Mann) A straightforward and practical song asking God to help us to follow Christ well, with a refrain of "because we bear your name". Lyrics (loads a pdf).
• TiS 607 / AoV2-126 / ATN 95 / CH528 / VU684 / StJ / A&M725 / SFFS 2171 / HPP406 / GtG753 / G(II)524 / GC726 / GC(II)721 / G(3)828 / CP(E)519/ W&R587 / Srce 462 / Lau898 / StF707 / MP456 Make me a channel of your peace (Sebastian Temple). Lovely. Nice if you can just start a capella...  Youtube video of Sinead O'Connor singing it and lyrics

What ideas do you have? Please add them in a comment below to share your ideas!