Songs and Hymns for Proper 26A/Ordinary 31A/Pentecost +22 (5 November 2023)

Joshua 3:7-17
Joshua leads the Israelites across the Jordan into the Promised Land.
  • 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." Sound sample, lyrics and sheet music. Oldy-but-a-goody.
  • Traditional Jordan River (African American) This song, with the refrain "One more river" could be very helpful when thinking about all the troubles that we need to overcome as individuals, or as a society. No-one sings it better than Shirley Caesar, I reckon. Lyrics.
  • God Gives 1 We will walk together into the Promised Land (Coates) A fun repetitive gospel-type song.  Great for kids.
  • NCH598 / UMH724 / LBW36 / ELW249 / W&R519 On Jordan's Stormy Bank I Stand / On River Jordan's Bank I stand (Samuel Stennet) Actually, I don’t think there will be many progressive congregations interested in singing this, but the Sacred Harp singer in me thinks it’s the perfect song for this reading. I think we find it hard to sing of Heaven, even if we only mean a better land. “I am bound for the Promised Land, I’m bound for the Promised Land, O who will come and go with me, I am bound for the Promised Land”. The chorus is excellent fun. Perhaps there is some way of using this. Sound sample and lyrics. Here's a great gospel version (youtube). 
  • ATA 114 Come my brother come my sister (McCarthy) Nice and easy to sing. Has a repeated line of "come, my brother, come", which would be better alternated with "come, my sister, come". Great words of hope about the Promised Land.
  • NCH572 / UMH448 / WoV670 / HPP453 / GtG052 / PH334 / G(II)515 / GC715 / W&R618 / Cha663 / 82Hml-648 When Israel was in Egypt's land (African-American) Traditional song, quite familiar, and great to sing. It might be good to reprise this - even though Moses didn't cross the Jordan, this is the end of that story we started back in Egypt. Here's Louis Armstrong (and a few others) singing it. Good for kids
  • Traditional Roll Jordan Roll or Traditional / ACS951 Deep River orTraditional Get Away Jordan (African-American) There are many many traditional African-American songs where the image of crossing over Jordan was a symbol of escaping slavery. If this is something you might focus on, there is a list of many traditional songs that use this imagery here
Psalm 107:1-7, 33-37
The promise of a fruitful land for a people who have come through the desert. A vision for a new world.
  • Scripture in Song 79 Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return (Ruth Lake) A quite over the top happy clappy chorus, but imagine how happy they would have been to cross the Jordan! I’ve always thought this would work well as a hair metal song, but I digress…  Lyrics and non-metal sound sample.
  • Tune In / NCYC'09 / ATAR598 God has laid a feasting table / Invitation (Shawn Whelan). Feminine imagery of God gathering her guests to a feasting table. Fun Cuban rhythm. "Tune In" and all the songs in it can be downloaded for free here
  • TiS 67 Give thanks Give thanks to the Lord (Jenny O'Brien) A cantored Psalm with a response that is fun and happy! The verses could also be read, rather than cantored.
  • TaizĂ© / MV016 / StJ / ELW528 / GA430 / SFFS 2157 / HPP410 / GtG466 / G(II)398 / GC570 / GC(II)550 / G(3)637 / CP402 / URW378 / Lau701 Come and Fill our hearts/ Confitemini Domino (Jacques Berthier) Can be sun in English as "Come and fill our hearts with your peace, you alone O God are holy. Come and fill our hearts with your peace, Alleluia". A good song of recommitment. Sound samples and sheet music. 
  • URW429 Come you hungry / Drink living water (Colleen Fulmer) This simple song could be used with many verses during a reflection, or during distribution of communion. You could also choose to use just a single verse for a special focus, or selected verses in prayers of confession as appropriate. Sound sample and lyrics.
  • AoV1-074 Come To The Water (Frank Andersen) A beautiful song about God providing (from Isaiah 55). Familiar to many, but easy to sing if not. Works well for communion also. Lyrics and sound sample.
  • ATW 475 Come to the banquet there’s a place for you (Fay White) An excellent song by a Melbourne singer and songwriter. Lyrics (scroll quite a bit). Good for kids.
  • AoV2-020 / ATAR665 Come to the feast of Heaven and Earth / Table of Plenty (Dan Schutte) “God will provide for all that you need, here at the table of plenty”. I love this song. It’s very straightforward and excellent words. Sound sample and lyrics.
  • PfAS107A Give thanks to God who hears our cries (Ruth Duck) Excellent words of God hearing those in despair. Sung to the familiar tune MORNING SONG. It's got 6 verses, so it may be nice to have half the congregation sing to the other half, or alternate men and women for the central 4 verses. Sample sheet music with lyrics. New words to old tunes.
  • Emergent Psalter / PfAS107C May those who are wise (Isaac Everett) A good Psalm refrain, with two possible options for alternate refrains. Will need to be taught. Sheet music (refrains only). 
  • Tune In / Online Resource Kingdom Come (Matthew Lees). A song about what the kingdom might be like, with plentiful images from the parables. "Tune In" and all the songs in it can be downloaded for free here
  • Online resource: Your New Shalom (Bruce Harding) A simple song with 4 verses, including “your desert will bloom again”, with a last verse of “We bring in your new Shalom”. This would work well at any point in the service, including the final song.... or even interspersed throughout. Sheet music.
  • WCC website Hear the message we now are proclaiming / El mensaje que hoy proclamamos (Eleazar Torregosa) This jubilant Colombian song of liberty and new life for the poor and suffering would fit well with this reading. Good for kids. Free sheet music! 
Alternative Hebrew Scripture: Micah 3:5-12
Bad prophets and the destruction of Jerusalem - See the Psalm suggestions below

Psalm for the Micah reading: Psalm 43 
  • NCH469 O grant us light (Lawrence Tuttiett) Lovely oldish words to a simple tune. Older style lyrics and tune sample.
  • MV027 Creator God you gave us life (Judith Snowdon) A lovely song, with a stirring chorus. I think the chorus would be quite straightforward to sing once it has been heard - it will take a little listening: "Through hands that paint majestic skies, and voices chanting melody, with words that reach beyond the page, we comprehend your mystery. Lyrics and sound sample (Youtube). 
  • Music by Heart 09 O Send your light forth (Robinson McClellan) The rhythm is quite tricky and needs to be taught, but once you have it, it's a lot of fun, and sounds pretty cool with both parts going. It's listed as difficult, but I'm not sure that it is.
  • Online Resource / MV071 / GC(II)339 / G(3)417 When the wind of winter blows (Ruth Duck) A song of confession and lament, and expectation. Good for congregations heading to Winter... Lyrics, sample sheet music and purchasing options.
  • AHB 393 Send forth your light and your truth (Anthony Murray) Cantored Psalm. Antiphon II is best in my opinion, and could be used with a read Psalm, or lead by a cantor as written.
  • VF148 Send out your light and your truth (Lisa Neufield Thomas, Hildegard of Bingen) This antiphon, based on the words of Hildegard of Bingen uses the 3rd verse of Psalm 43 as the antiphon and reflects many of the concepts in this Psalm. Thanks to Julie and Patty, and everyone at St Clare's Episcopal Church for providing me with the book "Voices Found" which I'm very excited to be using. You could also use the antiphon alone with a read version of the Psalm.    
  • Iona / PfAS043C / ATFG585 Send out your light Lord send your truth (Iona) Very simple Psalm refrain for Psalm 43.  Nice simple chant which could be used at any point in the service. Maybe good for intercessions? Sheet music sample
  • TiS 027 / PfAS043A Send out your light and your truth let them lead me (United Methodist Publishing House) A more plain psalm response to use with a read or cantored Psalm.   
  • VU768 Why restless why cast down my soul? / will go to the altar of God (Hugh Wilson) Psalm 42 and 43 are together in this hymnal, but I really like the first refrain, and the translation of both Psalms.
  • Worldmaking.net / Online Resource Your People Lament (Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan) A quiet lament with verses; "Your people lament for our witness of suffering, Our anger and sorrow in light of Your holiness". Sound sample and lyrics.  
  • AoV1-120 / CH033 / GA038 / A&M325 / SP127 / URW268 / Lau214 As the deer longs for running streams (Bob Hurd) This is a lovely simple refrain that could be used with prayers of adoration, or with a read or cantored version of the Psalm. I like the versions in URW and SP best. 
1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 
The way that the early church encouraged new believers and their eagerness to accept the Gospel.
  • TiS 417 / AoV2-133 / ATW 448 / VU387 / StJ / WoV683 / ELW397 / AA94 / HPP237 / GtG293 / PH323 / CP657 / W&R135 / Cha244 / URW203 / StB220 / VF051 Loving Spirit, Loving Spirit (Shirley Murray). There are about a zillion tunes set for this. I prefer FELICITY (by Colin Gibson TiS 417), but also like RESTORATION and OMNI DIE. Lyrics and sheet music sample. New words to old tunes, if you want.
Matthew 23:1-12
Humility
  • TiS 650 / ATA 191 / CH694 / A&M604 / NCH539 / VU595 / ELW659 / AA08 / SFFS 2222 / HPP442 / GtG727 / G(II)476 / GC683 / GC(II)661 / G(3)751 / CP500 / CP(E) 393 / W&R391 / Cha490 / SP263 / URW117 / StF611 / Lau924 / VF124 Brother, sister, let me serve you / Won't you let me be your servant? (Richard Gillard) I think you all know this one. Lyrics. NCH has a nice turn on the lyrics with "Won't you let me be your servant?" as the first line.  Oldy-but-a-goody.
  • ATOK 390 Put on love every day, never hide your love away (Mary Lu Walker) A groovy song that's good for kids!  Sound sample.
  • TiS 640 / AHB 561 / ATE 310 / NCH498 / UMH432 / VU593 / WoV765 / ELW708 / HPP446 / GtG203 / PH367 / G(II)296 / GC409 / GC(II)429 / G(3)505 / CP504 / W&R273 / Cha600 / URW116 / 82Hml-602 / Lau241 / StF249 Jesu Jesu fill us with your love / Kneels at the feet of his friends (Tom Colvin & people of Ghana) A classic! Lyrics. Good for kids  Oldy-but-a-goody.
  • W&R383 If My People’s Hearts Are Humbled (Claire Cloniger) Quite formal words, but appropriate. Lyrics. 
  • PH437 / CP591 / W&R586 Our Cities Cry to You O God (Edith Margaret Clarkson) Good words sung to an old American hymn tune that's pretty straightforward. Lyrics and sheet music
 Do you have ideas to share? Please add them in a comment below!

1 comment:

Pastor Michael Evans said...

Thank you. Great ideas for music -- as usual. Blessings to you always, Michael