Songs and Hymns for Lent 1B (February 18 2024)

Since Lent is often a time of living more simply, you may wish to sing:  

• Online Resource / VU353 / MfL150 / HPP391 / GC(II)657 / G(3)748 / Cha568 / 82Hml-554 Tis the gift to be simple (Joseph Brackett) Excellent words to a very familiar tune. You might want to consider some Shaker dance steps to go with the song. Free sheet music. Oldy-but-a-goody.

Genesis 9:8-17  
God establishes a covenant with Noah, leaving a rainbow as a sign

• Unknown source When things go wrong and you're feeling blue / Remember the rainbow, God’s promise in the sky I know this is not very helpful, but I know that at Brunswick we have a copy of the words and chords in our folders. Maybe your church has it filed away somewhere too. Good for kids.
• Online Resource / Tune In Tune in (Natalie Sims) A simple kid’s song. “Tune in, tune in, there’s a message coming in.” Encourages kids to look for signs of God’s love. Good for kids. Free downloadable songbook and sound sample
• Online Resource After the flood (David Bjorlin / Mark Miller) Gosh. A beautiful, meditative and healing song, specifically about recovery from a flood. I would use a soloist for the verses, and invite the congregation to join on the chorus, which is a Kyrie (you might need to play it a little more quickly perhaps). Sheet music and sound sample and purchasing options.   
• BUC Song Project Do not worry / The Promise (Elaine Loukes) A simple song reminding us of God's presence and promise. Good for kids.
• Recorded Music Just look up (Eric Bibb / Michael Jerome Browne) On Eric Bibb's album "Friends" and on Putumayo's "Folk Playground". "There's a rainbow waiting for you, just look up". Lyrics. Good for kids.
  
• Online Resource / MV135 Called by earth and sky (Pat Mayberry) Gentle song about the blessings of water, air, soil and fire. Sound sample. Purchasing options.
  
• TiS 418 / AoV2-075 / Iona (EoA, Common Ground) / CH593 / GA372 / A&M259 / Cha255 / SP94 / URW165 / Lau305 She sits like a bird brooding on the waters (John Bell) Beautiful words and very easy to sing, provided it is not played too quickly The Iona recordings are generally very quick, but there are a lot of words to fit in, so keep it elegantly moderate in speed! Lyrics, sound sample and reflection.
  
• Online Resource Shades of purple shades of blue (Carolyn Winfrey-Gillette) Simple words to the well known hymn tune DIX. Lyrics. 
• Online Resource I will set my bow in the clouds (Daniel Damon) A good song with lyrics that will fit multiple weeks of Lent. I will suggest this again! Sung to a simple and catchy tune. Lyrics and sheet music.  
• NCH391 / GtG315 / SFFS 2238 / Cha458 In the midst of new dimensions (Julian Rush) "Now and ever, now and ever, now and evermore". I quite like this one. Good for this week: "God of rainbow, fiery pillar". Hymnals vary in which verses they include. Lyrics. Sheet music.
  

Psalm 25:1-10 

Make me know your ways, teach me your paths. Trust in God.

• Online Resource To you, O Lord I lift my soul (Val Parker) I really like this very simple response (which has only two notes, but really good chords!). It can be used with a cantor and choir if you have one, but for many congregations, just the response will be useful to use with spoken verses. Sound and sheet music samples and purchasing options.
• URW143 The Grace of God is like a road (Michael Hudson) Beautiful words of God's presence and call to follow. Sung to a familiar tune THE GIFT OF LOVE, that is almost the same as O WALY WALY. Highly recommended. Lyrics. New words to old tunes.
• Online Resource / Tune In Like the sun upon my skin / God’s Mercy (Sheree Anderson) A beautiful ballad about identifying God's mercy in the beauty of creation. Free downloadable songbook and sound sample.
• Online Resource I Lay Open (Psalm 25) (Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan) A calm reflective chant that could be used as a responsive refrain, or as a devotional prayer. Sound sample & contact details for sheet music. 
• Online Resource / Tune In Dare to Dream (Elaine Loukes) A great song about having a vision for the future, being lead by the light of Bethlehem’s star. "Dare to dream of new beginnings, Paths untried, by faith supplied".  Free downloadable songbook and sound sample
• ATFG563 / NCYC'03 / The Red Book How long must we cry out? (Robin Mann) This is a big Brunswick favourite, great for young people in particular. "Teach me to do what is right, walk in the darkness, trust in the light and may love be the path I walk upon". Good for teenagers. Lyrics. Lyric video.
• TiS 666 / AoV2-113 / AoVK-126 / ATOK 409 / NCH526 / Iona (Common Ground, Freedom is Coming) / CH516 / VU646/647 / WoV650 / ELW866 / A&M483 / SFFS 2235 / HPP153 / GtG853 / G(II)357 / GC513 / GC(II)516 / G(3)594 / Cha442 / SP235 / Srce737 / StF483 / MP954 We are marching in the light of God / Siyahamba / Caminando (South African) A very popular chorus, with possible alternate verses, depending on your source. Sometimes people get anxious about the word "marching", but remember that this song comes from apartheid-era South Africa, where people were protesting so that they could vote in their own country. And the marching is toi-toing, much less militaristic than what you may imagine. Amazing choral sound sample. Sheet music. Good for kids.
• NCH Psalter 25 Your mercy and love have been from of old (Judy Hunnicutt) A lovely simple Psalm refrain.
• Emergent Psalter Let me know your ways (Isaac Everett) A really good psalm response. I just love this book - I think I like every Psalm in it. Sheet music (refrain only).
• Iona (WWHW) / MV223 We will go with God / Sizohamba naye (Traditional Swaziland) A simple Zulu song from Swaziland. Good for the end of the service. Video with pronunciation and parts. Note that MV has a different set of English words; neither are a direct translation. Sound sample of a more traditional version. Good for kids.
• Online Resource / VU753 / AA117 / A&M773 / SP306 Safe in the hands of God / Safe in your hands O God (Michael Perry) Good paraphrase of the Psalm. Tune will need to be played through at least once before the congregation join in. Lyrics & Sheet music.
• Online resource Make me know your ways (Bruce Harding) A nice laid back and groovy Psalm response or chant. Can work as a round, too. Sheet music. Good for kids.
• GA280 / GtG089 / G(II)252 / GC328 / GC(II)336 / G(3)415 / Lau111 For you O Lord my soul in stillness waits (Marty Haugen) Nice refrain, and verses that contain a good range of images of God. Might be best for the congregation to join in only in the refrain as verses are long and have lots of words. Sound sample. Lead sheet & Lyrics
• ATOK 414 / Iona (LFB, Common Ground) / CH501 / GA485 / A&M788 / G(II)480 / GC673 / GC(II)655 / SP311 / StF513 / Lau850 Take this moment, sign and space (John Bell) A fairly well known favourite. Simple melody and beautiful words. Lyrics.
• Online Resource / MV045 / SP&P051 Hamba nathi (Zulu) There are a lot of translations of this song. I like "Come walk with us, the journey is long". Sound sample. Sheet music.  Good for kids  
• TIS 624 / W&R453 / StF492 Christ be my leader by night as by day (John Bell) Excellent words of following Christ in times of struggle to a traditional Scottish melody. Lyrics New words to old tunes.
• Online Resource / VU752 / G(II)34 / GC36 / GC(II)26 / G(3)039 / PfAS025A / URW248 To you O God I lift my soul (Marty Haugen) Simple lilting cantor and response "To you O Lord I lift my soul, to you I lift my soul". Lead sheet. Sound sample. Purchasing options.
  
• AoV2-014 To You O God I Lift Up My Soul (Bob Hurd) I like this; it's pretty groovy, and has good lyrics; you could also use the chorus on its own, or with a read version of the Psalm. Sound sample and lyrics.
• TiS 14 / GA026 To you, O Lord I lift my soul (Christopher Willcock) Good cantor and response. Sound sample.
• Taizé / CH276 / VU22 / GtG090 / ELW262 / GA283 / A&M053 / G(II)256 / GC332 / GC(II)340 / G(3)406 / CP094 / W&R166 / PfAS037B / SP28 / URW396 / Lau088 Wait for the Lord (Jacques Berthier) "Wait for the Lord whose day is near, wait for the lord, keep watch, take heart". A lovely simple Taizé chant. Some older versions are not inclusive. Sheet music, translations and sound samples.

1 Peter 3:18-22
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.

Mark 1:9-15
Not so much the Baptism of Christ, but what happened immediately after. The heavens are torn open, Jesus is driven into the wilderness, John is arrested and Jesus proclaims that the time is fulfilled…

• Online Resource God beyond our ways of knowing (Adam Tice / Randall Sensmeier) This hymn starts and ends with a verse seeking God's guidance, and the middle verse picks up the Gospel reading for each week of Lent in year B (that's this year). You may like to use it each week. Sung to a simple and catchy tune. Lyrics, sheet music sample and purchasing options.  
  
• URW106 Here at Jordan's river (Ruth Duck) Sung to NOEL NOUVELET, this song is just perfect for our congregation. I really love this. Great for Baptism of Christ or any baptism. Lyrics (scroll down) New words to old tunes
• TiS 270 / AHB 199 / NCH115 / CH334 / VU20 / LBW548 / ELW842 / A&M046 / GtG096 / PH010 / G(II)260 / GC321 / 322 / GC(II)344 / G(3)418 / CP103 / CP(E) 34 / W&R156 / 82Hml-076 / Lau094 / StF182 / MP538 On Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry (Charles Coffin) If you would like inclusive lyrics, have a look at the New Century Hymnal’s version. If you’d like a groovy tune, check out AHB 199(ii) / GC322 – ST JOHN BAPTIST by Gary Lewis Miles and Betty Pulkingham. This is an excellent, fun tune. You can even combine the words of NCH115 with AHB199(ii) for the best of both worlds. But WINCHESTER NEW is also very good, and easy to sing if you don’t have a congregation full of people who grew up in the 60s and 70s. Lyrics and tune sample (Winchester New). Oldy-but-a-goody.
• Online resource Down by the Jordan (Carolyn Winfrey Gillette) Good words based on this reading, set to the well known hymn tune LOBE DEN HERREN or could be sung to AURELIA (Thanks, Ben!). Lyrics.  New words to old tunes.
• TiS 494 / W&R678 / Cha375 In water we grow (Brian Wren) Great words focussed on all the beautiful imagery of baptism and its significance for all. Great for Remembrance of Baptism too.  Tune is quite straightforward. Lyrics
• NCH168 / VU084 O radiant christ incarnate word (Ruth Duck) Good words; a little formal. WAREHAM is the easier tune. Lyrics. New words to old tunes.
• TiS 710 / CH758 / Iona (Enemy of Apathy) / VU204 Come Holy Spirit gracious heavenly dove (John Bell) A beautiful and simple chant. Sheet music sample.
  
• Online Resource Lord Holy Spirit you mark us out in love (Malcolm Gordon) A gentle and very singable song about being driven out to the wild places. Sound sample and digital track.
• Online Resource My wandering heart knows barren land (Hannah Brown) A song of comfort in times of difficulty, reflecting on the understanding that God has. I think this would be quite straightforward to sing. Sheet music sample, lyrics, and purchasing options. 
  
• Online Resource When the carpenter's son / Drive us out (Shawn Whelan) A powerful song asking God to "Drive us out of our safe little spaces". Lyrics and sheet music. 
• Online Resource God bless our "No" (Hannah Brown) Challenging words about how sometimes the best way to follow is to stand up and say "No". Can be sung to KINGSFOLD, or to a newer tune. Sheet music sample, lyrics, and purchasing options. New words to old tunes.   
  
• TiS 419 / NCH270 / CH592 / A&M252 / UMH544 / VU205 / WoV685 / ELW403 / HPP222 / GtG285 / PH314 / CP635 / CP(E) 185 / W&R327 / SP92 / 82Hml-513 Like the murmur of the dove's song (Carl P Daw) Excellent words and a simple tune about Christian unity. Each verse ends with "Come holy spirit, come". Sound sample (video with lyrics). Lyrics and sheet music.
• NCH285 / CH5Carl 91 / SFFS 2123 / URW164 O Holy Dove of God descending / Spirit now live in me (Bryan Jeffery Leech) Lovely simple tune, and beautiful words. Lyrics.
• VU384 / SFFS 2052 / HPP229 / PH320 The Lone Wild Bird in lofty flight (Marty Haugen) Familiar tune and excellent words. First 3 verses and tune sample.New words to old tunes.
• StS008 / SFFS 2089 / GtG163 / PH409 / StF189 Wild and Lone the Prophet's Voice (Daw) Excellent, challenging words. I prefer this sung to ABERYSTWYTH which is well known and easily accessible. Lyrics and sheet music. New words to old tunes.
• PH071 Lord When You Came to Jordan (Brian Wren) I like the questioning words which ask what it might have been like. Would sing it to Llangllofan or ELLACOMBE (TiS 361) “Lord, bring us to our Jordan Of newly opened eyes, Through love, immersed in living, As You were once baptized. Lyric and sheet music  
• MV140 As long as we follow / Na nzela na lola (Kabemba) A simple song from the Congo. "As long as we hope there is a future for creation. We know this, we know this, God's reign will surely come". Youtube video of a pretty cool church choir. Good for kids.

What ideas do you have? Please share them in a comment below.