Songs, Hymns & Music for Epiphany 3B (January 21 2024)

This Sunday will mark 23 years since I first attended worship at Brunswick Uniting Church. Thanks for being our home, and the place from which this web resource started.
 
Jonah 3:1-5, 10
God gets mad with Nineveh, but doesn't destroy them when they repent.
  • Online Resource / Tune In / NCYC '07 Forgive us now (Dave Brown) This is one of the best songs seeking forgiveness that I know. Let’s not forget that sometimes we are the ones waging war against the poor. “Forgive us now, O holy one For crimes committed in your name For all the holy wars we wage For all the children we enslave, Forgive us now O holy one”. Free downloadable song book, sound samples and lyrics.
  • Online Resource / Tune In 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. Free downloadable song book, sound samples and lyrics.
  • TiS 674 / Iona (Common Ground, Heaven Shall Not Wait) / A&M562 / CH253 / SP245 Inspired by love and anger (John Bell / Graham Maule) Powerful lyrics, simple English folk tune. I love verse three “Don’t query our position! Don’t criticise our wealth! Don’t mention those exploited by politics and stealth!”. It’s easy for us to be judgemental on these things. Sound sample. Lyrics.
  • ATAR684 Who am I? A good song for kids about all the different people called by God. Mentions Moses, Jonah, Esther and Jesus. Good for kids.
  • TiS 690 / CH259 / A&M557 / StS115 / SP237 / Srce54 / StF693 / MP806 Beauty for brokenness hope for despair (Graham Kendrick) Themes of healing from personal and universal suffering and an emotive chorus. “Refuge from cruel wars, havens from fear, cities for sanctuary, freedoms to share, peace to the killing-fields, scorched earth to green; Christ for the bitterness, his cross for the pain”. It's a bit schmaltzy. Lyrics and links to a range of resources.
  • Online resource Hear the message we now are proclaiming / El mensaje que hoy proclamamos (Eleazar Torreglosa) 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.
  • Online Resource / TiS 665 / AoV2-008 / Iona (Common Ground) / CH360 / A&M563 / VU117 / StJ / SP246 / Lau889 / StF251 Jesus Christ is waiting (John Bell) A good hymn that is quite simple to sing. Sound sample, sheet music sample and purchasing options.
  • TiS 689 / ATE 286 / GtB Lord hear my praying, listen to me / Sorrowing song (Robin Mann) Powerful words of lamentation to a simple tune. Words are straightforward about asking difficult questions of God. Lyrics.  
  • ATFG537 Jonah was a prophet who lived many years ago (Pfeffer) Fun. Sung to the tune of "John Brown's body". Has more of the book of Jonah than just this reading... Good for kids.
  • Youtube / DVD Jonah was a prophet (VeggieTales) This is just great! This would be good fun to play, even if only part of it. "But he never really got it" is a pretty important part of the Jonah story.  Youtube. Great for kids.
Psalm 62:5-12 
For God alone my soul waits in silence
  • Online Resource For you alone my soul (Pat Mayberry / David Kai) A lovely simple chorus that could be used as a Psalm refrain, or on its own for reflection. The parts are quite beautiful if you can organise that, but it's also fine with just the melody. Sheet music
  • TaizĂ© / GtG814 / CP563 / PfAS062D In God alone my soul can find rest and peace / Mon ame se repose (Jacques Berthier) A beautiful healing chant from Taize; perfectly suited to this Psalm, where it can be used as a Psalm refrain. Words and music and sound samples for learning the parts Good for kids.
  • Online Resource / ELW466 / FFS38 / SFFS 2255 / GtG533 In the singing in the silence (Shirley Murray) Lovely words, simple tune in FFS; there are quite a few tunes to this. Lyrics and single-use only downloadable PDF
  • TaizĂ© / GtG843 / URW387 My soul is at rest in God alone (Jacques Berthier) A simple and lovely Taize chant. Sheet music samples.
  • Emergent Psalter For you alone I wait in silence (Isaac Everett) A (very) simple and sparse refrain, with a deliberate period of silence at the end. It can be sung as a round either at the first or second measure. Sheet music (refrain only). 
  • GtG790 / PfAS062A In silence my soul thirsts (Sheldon Sorge and Tammy Wiens) A more contemporary setting of this Psalm. This should be quite simple to sing. The chorus is "God is my strength, God is my salvation, my refuge, my abinding peace. I shall not be shaken". Sound sample.
  • Online Resource / Iona (T1AU) / URW408 On God alone I wait silently (John Bell) Simple and lovely chant or psalm refrain. Could work well with kids to help them to be calm and still and waiting-like. Sound sample and sheet music PDF for purchase and download.
  • TiS 33 / VU779 Rest in God alone (Robert Batastini) A lovely simple and inclusive refrain that could be used on its own or with a sung or read cantor part. Lead sheet. Sound sample.
  • 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.
  • Online Resource For those who cannot find a way (Adam Tice / Sally Ann Morris) A beautiful song that expresses our hope for the healing of pain that others bear. "Why, O God, why?". Sheet music sample and purchasing options
1 Corinthians 7:29-31 
The present form of this world is passing away; do not be as you are (married, rich, mourning, rejoicing).
  • Online Resource / TiS 547 / AHB 455 / AoV1-009 / NCH451 / CH465 / A&M595 / UMH451 / VU642 / WoV776 / ELW793 / HPP353 / GtG450 / PH339 / CP505 / CP(E) 386 / W&R502 / Cha595 / Srce70 / URW180 / 82Hml-488 / Lau970 / StF545 / MP051  Be thou my vision O Lord of my heart (8th century Irish) Most recent hymnals are fairly inclusive for this. Note that the High King phrase has been changed in some hymnals because it is masculine, but the hymn is based on an ancient story of St. Patrick refusing to follow the High King Logaire, and choosing instead the "High King of Heaven". Lyrics, sheet music samples. Oldy-but-a-goody.
  • TiS 586 / AHB 502 / AoV2-128 / NCH099 / CH580 / UMH700 / VU436 / LBW272 / ELW629 /  A&M010 / GtG836 / CP024 / CP(E) 10 / W&R521 / Cha636 / Srce2 / 82Hml-662 /  Lau907 / StF141 / MP004 Abide with me; fast falls the eventide (Henry Francis Lyte) This is not a favourite of mine, but it fits the reading well and many versions (but not all!) are quite inclusive. All the verses!
  • ATAR676 Lord, be the rising (Sandra Sears) This is quite lovely. The tune is simple and the words seek God in all goodness. 
  • Online Resource / UMH729 / VU682 / LBW161 / WoV762 / ELW711 / GtG373 / PH450 / CP573 / W&R539 / Cha711 / URW140 / 82Hml-597 / Lau900 O day of peace that dimly shines (Carl P Daw) A song of hoped-for peace. The tune in Chalice hymnal is really nice (CANDLER) or O WALY WALY which is used in URW. Other sources use JERUSALEM, which is a bit too militaristic for me. Lyrics and JERUSALEM sheet music.
Mark 1:14-20 
John declares the coming of the kingdom. Jesus calls Simon and Andrew, James and John. “Follow me and fish for people!”
Some of the songs suggested last week for the calling of Philip and Nathaniel may also be useful.

  • Online Resource / Tune In Hail the fisherfolk (Dave Brown) A bluesy litany of the saints, including the fishermen of yesterday and the fisherfolk of today. This song celebrates the many people who have followed God’s call through the ages. Free downloadable song book, sound samples and lyrics.
  • SFFS 2101 / G(II)301 / GC688 / GC(II)693 / G(3)798 Two Fishermen (Suzanne Toolan) A nice medieval / minstrelly sounding tune and good words. This would be fun.Lead sheet. Sound sample.
  • 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! Sheet music and sound samples.
  • NCH504 / StJ / HPP545 / GtG170 / GC(II)679 / GC(3)797 You Walk along Our Shoreline (Sylvia Dunstan) Good words to a very familiar hymn tune (AURELIA). There is also a new tune by Benjamin Brody available here. Lyrics. New words to old tunes.
  • ATOK 348 / Iona (HSNW) / G(II)496 / GC692 / GC(II)697 / StF462 Come with me / Sing hey for the carpenter (Iona) Excellent. I love this one. Very joyous, and a big favourite in our congregation. Lyrics. Good for kids.
  • CH340 When Jesus saw the fishermen (Edith Agnew) Simple words about the calling of the fishermen, set to a traditional carol tune (THE SEVEN JOYS OF MARY). Sound sample. New words to old tunes.
  • TiS 242 / AHB 183 / AoV1-018 / ATN 27 / CH404 / UMH261 / VU352 / A&M667 / HPP163 / GtG157 / PH302 / G(II)481 / GC708 / GC(II)689 / G(3)796 / CP(E) 468 / W&R118 / Lau765 / StF247 I danced in the morning / Lord of the Dance (Sydney Carter). Lyrics. You all know this one, right? Good for kids Oldy-but-a-goody.
  • Online Resource / FFS62 The Lord God walked in Paradise (Colin Gibson) This tune is quite tricky, but the words for verse 3 are very appropriate for this reading, which it weaves into remembering Adam and Eve in the garden and Moses with the burning bush. Lyrics and sheet music sample
  • TiS 589 / AHB 505 / NCH171 / CH509 / UMH398 / VU562 / LBW494 / ELW696 / A&M324 / HPP314 / GtG720 / CP432 / CP(E) 233 / W&R345 / Cha337 / 82Hml-550 / StF250 / LUYH121 / MP359 / VF128 / VF129 Jesus calls us; o'er the tumult (Cecil Frances Alexander) Great words. TiS sets it to ST CATHERINE, but I prefer it to other tunes (like STUTTGART or RESTORATION) if this is not familiar to your congregation (it’s not hard though). Lyrics and sheet music samplesNew words to old tunes.
  • Recorded Music Bring 'em all in (Mike Scott) Thanks to Jonathan Evans for this suggestion. This song could work well as a call to inclusive and welcoming evangelism. Youtube.
  • Online Resource You keep calling me (David MacGregor) Good song with a ridiculously catchy chorus. Sheet music. Sound sample. LyricsGood for kids.
What ideas do you have? I'd love to hear them! Please share in a comment below.

7 comments:

Rosemary said...

Hi Natalie, I just want to thank you and Brunswick Uniting Church for making that fabulous songbook "Tune-In" available for download. I bought one and the CD years ago, and use it both for my own meditation and from time to time in worship. This will make it so much quicker to enable the musicians to play and the people to sing. Thank you all for your generosity.

Lynn said...

Thank you, Natalie, and your faith communities, for this ministry!

Hannah said...

Unfortunately there are credible accusations of sexual misconduct for Cesareo Gabarain. I would encourage folks to consider not using his work.

Lectionary Singer (Natalie Sims) said...

Thanks Hannah. I thought long and hard about whether to continue to include Gabarain's music on my blog (I do not include work by Haas). I'm not sure whether I have made the right decision. I have elected to leave his music in, in part because he is no longer living, and would not gain any benefit from his music being sung. I agree that congregations, particularly located in areas where he lived, should consider not using his work. I would welcome a discussion about this via email if you'd like to talk more (Lectionarysinger_@_gmail.com).

Mary Lou Hulan said...

OCP no longer carries his music, and it is not on One License, so we could not use it as we are live-streamed. Anyone in similar copyright situations should check if they can use "Lord We Have Come". It is a big loss.

Niki's scripture reflections said...

Thank you so much for your song suggestions. I notice the thread about composers and not using their music when they've been involved in misconduct. I think it depends.... We are all imperfect. If the music is something that is worthy, then it is some good that the person has to give. Only last week I spoke about an interaction I had with the composer of a well known hymn who decided in his advanced years, that his words could mean anything... or nothing... the faithlessness upset me, but I decided I would still use his music when appropriate and I refuse to tell others the name of the composer, so that they are not hindered in their worship... and I guess that there is the answer - if the song is known well by the composer, and the composers misconduct well known, the song could be a hinderance. But if not, and the song is good - use it. :-)

Lectionary Singer (Natalie Sims) said...

Thanks all, particularly Hannah for continuing the discussion via email, in helping me to think through this. Survivors of sexual assault have asked us to stop singing Gabarain's music, and in the interest of standing with those who have been hurt, I have removed his works from my blog. Yes, flawed people can and do write beautiful music, but when it causes hurt to others for us to sing that music when we are together as a community, we can and should let that music go.