Songs, Hymns & Music for Epiphany 5B (February 4 2024)

Isaiah 40:21-31 

• GWA029 In ages past the mighty Lord by prophets spoke the word (Michael Mangan) This is a song with very many verses; choose at least verses 1 and 2 this week, and you can sing other verses when you want to sing about other prophets. Set to the common tune KINGSFOLD. Some lyrics (not the Isaiah verse!). New words to old tunes.  
• Online Resource Come watch for the green that shows after a fire (Hannah Brown) Beautiful words about renewal, set to the familiar tune COLUMCILLE. Sheet music sample and lyrics and purchasing options. New words to old tunes.  
  
• AoV2-061 / ATE 249 As a dream receive your hist'ry (Andrew Tanner) A South Australian classic. There are actions too! The chorus is particularly excellent “We will rise up on wings like eagles, run and not be tired, show us your dreams and visions, warm our hearts with tongues of fire, tongues of fire”. Good for kids and teenagers. Lyrics
• Recorded Music Overcome (Laura Mvula) Not a congregational song, but you may wish to play it. I just love it; it picks up on the idea of running even when feeling broken by the world. The chorus of "All God's children run 'round the mountain" just makes me smile. Youtube. Lyrics. 
• NCH497 / SFFS 2208 / GtG741 / PH354 / G(II)508 / GC707 / GC(II)684 G(3)780 / CP513 / ZSS141 Guide my feet while I run this race (African-American) An excellent civil rights song. Would work well as a meditative prayer for guidance or as an uplifting call to action at the end of the service.You could also make up your own lyrics. Lyrics. Good for kids.
• NCH164 / VU79 / StS030 / WoV652 / LBW652 / ELW314 / PH411 / GtG744 / W&R231 / URW138 Arise your light is come! (Ruth Duck) Good general words of Christ coming to bring justice to the familiar tune ST. THOMAS (TiS 271). Sheet music sample. New words to old tunes.
• TiS 48 / AoV1-153 / ATOK 411 / VU808 / WoV779 / ELW787 / GA452 / HPP385 / GtG043 / G(II)433 / GC611 / GC(II)593 / G(3)691 / CP531 / W&R438 / PfAS091E / Cha077 / Lau952 You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord / On Eagle's Wings (Michael Joncas) This is a big favourite all over the place. It has masculine imagery for God. This doesn't have to be sung slowly and meditatively - it also works very well as a more upbeat song. If it is not familiar to you, a cantor can be used for the verses. It is not inclusive. Lyrics.
• ATOK 416 We will rise up on eagles wings (Trish Watts) I have marked down that I like this one, but can’t tell you why as I don’t have the book right now…
• AoV1-057 / G(II)485 /  GC678 / GC(II)663 / G(3)766 / Lau824 Awake from your slumber / City of God (Dan Schutte) I love the joyousness and sense of mission in this one. A really positive song “Let us build the city of God, let us turn our morning to dancing, for the Lord, our light and our love, has turned the night into day”. We have taken to skipping the bridge section ("God is light") - it makes the song less confusing, and more inclusive - I don't think anyone has noticed, but it's not a secret anymore... Sample sheet music & lyrics. Sound sample.
• Online Resource / AoVK-47 / HPP51 / A&M656 / W&R80 / Lau973 He's Got the Whole World in His Hands (African-American) Most versions of this are not inclusive, but it’s possible to make it so. I’ve seen “God’s got the whole world in safe hands”, which is a little clumsy. AoVK has "The whole world is in God's hands" which works really well, or you could sing "You've got the whole world in your hands" (thanks to Reverend Dona Quixote for this suggestion)! Sheet music and lyrics. Good for kids.  Oldy-but-a-goody.
• TiS 253 / AoV2-119 / AoVK-103 / GA419 O Lord Jesus Marrkapmirr (Garrawarra family of Milingimbi) This simple song is easy to sing and talks of the timelessness of God’s love. “O Lord Jesus Marrkapmirr, all the power belongs to you”. Lyrics. Sound sample.
• MV175 May we but wait (Will Petricko) A simple refrain which would work well as a response for prayers of Intercession, or a responsive reading of this passage.
• SFFS 2281 / URW451 May you run and not be weary (Handt Hanson / Paul Murakami) A nice blessing song. Good for the ending of the service, but also good if you need to farewell someone. Lyrics.
• AoVNG43 / StF089 / Srce_2054 Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord / Everlasting God (Brenton Brown / Ken Riley) A good, repetitive rock ballad. I love the lines "You are the defender of the weak, you comfort those in need, you lift us up on wings like eagles". Lyric video (Youtube).

Psalm 147:1-11, 20c
God provides for people and animals.

• NCH Psalter (Psalm 147) Great is our God, and abundant in power (Elaine Kirkland). A simple and effective refrain. Can be used to a read or sung cantor part.
• Iona (M&G) / CH267 Blest be God blest be God for ever (Salvador Martinez) Beautiful words to a beautiful, but quite tricky Philippino melody. This would be great to ask a small group to sing, if you have some good singers in your congregation. Sound sample.
• Online Resource / In Every Corner Sing / AA039 / GA192 For the bread and wine and blessing (Shirley Murray) Very straightforward tune. Good Eucharist song. Really good song of healing. Lyrics and sheet music.
  
• ATE 216 / Iona (SBL) / CH126 / StJ / 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 706 / Taize / AoV2-142 / A&M600 / SFFS 2013 / GtG544 / PH224 / GC(II)576 / G(3)620 / CP360 / PfAS103C / SP194 / Src79 / URW377 / Lau813  Bless the Lord my soul (Jacques Berthier) A beautiful and very well known Taize chant. Sound samples, sheet music. Good for kids.
• MV037 Each blade of grass / Circle of God (Keri Wehlander) Lovely words set to a familiar-feeling folk tune. Lyrics
• TiS 181 / AoV2-032 / GC(II)497 / G(3)577 / CP589 Come O God of all the earth / Sing Out Earth and Skies (Marty Haugen) A very joyful song for cantor and congregation, or small group and congregation; this is a big favourite in our church. Sheet music, lyrics and sound sample.
• CH753 / SFFS 2078 / GtG589 / GC(II)271 / G(3)338 / PfAS147A Alleluia alleluia (Honduras) Simple and fun Alleluia that works well as a refrain for a reading of this Psalm. You could also use a different Alleluia. Good for kids. 
• Online Resource / AoVK-24 / Iona (T1AU) / CH756 Bless the Lord / My sisters (Kenyan) Simple and fun Kenyan call and response. "Bless the Lord there is no other God" Kids would really enjoy this, and with some African drumming, it would really be excellent. Lyrics and sheet music. Good for kids.
• MV095 How deep the peace (Lynn Bauman / Linnea Good) Simple song. Would work particularly well as words of assurance after the prayers of confession. Lyrics (a very short slide show).
• Online Resource / CH177 / A&M745 / SP300 O God of blessings all praise to you! / Soli Deo Gloria (Marty Haugen) Majestic, and a touch schmaltzy, but really very good. Choral version sound sample, sheet music sample, and purchasing options.
  
• Online Resource / Resounding Voices Infinite beauty love that moves the Heavens (Susan Palo  Cherwien / David Cherwien) Excellent words about the beauty of God's created world and all that we can learn from it. Lyrics (scroll down). Free book download here.  
• Iona (SBL) / CH140 / MV181 / WoV727 / ELW554 / G(II)341 / GC495 / STB178 Lord Your Hands Have Formed This World / The Earth is the Lord's (Ramon & Sario Oliano) Good words of creation to a lovely, and not too difficult, Philippino melody. This would be a nice song for a children's choir or for the offering. Lyrics and sample sheet music.
• VU888 / LBW558 / ELW731 / PH458 / RS681 / CP358 / W&R642 / 82Hml-412 Earth and All Stars (Herbert Brokering) Fun words of cosmic praise. I thought this tune was pretty straightforward, but our congregation struggled a bit with it. I really like the "boiling test tubes" bit, although this verse is not in all hymnals; the lyrics vary between sources, and not all are inclusive. One example of the lyrics. Good for kids, especially if sung with some humour.
• ATN 66 / GGives1 If I were a butterfly (Brain Howard) This is a cute kid's song, though I'm not really sure I like it anymore; to make it gender-inclusive for God you could sing "But I just thank you God for making me me!". Thanks to Bronwyn Marchant for this suggestion. Lyrics, chords and sound sample. Good for kids.

1 Corinthians 9:16-23
Paul becomes as those he wishes to save. A call to stand alongside others. A call to evangelism.

• NCH437 We shall not give up the fight (South African) A great song for congregations standing with those in a struggle for freedom. That should be all of our congregations really. Good for kids. I like the version by this choir in France!
• Online Resource / Resounding Voices When the world feels to heavy / Lo Alecha (Natalie Young) This song is about working together for the future. It sort of fits with this reading, but I just wanted to find somewhere to list it. It's not an easy song for congregations, but this would be very helpful to many. You will need to teach the Hebrew pronunciation. Free book download here. Sound sample.
  
• Seeds of Faith Do you know that I am your friend? / I’m Gonna Stick With You (Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan) An excellent and fun song for kids. Lyrics, sound sample and songbook Good for kids.
• NCH357 / CH680 / G(II)487 / GC680 / GC(II)675 / G(3)774 / Lau425 You are called to tell the story (Ruth Duck) Excellent words. The simplest tune would be REGENT SQUARE. A range of tunes are used in the sources available. While written for ordination, this song would work very well as a call to a whole congregation. You could change the first line to “We are called to tell the story” and eliminate verse 3 (unless you welcome lay people presiding over communion, of course!). New words to old tunes. Lyrics
• AoVK-36 / VU649 / SFFS 2242 / URW118 Walk with me I will walk with you (John Rice) Nice simple words about being sent to do God's work. Also mentions Moses' call. Lyrics. Good for kids.
• ATW 507 Where you tread (John Beavis) A beautiful and simple song based on the story of Ruth, but quite appropriate to the idea of standing alongside others. Very simple for a congregation to sing first time.
• Online Resource / SFFS 2175 / GtG767 Together We Serve (Daniel Damon) Good hymn about service, sung to a very straightforward tune. Lyrics and sheet music.
  
• 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 cappella...  Youtube video of Sinead O'Connor singing it and lyrics Oldy-but-a-goody.

Mark 1:29-39 

Jesus heals Simon’s mother-in-law, lots of others, and prays before proclaiming the message and casting out demons 

• ATW 443 She was in bed with a fever / Like an angel (Robin Mann) Nice to sing. Not too hard. Lyrics, and an excellent introduction to the theme of this story and song.
• W&R640 From Miles Around the sick ones came (Jane Marshall) Good song calling us back to our purpose to stand with the suffering. Lyrics & sheet music. 
• TiS 638 / NCH175 / CH717 / A&M518 / GtG793 / PH380 / UMH265 / LBW380 / ELW610 / PH380 / CP291 / CP(E) 346 / W&R638 / Cha503 / Lau430 / StF653 O Christ the healer we have come (Fred Pratt Green) Beautiful words and simple to sing. Good for intercessions. I like the tune INVERCARRY best, but it can also be sung to TALLIS' CANON if your congregation needs a more familiar tune. Lyrics and sound sample (of an alternative tune). New words to old tunes.
• TiS 236 / AHB 178 / CH351 / UMH273 / VU570 / HPP157 / W&R634 Jesus' hands were kind hands (Margaret Cropper) Good old fashioned children's song. Lots of kids learn to play this on piano, so if you have some budding pianists in your congregation, it may be nice to invite one to play. Lyrics & sheet music.  Good for kids.
• Seeds of Faith Jesus’ hands are Healing Hands (Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan). A simple and fun kid’s song. "Jesus hands are healing hands, full of love and grace”.Lyrics, sound sample and songbook Good for kids.
• CH348 / StS001 / LBW196 / ELW843 / A&M762 / G(3)625 / CP397 / W&R93 / SP304 / URW090 Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness (Rusty Edwards) Good words of Christ's ministry to all. Can be sung to the familiar tune NETTLETON, or the less familiar and very lovely tune JOEL. I will suggest this again next week! New words to old tunes. Lyrics. 
• Iona (Love From Below / common ground) / CH718 / VU613 / A&M522 / GtG797 / G(II)401 / GC575 / GC(II)558 / G(3)657 / CP292 / CP(E) 348 / W&R628 / SP140 / URW146 / Lau433 We Cannot Measure How You Heal (John Bell) Really very excellent words to a very familiar Celtic air. Easy to sing; be careful not to get too fast; it's tempting but the words need a slower tune. Sheet music sample. Sound sample. 
• Online Resource Be Still (David MacGregor) Any songs about being still could fit with the way that Jesus prays before he takes action could work well. This is a very simple reflective song, which could really help the congregation to be still! There are lots of other ideas on this theme... see the next few suggestions. Sound sample. Sheet music.
  
• Online Resource Rest your body still your mind (David Bjorlin / Benjamin Brody) This is an excellent a capella round which would work well at the start of a service or as an introduction to reading the scriptures. It also has a version of the lyrics for a Benediction. You could use both! Sample sheet music, lyrics and purchasing options. Youtube.
• AoV2-054 / Iona (T1AU, LFB) / MV077 /  GtG414 / SFFS 2057 / G(II)438 / GC618 / RS 736 / SP&P111 / PfAS046D / URW409 / Lau909 / StF019 Be still and know that I am God (John Bell / Graham Maule) This simple chant is beautiful. Works as a round or in unison. Sound sample. Good for kids.
• ATN 9 / NCH743 / CH755 / W&R450 / Srce68 / StF018 / MP048 Be Still and Know (Unknown author) This is the old classic. Sources vary in the verses they have and the level of inclusiveness in the lyrics.  
• Online Resource Be still and know that I am God (David Kai) Yet another version of these very catchy words. Sung as a chant it is particularly lovely. Sheet music, sound samples.

What ideas do you have? Please share them below!