Songs, Hymns & Music for Lent 5B (17 March 2024)

Jeremiah 31:31-34  
Promise of a new covenant – God’s law written on Israel’s hearts. All will know God, not just hear about God. God will forgive their sins.

• Online Resource / TiS 679 God of Jeremiah grieving (Brian Wren) If you are going to focus on Jeremiah for the next few weeks, this would be a good hymn to learn. The traditional Scottish tune KELVIN GROVE is well known as the tune for "The Summons". Lyrics and free sheet music PDF.
• BUC Song Project Do not worry / The Promise (Elaine Loukes) A simple song reminding us of God's presence and promise. Good for kids.
• ATW 459 I don't believe in a God up in the sky / God Version 1.0(Robin Mann) An excellent rock song about how we think about God, or not! Lyrics and mp3. Good for kids. 
• Online Resource / TiS 658 / AoV1-090 / ATE 296 / CH251 / UMH593 / VU509 / WoV752 / ELW574 / GA496 / A&M494 / HPP541 / GtG069 / PH525 / G(II)492 / GC(II)671 / G(3)777 / CP(E) 470 / W&R559 / Cha452 / Srce328 / Lau865 / StF663 / MP857 I the Lord of sea and sky / Here I am Lord (Dan Schutte) Song of God searching for us and our response. Multilingual sound samples, sheet music samples, purchasing options.
  
• UMH729 / VU682 / LBW161 / WoV762 / ELW627 / GtG373 / PH450 / CP573 / W&R539 / Cha711 / URW140 / 82Hml-597 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.  New words to old tunes.
• Worldmaking.net O Holy One (Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan) A very simple song for the start of worship. It could be sung altogether as a congregation or responsively. We sang this every week of Lent one year. Sound sample and lyrics.  
• NCH286 / ATE 218 / VU375 / WoV684 / ELW396 / HPP239 / GtG291 / PH319 / W&R326 / Cha249 Spirit spirit of gentleness (James Manley) Lovely, gentle song. Very easy to sing, but can get slow and ponderous if you're not careful. Lyrics  
• ATA 184 Spring follows winter (Love is the law) (Robin Mann) Lovely words to a familiar traditional English (?) melody. Mostly inclusive. Particularly good for the Northern Hemisphere where it's Spring Equinox. Lyrics.
  
• TiS 560 / AHB 465 / NCH408 / CH192 / UMH132 / VU654/655 / WoV782 / ELW757 / A&M584 / CP529 / CP(E) 368 / Cha088 / Srce2-15 / 82Hml-665 / Lau959 / StF455 / MP016 All my hope on God is founded / is firmly grounded (Joachim Neander) Be aware that most translations of this well known German hymn are entirely masculine for God; the NCH and WoV have gender neutral language. One version of the lyrics. Gender neutral paraphrase (from NCH, scroll to page 4). Oldy-but-a-goody.
• TiS 90 / AHB 44 / UMH60 / VU867 / GtG806 / PH253 / A&M673 / CP346 / CP(E) 473 / W&R79 / Cha20 / 82Hml-429 / StF079 / MP320 I'll praise my Maker while I've breath (Isaac Watts) A great classic hymn. Most sources are not inclusive; Voices United is! Lyrics (not the inclusive ones).  Oldy-but-a-goody.
• TiS 407 / AHB 320 / NCH292 / CH596 / UMH420 / VU382 / StJ / LBW488 / A&M236 / GA432 / HPP227 / GtG286 / PH316 / GC800 / GC(II)800 / CP649 / CP(E) 174 / W&R461 / Cha254 / Srce81 / URW167 / 82Hml-508 / Lau302 / StF370 / MP067 Breathe on me Breath of God (Edwin Hatch) An older style inclusive hymn. Good words seeking the spirits gifts of new life, purity and unity with Christ. If you sing this version, it can be sung to a lovely simple, and quite intuitive Celtic tune (ST COLUMBA). If you sing this version, it can also be sung to HAMPTON, TRENTHAM, or DURHAM. Recently, a reader (Adam Kukuk) posted a reworking of this hymn which I think it pretty darn cool. Have a listen (lead sheets available at the link on his site). Oldy-but-a-goody.

Psalm 51:1-12 
A Prayer for forgiveness and a new heart
You might like to sing a Kyrie.

• Online Resource Broken (Elaine Loukes) A gentle song for tired pilgrims. Free sheet music, recording and lyrics.
  
• Iona (SBL) / MV068 / G(II)405 / GC581 / GtG578 / PfAS009A Kyrie Guarany / On the poor, on the poor / Oré poriajú verekó (Pablo Sosa / Guarani people) A simple Kyrie from Paraguay; This is our current favourite at Brunswick. The English translation varies depending on the source (we don't sing On the Poor). Sound sample in Guarani. Sound sample in Greek (Hey, that's my family singing!)  Good for kids.
• Online Resource Open my heart (Ana Hernandez) A beautiful 3 part chant, which also works as a single part chant. Sheet music. Youtube of the song being taught and sung in 3 parts.  
• Online Resource / Tune In / NCYC '07 Forgive us now (Dave Brown) An excellent ballad. "Forgive us now, O mother love for all the idols we have built, For all the time we’ve worshiped there in company of dark despair. Forgive us mother of all hope”. Free downloadable songbook and sound samples. 
• Iona (Sent By the Lord) / MV066 Senzenina? / What have we done? (South African) This beautiful chant from South Africa asks the question that we often ask when things go wrong beyond belief. It's important to know what the song means when singing it. If you have some part-singers in your congregation, this would be particular good. It's good to let people ask this question. It is also on the soundtrack for "The Power of One" so you could also play the recorded music if appropriate. Sound sample. Free sheet music. Maybe this could work as a Psalm response?
• MV015 / GA186 Holy Sacred Spirit (Monica Brown) Gentle chant, which would work well at the start of the service. Can be used without the cantor part. "Holy Sacred Spirit, breathe your breath on us". Youtube (VERY SLOW) Good to help kids settle.  
• STB043 Lord we did not live up to your teachings / Amra tomar adesh rupe (Bart Shaha) A Bengali Kyrie. The translation is good, and quite challenging. This will need to be taught; it could be sung in Bengali, because (like a Kyrie) it's repetitive. Sample sheet music.
  
• AoV1-158 / GA438 Create a new heart Holy Lord / A new heart for a new world (Monica O'Brien / Trish Watts) Very simple melody, excellent words "Create a new heart Holy Lord, beckon our lives through your word, open our eyes to your call, United as one for your world". Lyrics and slightly odd sound sample. 
• TiS 712 / AoV2-021 / ATE 269 / The tide has turned songbook Create in me / us a clean heart O God (Digby Hannah) A big favourite in our congregation, and a big favourite of mine. Lyrics & sound sample.
• GA040 Create in Me a Clean Heart O God (Monica O'Brien) Nice refrain and simple cantor part for this Psalm.
• GtG423 / W&R378 / PfAS051H Create in Me a Clean Heart O God (John Carter) A very simple, and repetitive version of the Psalm. Lyrics and sheet music sample. 
• GC(II)409 / G(3)477 Lord Jesus Christ son of the living God (Carol Browning) A simple chant based on "The Jesus Prayer" with a beautiful (and optional) cantor which is really worth using. Nice chords! Nice sound sample and sheet music sample Sound sample  Lead sheet.  
• Cha743 Create in me a clean heart O God (Carl Mueller) Very simple refrain based on a choral work, with a responsive reading. Here's a recording of the choral work.
  
• PfAS051I Lord Have Mercy (Kathleen Hart Brumm) A simple call and response Kyrie. Instrumental sheet music. Good for kids if you sing it with some energy.
• GtG431 / SFFS 2134 Forgive Us Lord / Perdon Senor (Jorge Lockward / Raquel Mora Martínez) Call and response prayer of confession. Recording.
  
• NCH784 Create in Me a clean heart (Emma Lou Diemer) Easy to sing. Nice words. 
• Online Resource Create in Me a pure Heart O God (Bruce Harding) A nice round, with an optional descant part.  Good for kids. Free sheet music .
• Iona (Love and Anger) / StS067 / PfAS051G / STB120 Have mercy on us Lord / Khudaya rahem kar (Pakistan) A nice alternative. It would be nice to get your congregation to sing something from South Asia. PfAS uses only the first line as a Psalm refrain, which may be the simplest approach for Anglo congregations to dip their toes into South Asian melodies. Lyrics also in Urdhu, but works well in English too. Youtube
• Worldmaking.net O Tender God, Have Mercy (Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan) A gentle, modern version of the Kyrie. Sound sample, lyrics and theology
• NCH589 / VU679 Let there be light O God of hosts! (Frances Wheeler Davis) Hopeful words seeking an end to war and unity and understanding between nations. Verse two "Open our lips!" Lyrics. History.  
• ATOK 399 Holding out your hand (Gerry Holmes) I like this one. Good for kids.
• Psalm Project - Sharing the Road Wash Me Clean (Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan) A nice, gentle reworking of the Psalm. Might be good to ask a musician to sing this one. Available here.
• TiS 729 / Iona (HSNW) Jesus Christ, Son of God have mercy upon us (John Bell) A very very simple call and response chant.
• ATOK 354 / ELW801 / SFFS 2152 / GtG695 / SP&P128 / W&R373 / PfAS051A / ZSS178 / Srce95 / MP069 Change my heart O God / Cambiame Senor (Eddie Espinosa) A mushy old favourite. Sound sample. 
• Online Resource Create in Me (Tom Keesecker) A lovely choral piece. Listen to the full sound sample, it just gets better and better. Sound sample, PDF sample, and purchasing options.
• Online Resource Make a new heart (Richard Bruxvoort Colligan) A simple chorus just right for joining in on, and good choruses that could be sung by a cantor or a leader. Sound sample, lyrics and purchasing options. 

Alternative Psalm: Psalm 119:9-16
A prayer for purity and focussed commitment to God

• Taize / TiS 747 / ATE 214 / Iona (M&G) / GtG842 / PfAS027A / URW393 The Lord is my light, my light and salvation (Jacques Berthier) A simple and very popular Taize chant. Note that this is really easy on recorder if you have a kid in your congregation who is learning it. Good for kids. Youtube.  
  
• 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.
• Iona (We walk his way) / G(3)517 We walk his way / Ewe Thina (South Africa) A joyful, simple African song. I'm guessing it's from South Africa. Sound sample.
• 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". Youtube. Good for kids 
• MV008 And on this path (Linnea Good) An energetic gospel style song. Here's a youtube video. We sing it much slower than this and as a gospel style song with big chords and a groovy bass part. I thought I'd never say that we sing something slower than anyone!
• TiS 407 / AHB 320 / NCH292 / CH596 / UMH420 / VU382 / StJ / LBW488 / A&M236 / GA432 / HPP227 / GtG286 / PH316 / GC800 / GC(II)800 / CP649 / CP(E) 174 / W&R461 / Cha254 / Srce81 / URW167 / 82Hml-508 / Lau302 / StF370 / MP067 Breathe on me Breath of God (Edwin Hatch) An older style inclusive hymn. Good words seeking the spirits gifts of new life, purity and unity with Christ. If you sing this version, it can be sung to a lovely simple, and quite intuitive Celtic tune (ST COLUMBA). If you sing this version, it can also be sung to HAMPTON, TRENTHAM, or DURHAM. Recently, a reader (Adam Kukuk) posted a reworking of this hymn which I think it pretty darn cool. Have a listen (lead sheets available at the link on his site). Oldy-but-a-goody.

Hebrews 5:5-10 

Suffering son and high priest.

• NCH162 / LBW417 / ELW718 In a lowly manger born (Ko Yuki) Translations vary in different sources. I like the NCH translation (by Vern Rossman) best, as it speaks of Christ as a worker and "God the Human One". Written by a Japanese hymnwriter. There are also a couple of tunes that work for this and the NCH one is quite singable. Lyrics.
  
• 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 & sound samples. Good for kids & teenagers.
• ACS948 / NCH274 / CH118 / SFFS 2046 / GTG003 / CP390 / Cha014 Womb of Life and source of being (Ruth Duck) Feminine Trinitarian imagery. An easier tune, listed in some hymnals is IN BABILONE. Others have LADUE CHAPEL which is a little less intuitive. Lyrics.New words to old tunes.
• TiS 477 / Iona (LFB, Common Ground) / CH510 / StJ / GA529 / A&M450 / CP059 / SP218 / URW056 / StF028 Jesus calls us here to meet him as through word and song and prayer (John Bell / Graham Maule) Good words and a rollicking or gentle Celtic tune (depending on how you play it!). Don't get too gentle though, or it is very hard to sing. Notice that there should not need to be a breath after EVERY line! Lyrics (downloads PDF) 4th verse (not in TiS, but in Iona sources) leads to communion. “Jesus calls us to confess him Word of life and Lord of all, sharer of our flesh and frailness saving all who fail or fall”.
• TiS 721 / Iona (LFB) / URW431 / StF344 / Lau124 He became poor that we may be rich (John Bell) A simple chant. Timing is a little bit tricky, so you will need to take a little time to teach it initially. This has gorgeous parts if you have some singers. Sound sample.
• Iona (M&G) / ATAR609 / CH359 / MV033 / GtG137 / ZSS54 / StJ / ELW253 / GA293 / SFFS 2085 / G(II)276 / GC370 / GC(II)364 / G(3)429 / CP368 / W&R402 He came down that we may have love/ Jesus came bringing us hope (Traditional Cameroon) A lovely simple song - you can make up words and have a lot of fun with this if you also use some drums. Scottish sound sample. Good for kids.
• Online Resource / Tune In: O Spirit God / In the shape of a cross (Dave Brown) Puts our forgiveness in a global context. A cry to God for help and a call for God to enter our world. Free downloadable songbook & sound samples.
• Online Resource / TiS 529 / AHB 598 By your priestly power O risen Lord (James McAuley) Formal and beautiful words. The responsive chant could also be used on its own: “By your priestly power O risen Lord, All we lost and needed is restored. God in our communion be adored”. Sound sample, sheet music sample, and purchasing options.
  
• Worldmaking.net O Christ, Lamb of God (Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan) A more modern Agnus Dei, with Christ sharing our weakness.Lyrics and sound sample. See last week's entry for more Agnus Dei suggestions.
• TiS 259 / Iona (Love From Below) Among us and before us Lord you stand (John Bell). Good words. The set tune (GATEHOUSE) will need to be taught. It can also be sung to SURSUM CORDA. Lyrics (downloads a pdf). New words to old tunes (if sung to SURSUM CORDA).
• 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.
• TiS 542 / STB082 Far beyond our mind's grasp (Francisco Feliciano) These beautiful devotional words are sung to a traditional Filipino tune. The tune is not easy, but is very haunting once you get to know it. If it is new to your congregation, it would be good to ask a soloist to sing it. STB has it in Pilipino as well as English.
  

John 12:20-33
Jesus predicts his death.

• 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 & sound samples. Good for kids & teenagers.
• Online Resource / Tune In O Spirit God / In the shape of a cross (Dave Brown) Puts our forgiveness in a global context. A cry to God for help and a call for God to enter our world. Free downloadable songbook & sound samples.
• Online Resource / Tune In Our God who weeps (Kate Scull) Very simple folk-like tune and challenging and hopeful lyrics. Free downloadable songbook & sound samples. A beautiful song and easy to sing.
• 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! Lyrics and sheet music. New words to old tunes.
• NCH433 / CH727 / UMH707 / VU703 / HPP474 / GtG250 / W&R515 / Cha638 In the bulb there is a flower (Natalie Sleeth) A simple song of hope symbolised in nature. Particularly good for those churches in colder Northern Hemisphere who have a while to go before Spring. Lyrics and sheet music.
• Online Resource / WoV768 / ELW737 / CP456 / W&R412 He comes to us as one unknown (Timothy Dudley-Smith) Great words to a very familiar hymn tune (REPTON). Lyrics, sheet music. New words to old tunes.
• Online Resource / WoV658 / ELW506 / URW078 The word of God is source and seed (Dolores Dufner) "The Word of God is source and seed; It comes to die and sprout and grow. So make your dark earth welcome warm; Root deep the grain God bent to sow." It has been set to multiple tunes. I quite like it set to KEDRON. Lyrics, sheet music sample, purchasing options.
  
• CH401 / VU121 / R139 / ELW334 / GA307 / HPP174 / G(II)288 / GC397 / GC(II)401 / G(3)475 /  CP179 Tree of life and awesome mystery (Marty Haugen) Great words about the suffering of Christ, that is really very positive. "Tree of life and awesome mystery, in your death we are reborn; though you die in all of history, still you rise with every morn". Lyrics and youtubes.
• ACS927 Christ is the life of all that is (Susan Palo Cherwien) Excellent words of Christ as creation's birth, life and death. A lovely new tune by Kenneth Naylor too. Can also be sung to KINGSFOLD if your congregation needs something familiar. Sound sample.  
• 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. 
• Online Resource / MV017 / FFS24 / Srce2-145 / Songs for a Hopeful Church God in the darkness (Elizabeth Smith) Great words which would work well at the beginning of a service of worship. Set (in FFS and MV) to a fairly simple hymn-like tune by Colin Gibson, or it could be sung to the old tune ISTE CONFESSOR. Lyrics. New words to old tunes.
• 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? (American folk hymn) I just really like this old hymn, though it would not suit more progressive congregations. Versions vary widely in their inclusiveness; if you want inclusive language, use the New Century Hymnal. You might also want to consider the new lyrics penned by Sue Wickham - see the comments below. Here's an awesome bluegrass version. 
• TiS 248 When Christ was lifted from the earth (Brian Wren) Powerful words of Christ's sacrifice and acceptance of all people, without the cultural imperialism of some similar hymns. New hymn tune is not too hard, but could be replaced with many others if required. I think WILTSHIRE would work (TiS 112), but LAND OF REST is perhaps too jolly. New words to old tunes Lyrics.
• MV125 When a grain of wheat / Hitotsubu no (Toyohiko Kagawa) This is a lovely chant. It will need to be taught as it's a Japanese melody and the timing is unfamiliar to Western ears, but once known it should be quite straightforward to sing. Read about the life of Toyohiko Kagawa here (inspiring!)

What will you be singing? Please share your ideas in a comment below. 

Updated 2021 in my back room during the 3rd Melbourne Coronavirus lockdown, and then again in 2024. Wow, how was that 3 years ago?