Songs, Hymns, Music for Proper 6B/Ordinary 11B/Pentecost 4 (16 June 2024)

1 Samuel 15:34-16:13
Ruddy and handsome David is anointed. God doesn't see as we see.

• TiS 681 Lord let me see see more and more (Ross Langmead) An excellent song - kind of long with 5 verses, but very simple lyrics on some quite tricky themes. Try to use different instrumentation for each verse to keep it from being "ploddy". The tune is very natural to sing as well. Lyrics and sound sample.
• AoV1-021 / ATOK 402 / StS114 / G(II)488 / GC682 / GC(II)669 / G(3)761 / Lau858 / MP830 God Has Chosen Me (Bernadette Farrell) Energetic, and great words of justice. We used to sing this a lot, but not so much lately. Can be rocky or smooth, however you like it. Good for kids. Sound sample and lyrics.
• 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
• BUC Song Project Take this space and take these hands (Dave Brown / Matthew Lees / Julie McKinnon) This song was written for the opening of our renovated church space, and is still relevant! It was great to sing it again when we came back after COVID19 lockdowns. It would be good to sing it again.

Psalm 20 
God answers us in our time of need and gives us victory...

• Taizé / TiS 741 / AoV1-017 / ATE 282 / LBW368 / ELW407 / GA431 / SFFS 2200 / GtG471 / G(II)410 / GC586 / GC(II)566 / G(3)666 / W&R484 / Srce519 / URW390 / Lau929 / PfAS013A / PfAS102A / MP908O Lord hear my prayer (Jacques Berthier) A simple and very well known Taizé chant. Works well during intercessions. You could read the Psalm between repeats of this chant, or just use as a chant as is. Sheet music samples. Good for kids.
• TiS 47 / AHB 46 / AoV1-175 / NCH25 / CH161 / UMH117 / VU806 / LBW504 / ELW806 / GA459 / A&M746 / HPP1 / GtG687 / PH210 / GC614 / GC(II)588 / G(3)688 / CP528 / CP(E) 537 / W&R84 / Cha067 /  Srce2-441 / URW200 / 82Hml-680 / PfAS090B / Lau955 / StF132 / LUYH405 / MP498 O God our help in ages past (Isaac Watts) A good solid very well known hymn! The surprising thing about this one is that the language is inclusive for God in most sources. Not all sources are inclusive for humanity, so check. Lyrics and sound sample. Oldy-but-a-goody.
• NCH Psalter Psalm 20 (Verne de la Peña) A lovely chanted Psalm. The refrain is "Answer us, O God, when we call".
• Iona / AoV2-070 / ATW 496 / MV090 / StJ Don't be afraid (John Bell) Excellent. I love this song of reassurance. "Don't be afraid, my love is stronger. My love is stronger than your fear". This song can be used as a response to intercessions. Sound sample. Good for kids.
• Iona (LFB) / Lau930 Listen Lord (John Bell) Beautiful chant-like chorus, can be used on its own or as a response, or used with the verses. Good to use for the intercessions. Sound sample.
  
• Online Resource (and BUC Church folders) Turn an ear to me O Lord / Answer when I call (John Foley) This is based on Psalm 102, but I think it will also fit with this Psalm. Sound sample and lyrics. Online purchase options. 

Alternative Hebrew Scripture:  Ezekiel 17:22-24
God will plant a little bit of a tree and it will become tall; 
Some of the songs suggested for the Mark reading (below) will also fit.

• StS116 I saw a tree by the riverside / The Tree Song (Ken Medema) A great kid’s song about roots growing down to the water, and leaves growing up to the sunshine, and bearing fruit, and all that great stuff. Good for kids. Lyrics and chords.
  
• Linnea Good Strong as living trees A lovely haunting chant. Good for kids and adults alike.
• TiS 755 / ATA 196 / CH804 / VU884 / SFFS 2278 / A&M484 / HPP219 / GTG080 / CP662 / W&R710 / SP82 / Srcs830 / URW449 / Lau878 / STF487 / MP796  You shall go out with joy / The trees of the field (Stuart Dauermann and Steffi Rubins) This is a good hand clappy foot stomping song. Fun. Video with dancing! Good for kids. Oldy-but-a-goody.

Psalm for the Ezekiel reading Psalm 92:1-4, 12-15
The righteous are like palm trees; give thanks....
Some of the songs suggested for the Ezekiel reading (above) will also fit.

• CH218 / StF146 Now that evening falls (John Bell) Night; evening blessing. Very simple tune and simple quiet words of rest. For an evening service! Sound sample.
  
• TiS 50 / Taizé / CP464 It is good to trust in the Lord / Bonum est confidere (Jacques Berthier) A classic, and fairly formal chant from Taizé including an ostinato. Sound and sheet music sample. 
• GA054 / G(II)80 / GC86 Lord It Is Good (Rosalie Bonighton) Could be quite good. Nice energetic tune, and interesting Cantor part. This is quite majestic; Needs a cantor for the verses. Wouldn't work with read verses as the refrain is very short.
• Emergent Psalter The righteous flourish and grow (Isaac Everett) A nice simple refrain with the verses to be read over improvised music. Sheet music sample (refrain only - go to Downloads tab).
• PfAS092B Oh how great are your works (Shefa Gold) A good short song that can also be sung as a round, with optional echoing Hallelujah as your congregation gets to know it. Lyrics are in Hebrew and English. Good for kids.
• NCH476 /  CH565 / VU716 / WoV781 / LBW294 / ELW596 / GA454 / SFFS 2212 / GtG821 / HPP395  / G(II)427  / GC603 / GC(II)598 / G(3)685 / CP401 / W&R424 / Cha619 / SP296 / URW170 / LUYH443 My life flows on in endless song (Robert Lowry) A wonderful hymn. Lots of great recordings of this are available too. It's not so great if it is not familiar to your congregation, but once known, it is worth hanging on to. This is not known so well in Australia... Might be good to end the service on a note of hope. Lyrics. Oldy-but-a-goody.

2 Corinthians 5:6-10, (11-13), 14-17 
Confidence in Christ

• Online Resource / AoV2-007 / AoVNG110 See I Make All Things New (Monica O'Brien / Trish Watts) I really love this song. “New, as night turns to morning, the spirit is calling I’m with you, I make all things new”. Nice acapella sound sample, sheet music samples and purchase options. I usually play it with more of a jazz feel.
• TiS 671 / AoV2-121 Made in God's Likeness (Alister Spence and Patricia Lewis) Excellent Australian imagery. This is one of my very favourite songs. It is not difficult if you have a good musician at the helm. If it is new to your congregation, they will be able to join in on the verses by the time you get to the 3rd one. The change in tone with the verse really lifts this song. Sound sample and lyrics. Good for kids.
• Iona (Sent By The Lord) / CH275 / VU34 / ELW247 / A&M029 / SFFS 2232 / GtG103 /  CP588 / W&R157 / SP10 / URW415 / LUYH905 Come now O Prince of peace / O-So-So (Geon-yong Lee) A lovely simple and gentle song, inclusive for God and people. One of very few songs from Asia in Western hymnals. Sheet music.
  
• TiS 687 God gives us a future (Elizabeth Smith) Great words to a very easy hymn tune. Careful not to let it get the tune get too pompous; the words are not! "God gives us a future, daring us to go into dreams and dangers on a path unknown. We will face tomorrow in the Spirit's power, we will let God change us for new life starts now!". Lyrics here (scroll down in the PDF). Lyrics and recording. 
• ACS904 / TiS 688 Come to be our hope O Jesus / Tú Jesús, nuestra esperanza (Jaci Marachin) This is a really fun Latin American song from the World Council of Churches Assembly in Canberra. It's not easy the first time, but once you've heard it, it's very catchy. The words are really excellent, despite a slightly clunky translation. It would be worth teaching to your congregation! We sang this a couple of times during Advent. Sound sample with a great guitar line. Here's another quite different version. Good for kids.
• ATA 200 / CH530 / VU639 / A&M757 / CP(E) 548 / URW109 One more step along the world I go (Sydney Carter) A good fun kid's song from Sydney Carter which many of their parents will remember. "And it's from the old I travel to the new, keep me travelling along with you". Lyrics and sheet music samples. Good for kids.
• NCH387 / GtG361 / PH443 / GC(II)646 / RS782 / CP524 / Lau829 O Christ the great foundation (Timothy Tingfang Lew) Excellent words of salvation and justice to the tune of "The church's one foundation" (AURELIA) which is in all standard hymnals. Lyrics There is a second possible tune (ABREU), which is more challenging. Note that the lyrics in the NCH are slightly different, and more inclusive.  
• TiS 217 / AHB 148 / NCH43 / CH519 / UMH384 / VU333 / A&M721 / LBW315 / ELW631 / A&M721 / GA463 / HPP48 / GtG366 / PH376 / GC622 / GC(II)613 / G(3)641 / CP485/6 / CP(E) 516 / W&R358 / Cha517 / Srce457 / URW100 / 82Hml-657 / Lau801 / StF503 / LUYH351 / MP449 Love divine all loves excelling (Charles Wesley) A beautiful classic song and most hymnals use a very inclusive version of this hymn, even the AHB. Lyrics and sheet music. You may also like to give Rend Collective Experiment's version a listen (hard for congregations to sing, but nice for listening). Oldy-but-a-goody.

Mark 4:26-34
Mustard seeds.... 

• Online Resource The seeds of grace are scattered far (Hannah Brown) Good new words which asks open-ended questions about the destiny of these seeds and how we might nourish them. A good source for reflection. Sung to a traditional tune, but it is not familiar to me. Lyrics, sheet music sample and purchasing options. New words to old tunes  
  
• Recorded music From little things big things grow (Paul Kelly) This tells the story of a Native Title claim which has very little to do with this reading except the acknowledgement that small steps can achieve something big. There's also a children's book based on this song which could make a good story for kids. Many churches may have a guitarist who can play this and the congregation can sing. The chorus alone works quite well. Lyrics and chords.
• CH174 / GtG019 God of great and God of small (Natalie Sleeth) Nice simple, children's song. Might work well with a cantor and response on the chorus. Kids could then sing it without having to read lots of words. Big choir and congregation. Good for kids.
• Iona (LFB) He knew the greatness of the small (John Bell / Graham Maule) This song picks up a number of Bible texts, like this one, about the value of small things. It has an unusual meter and therfore has to be sung to the set tune, which will need to be taught. It can fit well with a responsive reading. 
• A Singing Faith 27 As trees from tiny seeds can grow (Jane Parker Huber) Excellent words to a hymn-like tune. Can also be sung to O WALY WALY.  Preview.  New words to old tunes.
• ATA 181 Faith like a mustard seed (Bruce Prewer) A simple round. I would just sing the first verse. Good for kids.
• 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. Lyrics and sheet music.
• TOSB164 / ATN 83 / UMH572 / VU289 / HPP465 / W&R557 / Cha477 / MP348 It only takes a spark / Pass it on (Kurt Kaiser) This old chestnut is still pretty OK. It's a bit mushy. Lyrics, sound sample and sheet music. Good for kids..
• VU361 / AA123 Small things count (Shirley Murray) Good simple song. Good for kids, although there are a lot of words for non-readers. It would be nice to break this song up and sing it to the kids somehow. Sheet music and lyrics. Good for kids.
• TiS 382 / AoV2-131 / ATN 15 / NCH238 / CH417 / UMH311 / VU186 / LBW280 / ELW570 / GA364 / A&M212 / HPP210 / GtG247 / G(II)318 / GC444 / GC(II)456 / G(3)534 / CP237 / CP(E) 153 / W&R311 / Cha230 / 82Hml-204 / Lau278 / LUYH203 / StF306 Now the green blade rises (John Mcleod Campbell Crum) I love these words and this simple French folk tune. I particularly like this played to guitar, but TiS has an excellent piano arrangement too. Lyrics and sheet music. Here's some guys who really had fun with it - including adding praisey Alleluias. Thanks Jack Lohr for mentioning this. New words to old tunes.
• WoV658 / ELW506 / URW078 The word of God is source and seed (Dolores Dufner) "The Word of God is breath and life; It comes to heal and wake and save. So let the Spirit touch and mend and rouse your dry bones from their grave". Lyrics (downloads a pdf).
• FFS51 O spring in the desert (David Adam / Colin Gibson) Christ's presence in water and light; Christ as guide. Excellent imagery, good tune.
  
• Online Resource / Resounding Voices The kingdom of heaven is like a small seed (Rhonda Waters) Excellent words with a fun chorus "It is near! It is near! Christ bids us to see!". Sung to a familiar tune (TO GOD BE THE GLORY). Lyrics (scroll down).  Free book download here. New words to old tunes.
• MV174 Soil of God (Holy Ground) (Jim Hannah) This is probably most appropriate for last week’s reading, but would also fit for this week. The tune is quite simple and the words are good “Soil of God, you and I, stand ready to bear seeds of faith nourished by God’s tender care”. Sound sample.
  
• Tune In / Online Resource Kingdom Come (Matthew Lees). A song about what the kingdom might be like, with plentiful images from the parables. Sound sample and downloadable songbook. 
• Taizé / AoVNG125 / MV146 / GC(II)637 / G(3)740 / PfAS024D The Kingdom of God is justice and peace and joy in the holy spirit (Taizé community) "Come, Lord and open in us the gates of your kingdom". A nice joyful Taizé chant. Sheet music and sound samples of parts for practice. Good for kids.
• UMH275The kingdom of God is like a grain of mustard seed (Gracia Grindal) These words are good; the tune is tricky. Lyrics.
• Seeds of Faith The seed song (Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan) Very silly and fun. A good song to sing for the kid’s talk, and get them involved in the actions; it's a bit long, so maybe better for a Sunday School class than a worship service... Lyrics and sound sample here. Good for (smaller) kids.
• Online Resource Inch by inch / Garden Song (David Mallet) Recorded by Pete Seeger, John Denver, Raffi, etc etc. Could be fun! Thanks to Julie for this suggestion. Lyrics with chords. Recording (with The Muppets, of course). Good for kids. 
• Recorded music The kingdom of Jesus (The Porter's Gate) Not a congregational song, but maybe useful for listening. Sound sample.
  

That's it from me. If you have some suggestions for these readings, please share them in a comment below. 

Updated on a sunny balcony in Loutraki, Greece in 2024.