Songs, Hymns and Music for Epiphany 6C (13 February 2022)

Jeremiah 17:5-10  
Trusting in God brings strength and refreshment; God knows our hearts.

• NCH313 Like a tree beside the waters (James Martin) Good congregational words of richness From the waters. Tune is a little bit tricky, so will need to be introduced. It can also be sung to the more familiar HYFRYDOL which would be new words to old tunes. Sheet music (scroll to page 3).
  
• Online resource Like a tree by the flowing water (Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan) Lovely simple words of connectedness, and a simple chorus. Good for kids. Lyrics, sound sample and purchasing options.
• 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 (Linnea Good) A lovely haunting chant. Good for kids and adults alike.  
• AoV2-006 / The tide has turned Deeper River / There's a river running deep within the silence of our souls (Digby Hannah). An excellent song of restoration for tired desert-like souls. Lyrics and sound sample.
• NCH478 / VU577 / SFFS 2145 / HPP394 / PH368 / GGives1 / Cha530 / MP353 I've got peace like a river (African-American) I really like this old song! Here's a video with actions (you could probably make up your own too). Lyrics and chords. Good for kids.
• AoV2-070 / ATW 496 / MV090 / StJ Don't be afraid (John Bell) Excellent. I love this song of reassurance. Don't be worried that the water will run out - keep those roots deep. "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. Good for kids. Sound sample.

Psalm 1 
They who trust in the Lord shall be like a tree planted by the water with roots in the stream and will fruit even in drought.

• Online resource Blessed are those who trust in God / By the stream (Christopher Grundy) Oh my... this is just gorgeous! Best sung by a soloist for the verses. The recording is so beautiful - it's easy to pull my heartstrings with a cello and a mandolin... Youtube. Sheet music sample and purchasing options.
• NCH Psalter001 My delight is in the law of God (Judy Hunnicutt) A very simple refrain and chanted Psalm.
• Online resource Like a tree by the flowing water (Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan) Lovely simple words of connectedness, and a simple chorus. Good for kids. Lyrics, sound sample and purchasing options.
• Linnea Good Strong as living Trees (Linnea Good) A lovely haunting chant. Good for kids and adults alike.
• 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.
• Online resource Like a tree by the flowing water (Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan) Part of a series of songs based on Psalm 1, I think the chorus of this is probably my favourite. In Australia, you might want to use only the chorus because the word "rooted" means something quite different over here. Sound samples, lyrics and purchasing options. Good for kids.
• NCH313 Like a tree beside the waters (James Martin) Good congregational words of richness from the waters. Tune is a little bit tricky, so will need to be introduced. It can also be sung to the more familiar HYFRYDOL. Sheet music (go to page 3 of PDF). New words to old tunes
• CP462 The hidden stream that feeds (Thomas Troeger) Good for the end of the service "We leave this watered place to work on rocky ground, Yet even there the streams of grace sustain our daily round. Lord, through our lives may others hear your living waters drawing near."
• 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 capella... Youtube video of Sinead O'Connor singing it and lyrics 
  
• URW223 Happy are they who delight (Hal Hopson) A responsively read Psalm with an African-American spiritual refrain "Like a tree that's planted by the water, we shall not be moved". I like it. New words to old tunes
• NCH438 / UMH377 / LBW346 / ELW785 / HPP390 / GtG840 / W&R428 / Cha561 / Srce784 / MP757 When peace like a river / It is well with my soul (Horatio Spafford) An older American hymn. Hymnals vary in how old fashioned the lyrics are, and only some include the chorus. Lyrics and tune. A nice recording by Audrey Assad.
• AoV2-006 / The tide has turned Deeper River / There's a river running deep within the silence of our souls (Digby Hannah). An excellent song of restoration for tired desert-like souls. Lyrics and sound sample. 
• PfAS001B Happy are they who trust (Robert Thompson) A simple psalm response that can also be used as a round. A little snippet. Good for kids 
• PfAS001E How blest the people / Feliz la gente (Juan Espinosa) This will take a little while to learn, but the chorus is very simple, so perhaps use a cantor to sing the verses. 
• TiS 1 / PfAS001C Happy are they who walk in God's wise way (Erik Routley) Excellent tune from Thailand. Words are a reasonable paraphrase and slightly old fashioned but quite fine. Sound sample.
  
• PfAS001F / URW224 Happy is the one (John Bell) Quite straightforward and good hymlike paraphrase of the Psalm. Youtube. 
• Public Domain Well I'm on my way to heaven / I shall not be moved / We shall not be moved  Standard old folk song. You may also like this Johnny Cash version. History. Lyrics & chords. Thanks to Mark Kleiner for this suggestion!
  

1 Corinthians 15:12-20 
Resurrection from the dead.

• TiS 380 / AHB 303 / NCH253 / CH419 / UMH308 / VU173 / LBW145 / ELW376 / A&M218 / HPP203 / GtG238 / PH122 / CP210 / CP(E)160 / W&R310 / Cha218 / Srce694 / Lau287 Thine be the glory risen conquering Son (Edmond Budry) One of the few older hymns that doesn't require updating, and beautiful harmonies... A great classic hymn! Lyrics and tune.Oldy-but-a-goody.
• Online Resource / Tune In Spirit of the Father / Alive in me (Sheree Anderson) Catchy song about God’s spirit living in us. "Take hold of the hope that I give, trust in me, reach out for the love you can live, eternally”. Free downloadable song book and sound samples.  Good for kids.
• Iona (Love From Below) / CH434 / CP232 Jesus is risen from the grave (John Bell / Graham Maule) Good, simple rhythm and tune. You can even make up some verses if you like. Sound sample. Good for kids.
• Music by heart 43 Dying you destroyed our death (Marilyn Haskel) A very simple round of Christ's death and resurrection. 
• 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, but that never hurt anyone. Lyrics.
• TiS 367 / AHB 287 / NCH242 / CH412 / UMH306 / VU159 / LBW135 / ELW366 / A&M217 / GtG236 / PH119 / GC446 / GC(II)459 / G(3)525 / CP212 / CP(E)159 / W&R290 / Cha221 / 82Hml-208 / Lau275 The strife is o'er the battle done (Francis Pott) There are two possible tunes for this hymn. I prefer to sing it to the tune by James Minchin (THE STRIFE IS O’ER), which is found in the Australian Hymn Book, rather than the more traditional minstrellish VULPIUS. The newer tune is pretty groovy (I loved it as a kid!), and has lots and lots of alleluias. The words also vary a lot between hymnals. So, the best would be a combination of the TiS words and the AHB tune 287 (ii). Yeah, this was my other church rock favourite of 1979. Lyrics and samples of the traditional VULPIUS tune. Here's a (slowish) sample of James Minchin's tune. New words to old tunes.
• NCH581 /  HPP310 / G(II)523 / GC(II)718 / G(3)827 Lead us from death to life / World Peace Prayer (Satish Kumar / Marty Haugen) A different take on Christ's power over the forces of death. Quite simple to sing.  This Anthem for peace has a really simple and stirring chorus, which would be excellent on its own, and for kids. Verses could be sung by a soloist or the whole congregation if you want to use them. For Lent, I would just use the chorus. Quite simple to sing. Sheet music sample. Slow keyboard sample.  Good for kids 
  

Luke 6:17-26

The other Beatitudes; those ones that include the woes!

• Online Resource Holy is the refugee (Hannah Brown / Mark Miller) Excellent words and joyful affirming chorus recognising the holiness in all, particularly people who are refugees, queer or people of colour. Lyrics, sheet music preview and purchasing options. 
• HiOS074 If you shut your eyes (Colin Gibson) Powerful words to a lovely tune (SONG OF THE POOR) calling us to wake up and stand with the poor.
• VU460 / R181 / ELW461 / SFFS 2126 / GtG509 / G(II)589 / GC820 / GC(II)817 / RS 845 / Cha419 / Lau477 / LUYH534 All who hunger gather gladly (Sylvia Dunstan) The words are great; I would sing it to the tune HOLY MANNA. There is a contemporary tune (by Bob Moore) is also very nice, but may need to be introduced to your congregation. “All who hunger gather gladly, holy manna is our bread. Come from wilderness and wand’ring, here, in truth, we will be fed. You that yearn for days of fullness, all around us is our food. Taste and see the grace eternal, Taste and see that God is good”. Thanks to David Goss for this suggestion. Lyrics (scroll down). New words to old tunes
• TiS 638 / NCH175 / CH717 / A&M518 / GtG793 / PH380 / UMH265 / LBW380 / ELW675 / 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. Lyrics and sheet music samples
• StS041 / GC(II)515 / G(3)592 / Lau817 Blessed are they who are poor in spirit / We are the light of the world (Jean Greif) Yep. Okay! Would be best with a cantor, or small choir and the congregation can respond with the chorus. You could even do this instead of the reading. Sheet music and lyrics. Sound sample.
• Iona (L&A) / ATW 436 / MV112 Amen amen it shall be so! (John Bell) A beautiful chant. Works well with a cantor or small choir leading the verses and the congregation joining in on the “Amen, amen it shall be so, amen, it shall be so”. Sound sample (look for the green button). This is based on the Matthew version, but would also work here.
• 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 are quite formal and poetic. Lyrics and sheet music.
• Online Resource Blessed are you the poor ones (Adam Tice / Benjamin Brody) This is one of VERY FEW songs that mention the "woe to you" part of the reading. Set to a powerful and very singable new tune. I recommend having the musicians sing it first, and encourage the congregation to join in as they pick it up (or just listen to it as a reflective piece). Sheet music sample, lyrics, sound sample, and purchasing options. 
• Online Resource Blessed are the poor (Adam Tice / Kate Williams) A lovely song. Not so much a congregational song, but you may find a good way to use it in your congregation. The chorus is very moving, and if you will be focusing on the salt and light readings any time in the next few weeks, it would be a good time to introduce a new song.  Sheet music sample, lyrics, sound sample, and purchasing options.  
• Online Resource If Jesus is come (Adam Tice / Sally Ann Morris) A powerful song with a driving melody, about how the world must be changed by us if we really believe that Jesus has come. Sound and sheet music sample, lyrics and purchasing options.
• TiS 697 All the sleepy should have a place to sleep (Rusty Edwards) Great chorus "Make love happen by God's grace and by God's power. Let God move you on this day and in this hour. New creations will then blossom like a flower for together we can be the hands of God". Lyrics (go to page 4).
  
• STB260 Hope for the children in our midst (Douglas Clark) Lovely hopeful words for peace and justice for the world's children. Sung to a simple Taiwanese-style tune.
• Taize How blessed are you who are poor the kingdom of God is yours (Taize) A lovely simple chant. Sheet music sample.
• Iona (I will not sing alone / HSNW) Blessed are the ones I call the poor / Hey my love (John Bell / Graham Maule) A lovely lilting tune (LADY MAISY). This gentle song would be good for a reflection. Sound sample.
• TiS 288 / Iona Not the powerful not the privileged (John Bell) I think it is close enough to Christmas that this song can still be sung in February? Lyrics (downloads a Powerpoint file).
  
• Cha185 Blessed are the poor in spirit (Anon) A simple response to the Beatitudes which can be read responsively with this refrain. 
• Online Resource / Tune In Kingdom Come (Matthew Lees) A song about how things are not what we expect in God’s kingdom. Lots of words and good images including "there's no blacklist or admission fee" Sound sample and lyrics and free downloadable songbook.   

What ideas do you have? Please share them in a comment below, especially if they are songs about the woes!