Exodus 1:8-2:10
The oppression and attempted genocide of the Israelites. The birth of Moses, his hiding and his adoption.
- MV78 / CH168 / FFS30 / SFFS 2048 / SP&P069 / StF700 God weeps at love withheld (Shirley Murray)
Pretty full-on lyrics of lamentation, that some may find difficult to
sing simply because of the horrors it names. In the context of this
story, I think this is okay. This is a really powerful story, let’s not
water it down. Lyrics.
- Online Resource / Brunswick Music Project Why do we listen and fail to hear / Lament - for a people with a people with a dull heart (Shawn Whelan) This lament, and its wailing ooooh would fit quite well with this passage, especially if you want to talk about genocides happening now that we are pretty good at ignoring from time to time. Free sheet music, lyrics and sound sample. Good for kids.
- SFFS 2189 A Mother Lined a Basket (Mary Nelson Keithahn)
Quite a remarkable song about the risks we take in letting
children go. "A mother lined a basket to keep her baby dry, then rocked
him on a river lest he awake and cry, She let a princess name him, her
son, that he might live, God's people had a leader, she had such hope to
give". Lyrics.
- TiS 674 / Iona (Common Ground, Heaven Shall Not Wait) / A&M562 / CH253 / SP245
Inspired by love and anger (Iona) Powerful lyrics, simple English folk tune (SALLY GARDENS). Lyrics. New words to old tunes.
- TiS 689 / ATE 286 / GtB Lord hear my praying, listen to me / Sorrowing song (Robin Mann) Powerful words of prayer to a simple tune. Words are straightforward about asking difficult questions of God. Lyrics (loads a pdf). Sound recording.
- Online Resource The children come (Carolyn Winfrey-Gillette) Particularly for those in the USA, this new song focused on care for unaccompanied
children entering the USA is particularly appropriate this week. Sheet music. New words to old tunes.
- ATA192 When people despair we would bring hope (Douglas Simper
/ Neil Quintrell) A good song looking positively at how we can encourage
others in times of difficulty, and a prayer to the Spirit. Lyrics (scroll through)
- NCH574 In Egypt under Pharaoh (Dosia Carlson) Second
verse is focussed on transport of African slaves, so may be most
meaningful for congregations in the USA (or in other countries that participated in that slave trade). Would work okay without the 2nd
verse if you live elsewhere. THORNBURY would be a simpler tune. Lyrics (downloads a pdf). New words to old tunes
- ELW710 / CP575 Let streams of living justice (William Whitla) Awesome words of justice. Sung to the familiar tune THAXTED. Lyrics. It could probably work to a different (less pompous) tune too.New words to old tunes
- Online resource Help Us O God to create a new future (Andrew Pratt) This song reflects on the slavery of the past, and its continuance, with a call to work until all are "Fully alive". Sheet music.
- Online Resource / Protest of Praise When Pharoah came for children (David
Bjorlin) Parallels between Pharoah, Herod and our call to care for children when they are a target of unequal government policy; sung to the traditional tune ES KOMMT EIN SCHIFF GELADEN. Lyrics, sheet music sample and purchasing options. New words to old tunes.
- Online Resource God make us agents of joyful rebellion (David
Bjorlin / Benjamin Brody) Joy as a tool of rebellion, and our role as
modern-day prophets. Set to a new tune, which is lovely to sing. Sheet music sample and purchasing options. New words to old tunes.
- TiS
621 / UMH435 / VU677 / LBW416 / ELW713 / GtG756 / PH289 /
GC(II)717 / G(3)825 / CP593 / W&R626 / Cha680 / 82Hml-607 O God of Every Nation
(William Watkins Reid) Powerful words seeking God's redemption of the world. Can be
sung to LLANGLOFFAN or PASSION CHORALE, both very familiar hymn tunes. Lyrics and a tune sample. Go look at the lyrics just to bring a smile to your face. So much hope!
New words to old tunes
- Recorded music Pharoah (Richard Thompson) This song is about the modern Pharoah, and our slavery to money. The recording I have of this is by June Tabor, which is quite menacing. Richard Thompson wrote it. Oh, one more version, very celtic, from The House Band.
- TiS 629 / AHB 558 / AoV2-136 / ATA 197 / CH544 / VU600 / Lau888 / StF256 When I needed a neighbor were you there
(Sydney Carter) A classic folk church song. One story of hope that I think is great for kids is how Pharoah's
daughter cared for Moses regardless of where he was from. I think this
song would work well to tell that part of the story. Lyrics. Good for kids. Oldy-but-a-goody.
- Recorded music River Lullaby (Amy Grant) From "Prince of Egypt". This song is quite
mushy, but maybe it might be useful to think about the love of Moses'
mother, and any mother who must leave her child and hope for his or her
survival in the face of great danger. Youtube. Good for kids.
Psalm 124
Strength in the face of oppression.
-
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. Lyrics, sound sample and free downloadable songbook.
- GWA046 Let us come and worship our creator / Mari beribadah pada Allah / Somba Ma Jahowa (J
A U Doloksaribu) This joyful Indonesian song, set to a Batak Toba
(Northern Sumatra) folk song is a good opening for worship for any
Sunday, but also picks up many of the themes in this reading. Sound sample. Another sound sample (slightly slower).
- NCH Psalter 124 Our help is in the name of God (Jane Marshall) Simple refrain and good paraphrase of the Psalm for a cantor, chanting, or to be read with a response.
-
Online Resource / Tune In Come O God and visit us sick we pray / Your abundant life
(Dave Brown) A joyful song "Lead us into your abundant life". This has been
sung frequently by the musicians at BUC, but not by the congregation. Lyrics, sound sample and free downloadable songbook.
- TiS
123 / AHB 48 / NCH488 / CH691 / UMH534 / VU652 / A&M594 /
GtG819 / CP(E) 384 / W&R451 / Cha 566 / Src69 / Lau780 Be still my soul
(Katharina von Schlegel) Sometimes this can be a bit mushy, but the words are really very
strong and helpful. Lyrics and sheet music.
Oldy-but-a-goody.
-
Public Domain Freedom is a constant struggle
I love this song and I think it might work with this reading. Could be
good used during prayers of confession or a time of lament; it doesn't have a happy ending. Historic sound sample. Lyrics and chords.
- AoV2-149
/ NCH570 / UMH533 / HPP311
/ GtG379 / G(II)522 / GC724 / GC(II)711 /
G(3)817 / W&R512 /
Cha630 / TLUS129 / ZSS106 We shall overcome
(Zilphia Horton / Frank Hamilton / Guy Carawan / Pete Seeger, USA) Particularly good if your
congregation is facing struggle. Other songs from the Civil Rights era
would also fit well with this Psalm. Here's the sound of Martin Luther King Jr talking about the power of this song.
Oldy-but-a-goody.
- 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 Spiritual) Another 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.
- Online Resource / SoG 790 / ATW
463 / Iona (T1AU) / ELW721 / SFFS 2219 / A&M835 / GtG750
/ GC(II)451 / G(3)528 / W&R296 / URW436 Goodness is stronger than evil (Desmond Tutu / John Bell) Words from Archbishop Desmond Tutu. "Victory is ours, victory
is ours, through him who loves us". Some congregations change the last
line to "Compassion is ours, compassion is ours...". It depends on the
context in which you sing it, I suppose. Sound sample and sheet music. Good for kids. There is also a lovely choral version of these words, arranged by Tom Keesecker. Available here (sound sample there too).
- Unknown Source Blessed Be God
(Linnea Good) This will need to be taught, but won't be too hard. Get one part
of the congregation on the chant part (God before me….) while the
others sing the top part, and then add in other parts as you are able. We have a copy of this at church, I believe.
Alternative Hebrew Scripture: Isaiah 51:1-6
Listen to God, salvation is coming, and is forever
- ACS903 / AoV1-061 / ATOK 355 / GtG359 / SFFS 2194 / G(II)521 / GC723 / GC(II)707 / G(3)814 / ZSS110 / SgTJ1035 / StF697 Freedom is coming
(Unknown, South Africa) Excellent and lots of fun, especially if you have a
keen African-style drummer in your congregation. It's really worth
teaching the parts to your congregation before the service. It can get a
bit confusing for the congregation otherwise. A range of sound samples (Youtube). Sheet music samples. Good for kids.
- Online Resource / Tune In Come O God and visit us sick we pray / Your abundant life (Dave Brown, Australia) A joyful song "Lead us into your abundant life".Lyrics, sound sample and free downloadable songbook.
- TiS 657 / CH263 / VU700 / A&M559 / AA50 / CP(E) 447 / Cha656 / SP242 God of freedom God of justice
(Shirley Murray, New Zealand) Powerful lyrics. Can be sung to either TREDEGAR (new,
but not too hard) or PICARDY (very familiar) or RHUDDLAN. Lyrics and sheet music sample. New words to old tunes.
- URW357 Praise to the One who sets prisoners free
(Elise Eslinger, USA) This is written as a refrain for Psalm 146, but I think
that refrain alone as a round would be good for the kids' song.
Good for kids.
Alternative Psalm Psalm 138
God is great, strengthens us, protects us, God regards the lowly
- NCH Psalter Great is the glory of God A very simple refrain for a chanted (or read) Psalm.
- Linnea Good I lifted my voice and spoke your name, your word of answer swiftly came (Linnea Good, Canada) A very simple congregational response to the Psalm being spoken. It
would be great to do this. Need a confident reader who can preferably
lead the singing, or an attentive musician to come in at the right spot.
Good for kids.
- Emergent Psalter They shall sing of the ways of the Lord (Isaac Everett, USA) Simple psalm refrain and Psalm spoken over music in between the refrains. Sheet music (antiphon only).
- Online Resource / GC(II)700 / G(3)799 Lord you lead through sea and desert / You are strong you are holy
(Sylvia Dunstan, Canada) Simple version of this psalm with a strong
chorus. I don't know if our congregation would like it though. Sound sample, sheet music sample, purchasing options.
- 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 Oliano, Philippines) Good words of creation to a lovely, and not too difficult, Phillippino melody. Lyrics (first verse only)
- ATW 480 On the day I called (Bernadette Farrell, England) A simple and pretty lovely song. Sound sample.
- TiS 86 / Srce793 With my whole heart I will praise you O Lord
(Arlo Duba, USA) This refrain is fine. Verses should be read, perhaps while
playing quiet chords underneath.
Make sure to keep the chords quiet enough so they are not too distracting.
- NCH085 / SFFS 2082 / Cha623 / ZSS105 Woke Up This Morning (African-American Spiritual) A great Spiritual. If you don't have one of these sources, you can just make it up from this video. This could be a good Sunday to make use of those choir stalls...
Good for kids. Oldy-but-a-goody.
Romans 12:1-8
Holy bodies, the church as one body.
- NCH742 / STLT389 / VT003 Gathered here in the mystery of this hour (Phil Porter and Elaine Kirkland, USA) A simple and strong round about being one body. Good for the start of worship. Sound sample with some dancing, too. I would do it as a round OR as a dance. Not both, although you can try and tell me how it went.
- Online Resource Love these human bodies (Hannah
Brown) If you choose to focus on our created bodies as gifts from God, these
words are very thoughtful, and express love for the diversity and
movement of our physical selves. Sung to the tune GRANHAM (In the Bleak
Midwinter). Lyrics, sheet music sample and purchasing options. New words to old tunes.
- Online Resource / ATFG561 / Tune In Community (Dave Brown) A song about being welcomed and part of a community. Lyrics, sound sample and free downloadable songbook. Good for kids. "Part of a family interconnected, this is community; Welcoming strangers, visiting neighbours, this gives us dignity".
- Online Resource / SFFS 2228 / GtG027 / StF618 / Online Resource Sacred the Body (Ruth Duck) Excellent words - and it's not easy to find good songs for this
passage. The
tune is new, but very simple and beautiful. It will be picked up very
quickly by most congregations. "Sacred the body God has created, temple
of Spirit that dwells deep inside. Cherish each person; nurture
relation. Treat flesh as holy, that love may abide." Sheet music and lyrics.
- GGives1 Oh a body can't walk on its nose / The Body Song (Emmanuel Covenant Community, Australia) Great little song about being part of
the body and working together. Chorus is "Oh I can't do without you and
you can't do without me, 'cos each little member has a special work to
do, to make the body grow". Lyrics. Good for kids.
- AoV2-013 / AoVK-108 Different Gifts yet we are one (Maggie Russell) Perfect words for this passage. Tune is a bit tricky. Lyrics & sound sample.
- Online Resource / AoV1-129
/ CH665 / UMH620 / VU467 / ELW496 / HPP525 / A&M461 / GtG530 / G(II)599 /
GC830 / GC(II)813 / CP073 / W&R689 / Cha393 / Lau832 One bread, one body (John Foley) A classic. Don't play it too slow or it takes forever!! Particularly appropriate if you are celebrating communion. Sound and sheet music samples and purchasing options.
- Online Resource / AoVK-21 Weave one heart (Marty Haugen) Excellent song, with call and response verses "many colours woven into one". Sound sample, sheet music sample, purchasing options. Good for kids.
- Online Resource / AoVK-148 / ATOK 388 There is one body (Trish Watts / Monica O'Brien) A good energetic song of unity. Sound sample, sheet music sample, purchasing options. Good for kids.
- NCH271 / UMH538 / VU196 / PH131 / CP249 / W&R333 Wind who makes all winds that blow (Thomas Troeger) Excellent words. Familiar tune (ABERYSTWYTH). Lyrics. New words to old tunes.
- MV141 We are all one people
(Cheryl L'Hirondelle / Joseph Naytowhow) This Native American song really gets stuck in my head. I
think it's really good. Might take some work to get your congregation
going with it, though. Sound sample.
- Online Resource / GtG768 / StJ / GC(II)645 We Are the Body of Christ / Somos el Cuerpo de Cristo (Jaime Cortez) Bilingual verses and choruses. Will be good for a congregation where both languages are spoken. Sound samples, sheet music samples, purchasing options.
- MV153 Body, mind and spirit (Margaret Motum) “Body,
mind and spirit, in god’s image born to be. Sing, rejoice in life most
sacred. Revel in mystery”. A simple 4 verse chant-like song. Simple
enough for the congregation after playing it through once. Really good
words. Lyrics (scroll down).
- TiS 571 / UMH438 / VU416 / A&M476 / CP467 / CP(E) 430 / W&R718 / StF550 / Lau861 / MP159 Forth in thy name O Lord I go (Charles Wesley) Timeless words about committing all our
works to God. I like this hymn best played lightly and joyfully with a simple drum
beat as a kind of minstrel tune, rather than a hymn. The old fashioned
words seem to make a lot more sense to me that way. Some hymnals
(including TiS) have sensitively modernised the words. Older lyrics. Oldy-but-a-goody.
- AoVNG102 We are One Body in Christ (Amanda McKenna) Good words, and I can't remember why I liked this because I can't find the sound sample online anymore. Lyrics & sound sample.
- TiS 468 / NCH309 / PH436 We are your people Spirit of grace
(Brian Wren) I really like the lyrics to this one, but the tune is a bit funny
and the hymn is quite long. It needs something to stop people plodding
through it; maybe split the singing into male/female or different sides
of the congregation. Sheet music.
- AoVK-119 We're God's family God's children (Trisha Watts / Monica O'Brien) Good words. Catchy tune. Good for kids.
- Online Resource / AoV1-086 / G(II)530 / GC733 / GC(II)727 / G(3)834 We are many parts, we are all one body (Marty Haugen)
I like the chorus much better than the verses, but they are really
okay too. Sound sample, sheet music sample, purchasing options.
- ATAR632 Share your gift
(Busch) A good song for the offering, particularly on Sundays when the
theme of being part of the body of Christ, or sharing gifts or talents
is being explored. Words are simple enough to make sense to kids. Good for kids.
- Online Resource You gave us these bodies / This is my body
(The Many) This is not a congregational song, but is very beautiful and apt for this reading; you could play a recording or have your musicians prepare it for the congregation. Sheet music, sound samples etc.
Matthew 16:13-20
Who do you say I am?
Declaration of Christ as Messiah, and Peter as the rock. Strange words
about binding and loosening on earth and in Heaven.
- Online Resource Our hearts proclaim a living God (Hannah
Brown, USA) Wide-ranging feminine imagery of our extraordinary God, who is
full of surprises, fierce, protesting, and compassionate. Sung to the
familiar tune ELLACOMBE. Lyrics, sheet music sample and purchasing options. New words to old tunes.
- ATFG532 Jesus asks / Jesu neem un nu gu shin ga (Seung-Won Park, Korea) Lovely words of Christ as "blossom of freedom", "beam of hope"
and "maker of peace".
- ATW 459 I don't believe in a God up in the sky / God Version 1.0 (Robin Mann, Australia) Classic! An excellent rock song about how God doesn't necessarily work in the way we think. Lyrics and sound sample. Good for kids.
- Online Resource Who is this man? (Ross
Langmead, Australia) Great, questioning words. the verses are quite tricky, so I
would get your musicians to sing them, and invite the congregation to
join in on the chorus as they get familiar with it. Sound sample. Thanks Eileen for this suggestion.
- Online Resource / StS051 Quién Dicen que Soy Yo / Who Do You Say that I Am? (Jaime Cortez, USA/El Salvador) A quiet and reflective bilingual song (Spanish / English). Also available from OCP website. Sound sample, sheet music sample, and purchasing options.
- 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, which will feature next week, so you could sing it
again. Lyrics. Good for kids.
I'd love to hear your ideas - What will you be singing? Please add a comment below. Updated in a hotel room on a very hot day in Tokyo, then on a quiet night in Fitzroy.
