Songs, Hymns & Music for Easter 6C (22 May 2022)

Acts 16:9-15
Conversion of the first gentile by Paul – Lydia and family

• Not Currently Online Resource In my father's house(Paul Somerville) A great song, with an inspiring, and very singable chorus; unfortunately I can't find it online, but if you have a copy, you know what to do...
• TiS 411 / AHB 328 / NCH266 / UMH537 / VU194 / LBW160 / A&M633 / CP658 / CP(E) 425 / W&R331 Filled with the Spirit's power (John Peacey) Excellent inclusive words to a very well known hymn tune. I prefer it sung to WOODLANDS. Lyrics and sheet music. New words to old tunes
• TiS 648 / NCH388 / UMH560 / HPP289 / GtG754 / PH358 / W&R596 / Cha487 Help us accept each other (Fred Kaan) Very nice simple words about acceptance and love for all people. The tune varies in each hymn book. I like the lilting tune RUNNYMEDE in TiS, but if a more standard hymn is needed for your congregation, it can also be sung to AURELIA (The church's one foundation). Lyrics and a different tune. New words to old tunes if you want.
• TiS 681 Lord let me see see more and more (Ross Langmead) A prayer to see, hear, care, learn and love with God. Very straightforward to sing. It can get a bit "ploddy". Might be a good idea to use different instrumentation, alternate women and men for a verse or two and definitely use an a cappella verse! If you don't do this often, singing a verse without accompaniment in a hymn with more than 4 verses gives the congregation an opportunity to hear each other. Lyrics, sheet music and sound sample.
• ATFG561 / Tune In / Online Resource Community (Dave Brown) A song about being welcomed and part of a community. Free downloadable songbook, sound samples and lyrics. Good for kids.
• 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. Well known and fits well with this theme. "And the creed and the colour and the name won't matter"... Lyrics. Good for kids.
• Tune In / Online Resource 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" Free downloadable songbook, sound samples and lyrics. 
• CH198 / MV001 / HPP550 / A&M365 / GtG301 / GC753 / GC(II)741 / G(3)850 / SP176 / URW058/ Lau458 / StF409 Let Us Build a House / All are welcome (Marty Haugen) This song has wonderful lyrics of hope for what a Christian community can be like, and a chorus that joyfully says “All are welcome, all are welcome, all are welcome in this place”. Sheet music sample. Sound sample. New words to old tunes.
• MV145 / CP418 / SP&P123 Draw the circle wide (Gordon Light) A great song about welcoming all people. Chorus is “Draw the circle wide, draw it wider still. Let this be our song, no-one stands alone, standing side by side, draw the circle wide”.
• Recorded music Lydia (Why Not Sea Monsters? / Justin Roberts) A slightly silly kids song which would be good for Sunday Schools. Performance of the album! Album available here.
  
• Traditional Down in the river to pray (African American) Very well known and people love it. History.

Psalm 67
It could be good to use an Aaronic blessing in your service. I'm not sure why we always save it for baptisms. Here's my list of Aaronic blessings (scroll down, when you get to the page).

• Online Resource / GWA010 Favour and bless us Lord (Grayson Warren Brown) A beautiful reworking of this Psalm, set to a tune that is very close to "Deep River" so will be readily sung by most congregations. Sound sample, sheet music sample, and purchasing options (choral setting). 
• Taize / TiS 731 /  SFFS 2017 / GtG155 / G(II)377 / GC557 / GC(II)535 / G(3)618 / W&R212 / PfAS100G / URW383 / Lau691 Raise a song of gladness / Jubilate Servite (Taize) Glorious, fun round. If your congregation balks at singing in Latin, it can be sung in English as "Raise a song of gladness, all the earth, Christ has come, bringing peace, joy to every heart, Alleluia Alleluia, Joy to every heart (x2)". This is not a Gloria, but it has the feel of one! Lyrics and sound sample.  Good for kids (and kids like Latin sometimes!)
• STB285 When time began God fashioned all of this world (Unknown - Burma) The chorus to this is pretty fun, and is just happy "non-lexical syllables" (i.e. "hey la la la" type things). It is set to a traditional Kachin melody (Aw le le) and it would be good to sing this to honour the Kachin people of Burma. Sound sample
• VU786 / PfAS067C Let the peoples praise you (Henry Smart) Quite nice bouncy Psalm refrain with a read, cantored, or chanted Psalm.  Good for kids
• Linnea GoodMay every person, every creature, be an instrument of praise (Linnea Good) A very simple and quite lovely Psalm refrain.
• Cha744 O God be gracious come and bless us (Carl P Daw) Very simple refrain and responsively read setting of this Psalm.
• TiS 37 / AHB 117 Our God be gracious unto us (Phillip Charles Blake) A simple hymn setting of this Psalm. I would prefer to sing it to RICHMOND (TiS 425).  New words to old tunes. 
• NCH421 / UMH131 / HPP552 / GtG336 / PH559 / GC571 / GC(II)549 / G(3)638 / W&R81 / Cha276 We gather together to ask for God's blessing (Traditional Dutch) A good song about living together as a community of faith, sung to a very familiar tune (KREMSER). Sources vary, and some are very masculine and old fashioned. Seek out the lyrics in the NCH, or you may be left with these lyrics (the tune is the same though). 
• TiS 106 / AHB 14 / AoV1-189 / NCH419 / CH182 / UMH102 / VU236 / LBW534 / ELW840 / GA425 / A&M739 / HPP283 / GtG643 / PH555 / GC565 / GC(II)545 / G(3)636 /  CP399 / CP(E) 530 / W&R14 / Cha715 / 82Hml-396 / Lau945 Now thank we all our God / Nun Danket Alle Gott (Martin Rinkart) A classic song of thanks. The language is not entirely inclusive in all versions. Chalice has great inclusive words. It's in the public domain, so changing the older English translation is quite acceptable. Older style lyrics and sound sample.Oldy-but-a-goody.
• NCH Psalter Let the peoples praise you O God (Peter Niedmann) A simple Psalm refrain.
• Emergent Psalter May God be gracious and bless us (Isaac Everett) A good refrain that can also be used as a round.  Good for kids. Sheet music.
• Online Resource Food is blessing (Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan) Great words focussed on food security and being faithful in the way we consume it. Sung to the familiar tune NETTLETON. New words for old tunes. Lyrics.

Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5
John's vision of the Holy City

• Tune In / Online Resource Making things new (Sheree Anderson). A groovy one about God doing miraculous things. Great for kids, and lots of fun. Free downloadable songbook, sound samples and lyrics.  Good for kids.
• GtG376 / Cha703 / URW133 When All is Ended (Brian Wren) Good words about the celebration of the new kingdom (wars ended, peace declared, compassion shown). Sung to the familiar tune SINE NOMINE or ENGELBERG. New words to old tunes. Lyrics and sheet music
• 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”. A nice acapella sound sample. I usually play it with more of a jazz feel. 
• AoV2-085 / Iona (T1AU) / MV115 / A&M328 / SP129 Behold behold I Make All Things New (John Bell) A nice hopeful upbeat short song. Highly recommended. Sound sample (scroll down) Good for kids.
• VU718 / HPSS431 / W&R620 O God You Gave Your Servant John (Joy Patterson) Terrific words contrasting the wealth and poverty contrasts in earthly cities with the Holy City. Sung to ST. PATRICK'S BREASTPLATE or CANDLER. Lyrics and sheet music.
• 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”. There is a little bit of non-inclusiveness in the middle "bridge" section; you know you could just miss it, and that would make the song less confusing! Sample sheet music & lyrics. Sound sample.
• TiS 671 / AoV2-121 Made in God's Likeness (Patricia Lewis / Alister Spence) 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. Lyric and sound sample.   
• Online resource Behold I make all things new (Bruce Harding) A nice short song with a folky feel. Free sheet music and sound sample.
• Tune In / Online Resource 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. Free downloadable songbook, sound samples and lyrics. 
• Tune In / Online Resource Kingdom Come (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" Free downloadable songbook, sound samples and lyrics. 
• TiS 666 / AoV2-113 / AoVK-126 / ATOK 409 / NCH526 / Iona (Common Ground, Freedom is Coming) / CH516 / VU646/647 / WoV650 / ELW866 / A&M483 / SFFS 2235 / HPP153 / GtG853 / G(II)357 / GC513 / GC(II)516 / G(3)594 / Cha442 / SP235 / Srce737 / StF483 / MP954 We are marching in the light of God / Siyahamba / Caminando (South African) A very popular chorus, with possible alternate verses, depending on your source. Sometimes people get anxious about the word "marching", but remember that this song comes from apartheid-era South Africa, where people were protesting so that they could vote in their own country. And the marching is toi-toing, much less militaristic than what you may imagine. Sound sample.
• TiS 569 / AHB 478 / NCH18/19 / CH167 / UMH127 / VU651 / LBW343 / ELW618 / StF465 / A&M652 / HPP432 / GtG065 / PH281 / CP565 / CP(E) 455 / W&R501 / Cha622 / 82Hml690 / StF465 / Lau960 / MP201 Guide me O thou great Jehovah / Redeemer (William Williams) A rousing hymn of God’s presence and strength and making it to the other side. "Bread of heaven, feed me now and evermore." Sheet music and lyrics. Oldy-but-a-goody.
• NCH613 / UMH726 / VU709 / GtG374 / PH453 / GC767 / GC(II)757 / G(3)863 / CP596 / 82Hml-582 O holy city seen by John (Walter Russell Bowie) Strong lyrics to a very familiar hymn tune (MORNING SONG)  New words to old tunes
• NCH576 / CH706 / UMH428 / VU678 / A&M635 / GtG346 / GA513 / GC719 / GC(II)712 / G(3)803 / CP576 / CP(E) 427 / W&R621 / Cha668 / Lau886 For the healing of the nations (Fred Kaan) Excellent words seeking peaceful coexistence of the nations. Can be sung to a range of tunes including the very familiar WESTMINSTER ABBEY. Lyrics and another tune.New words to old tunes.
• NCH598 / UMH724 / LBW36 / ELW249 / W&R519 On Jordan's Stormy Bank I Stand / On River Jordan's Bank I stand (Samuel Stennett) Even though I don't dream of the life hereafter, there's something about this old song that has meaning for me. Translations vary, NCH is most inclusive. Sheet music and older lyrics.
• NCH597 / UMH723 / VU710 / LBW221 / WoV690 / ELW547 / GtG375 / HPP480 / G(II)560 / GC774 / GC(II)761 / W&R522 / Cha701 / SgTJ1046 Shall we gather at the river? (Robert Lowry) Again, this old song has a lot of meaning for many. Translations vary. NCH is most inclusive. Oldy-but-a-goody.Lyrics and sheet music.

John 14:23-29
Jesus is going, but sends the Spirit

• BUC Song Project Take a deep breath / Deep in your soul (Sheree Anderson) "Let the spirit of love  breathe your name..." A song about breathing in the spirit's renewing love. 
• BUC Song Project Silent as the dawn / Spirit God you come (Elaine Loukes) A gentle song about God's spirit coming among us.   
• ATW 487 Make your home in me (Fay White) A simple beautiful invitation.  “If you fly to the point of the day’s sunrise or westward across the sea, if you travel to the uttermost ends of the earth, there I will be; Make your home in me as I make my home in you. I am everywhere that you can be. Make your home in me”. Lyrics. Sound sample (for a congregation, you would need to even out the timing and slow it down, but it will give you an idea).
• Unusual Source: Blow through me Breath of God (Miriam Therese Winter) This chant is very beautiful. It takes a few listens for the congregation to pick it up, or you could ask the musicians to play it as a prayer for the congregation. "Like a pipe, like a flute, like a reed making melody". It can be found in "Songlines, Hymns, Songs, Rounds and Refrains for Prayer and Praise,Crossroad, New York, 1996" or "Womantalk Woman Prayer" (1987)
• TiS 398 / AHB 310 / AoV1-118 / NCH289 / CH489 / UMH475 / VU367 / GA375 / A&M238 / LBW508 / ELW804 / GtG282 / PH313 / GC465 / GC(II)471 / G(3)556 / RS617 / CP645 / CP(E) 175 / W&R330 / Cha582 / Srce100 / Lau303 / StF372 / MP089 Come down O Love divine (Ralph Vaughan Williams) Old fashioned, but still inclusive and very well known. Lyrics. Hymnals vary a lot in the lyrics with respect to thees and thys and words like "vesture". Oldy-but-a-goody. 
• AoV1-043 Breathing now the life of God / Warm Our Hearts (Jane Marshall) A beautiful and very simple round. "Breathing now the life of God the Spirit in us singing, come light up our hearts with joy! Heal and clear our eyes to see! Warm our hearts with peace. Warm our hearts with peace.” Highly recommended.
• CH613 / WoV687 / ELW401 / GtG287 Gracious Spirit hear our pleading (Wilson Niwagila) Good simple song from Tanzania about the Spirit working in a community; probably too many verses (especially in GtG which has 5!)? The refrain also works well on its own, and could be used as a prayer response; GtG has the refrain in Swahili: "Njoo Njoo Njoo Roho mwema". Sound sample 
• CH589 / A&M240 Come Holy Spirit / Breath of Heaven (John Bell) A lovely simple repetitive song. Includes verses like "Come , Word of Mercy" and "Come to disturb us"….
• ATAR656 Heavy our hearts (Trish Watts / Gabrielle Lord) A lovely soothing chant naming our heaviness and seeking God's shelter and healing
• TiS 710 / CH758 / Iona (Enemy of Apathy) / VU204 Come Holy Spirit gracious heavenly dove (John Bell) A beautiful and simple chant.
• Online Resource An open hand a willing heart (Adam Tice) Excellent thoughtful words about our call, together as a church, to follow. There are three possible tunes. I like this one by Sally Ann Morris best. Sheet music, lyrics and purchasing options (GIA has multiple versions of this song).
  
• Taizé / TiS 713 / Cha296 Dona nobis pacem domine / cordium (Jacques Berthier) A more solemn chant. Youtube. 
• Online Resource Rest your body still your mind (David Bjorlin / Benjamin Brody) This is an excellent acapella 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.
  
• Online Resource Beautiful Spirit O comforter come (Adam Tice) Excellent words seeking the Spirit to move us to action (and to "loosen our bodies"). Set to the familiar tune SLANE. Sheet music sample and purchasing options. New words to old tunes. 
  
• 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. Good for kids. Lyrics and sound sample. 
• TiS 412 / AHB 324 / ATE 251 / G(II)328 / GC468 / CP651 / W&R130 God sends us the Spirit to befriend and help us / Spirit Friend (People of Malawi / Tom Colvin) I like this song from Malawi, but the lack of inclusive language for God sometimes drives me a bit crazy. In Tom Colvin's book "Come Let us walk this road together" he uses more inclusive language than many hymnals that include this song. That is, he writes “God sends us the Spirit” instead of “God sends us His Spirit” and "Spirit of our Maker" rather than “Spirit of our Father”. Lyrics and sheet music.
• TiS 419 / NCH270 / CH592 / A&M252 / UMH544 / VU205 / WoV685 / ELW403 / HPP222 / GtG285 / PH314 / CP635 / CP(E) 185 / W&R327 / SP92 / 82Hml-513 / StF389Like the murmur of the dove's song (Carl Daw) Excellent words and a simple tune about Christian unity. Each verse ends with "Come holy spirit, come". Lyrics and sheet music.
• TiS 737 / Iona (Common Ground, HSNW, T1AU) / A&M516 / SP142 / URW427 / Lau437Lord Jesus Christ lover of all (John Bell) A beautiful and simple chant. Note that some versions (T1AU at least) have a beautiful 4 part harmony arrangement with excellent moving parts in the lower registers. Would work well during intercessions or during times of movement in the service. Simple sound sample. 
• MV056 / STB001 O Come let us praise / Lajahle htaora Hp'ya (Shwe) A good song from Burma. Quite beautiful - will need to be taught to Western ears. Sheet music.

John 5:1-9
The sick man waiting at the pool

• Sacred Harp 34t The Gospel Pool (John Newton) I don't imagine you will actually sing this, but if you happen to have Sacred Harp singers in your church, the lyrics fit very well. Lyrics.
• Songs for a Hopeful Church How are you broken beloved? (Elizabeth Smith) If you have this book, this would be good. I am not sure what tune the lyrics are set to, but I like them a lot. Lyrics. Thank you Alison for this suggestion.
  
• CH350 / UMH263 / VU358 / StS044 When Jesus the healer passed through Galilee (Peter Smith) A simple song with many verses (you don't have to sing all of them!), and a simple "Heal us, heal us today" refrain. This would be good for kids or those who can't read, as they'll be able to join in easily. The paralysed person in this story is not the same one, but that's OK. Lyrics and sheet music. Thank you Alison for this suggestion. Good for kids.
• 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 / MP908 O Lord hear my prayer (Jacques Berthier) A simple and very well known Taizé chant. Works well during intercessions. Sheet music samples. Good for kids  
• 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 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, but it can also be sung to TALLIS' CANON if your congregation needs a more familiar tune. Lyrics and sheet music (of an alternative tune). New words to old tunes.
• 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. Lyrics and sheet music.New words to old tunes.
• Online resource I want to be made well (Bruce Harding) A nice little chant, with a groovy baseline. Free sheet music and sound sample.
  

What ideas do you have? Please join the conversation by adding a comment below...