Songs and Hymns for Proper 11C / Ordinary 16C / Pentecost +6 (July 17th 2022)

Amos 8:1-12
The endless grind of commerce; turning feasting to mourning, a famine of God’s word.

• AA085 Let justice roll down like a river (Colin Gibson) Excellent song, and very easy to sing. Lyrics. Sheet music. Good for kids.
• TiS 657 / CH263 / VU700 / A&M559 / AA50 / CP(E) 447 / Cha656 / SP242 God of freedom God of justice (Shirley Murray) Powerful lyrics. Can be sung to either TREDEGAR (new, but not too hard) or PICARDY (very familiar). Lyrics and sheet music sample. New words to old tunes. There is also a nice tune from Douglas Simper in his book if you'd like something quite new, but still hymn-like.
• StS033 /  GA515 / G(II)516 / GC716 / GC(II)709 / G(3)810 Let Justice Roll Like a River (Marty Haugen) Verse 3 of this song is particularly appropriate for this passage. The song is quite simple, particularly if you use a soloist for the verses if this is new to you. Sound sample (I don't like this sample much) and sheet music sample and lyrics.
• VU699 / GtG772 / PH332 Live into hope of captives freed (Jane Parker Huber) Excellent wordsto the familiar tune TRURO. Lyrics. New words to old tunes.
• TiS 674 / Iona (Common Ground, Heaven Shall Not Wait) / A&M562 / CH253 / SP245 Inspired by love and anger (John Bell) Powerful lyrics, simple English folk tune (SALLY GARDENS). Lyric video.
  
• AoVK-28 / ATOK 376 Faith hope and love (Trish Watts) "Freedom for all, this is what we long for!" This is so easy, and so cool. If you have some groovy musicians, this can be a very funky rock song. Very easy, and great for kids and non-readers. Sound sample. Good for kids  
• 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. This song will also work for next week, so now is a good time to introduce it.
• 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
• NCH593 / UMH519 / LBW562 / ELW841 / HPP304 / GtG339 / PH563 / W&R729 / Cha631 / ZSS113 / 82Hml-599 Lift every voice and sing (James Weldon Johnson) This suggestion is for those readers in the USA, where this song speaks about liberation of those who were in slavery in that country. Lyrics.
• Tune In / Online Resource / NCYC '07 Forgive us now (Dave Brown). “As we forgive may we be healed, as we reach out….” An excellent ballad. Free downloadable songbook, lyrics & sound samples.
• NCH317 Make a gift of your holy word / Mikotoba o kudasai (Yasushige Imakoma) Touching and mournful song seeking God's presence and the coming of justice. The tune is Japanese, and very beautiful. It would be best sung, at first, by a soloist with simple accompaniment. Lyrics.
• 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.  

Psalm 52
Lamentation for trusting in wealth rather than trusting God.
Songs for the Amos passage also fit here.

• Tune In / Online Resource / NCYC '07 Forgive us now (Dave Brown). “As we forgive may we be healed, as we reach out….” An excellent ballad. Free downloadable songbook, lyrics & sound samples. 
• NCH Psalter Trust in the steadfast love of God for ever and ever (Jane Marshall) A very simple refrain with a cantored or read Psalm.
• Emergent PsalterI am like an olive tree (Isaac Everett) A modern, intuitive peaceful refrain. I just love this one. Sheet music sample.
• PfAS052B But I am like a green olive tree (Aaron David Miller) Simple Psalm refrain. 
• GWA006 / PfAS052A You cunning liar why publicise (John Bell) Very strong lyrics calling for God to bring justice, and for strength to those who call for it; it is set to an old hymn tune (BACA) which is straightforward but unlikely to be familiar. Sheet music sample. Sound sample and lyrics.
• StS116I 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. 
• PfAS002 Tree of wisdom fruitful green (Michael Morgan) Easy to sing, since it's set to DIX, and lovely words based on the Psalms, including this one. Lyric accompaniment video. New words to old tunes. 
• Online Resource Why do you boast? (Doug Gay) New lyrics that pick up some of the trickier themes of this Psalm. Set to the tune BACA, but would fit other 88.88.8 tunes. I quite like ROLLAND. Lyrics (Facebook). New words to old tunes.

Alternative Hebrew Scripture: Genesis 18:1-10a
Abraham shows hospitality to the strangers and they prophesy Sarah's pregnancy.

• AoV1-137 / ATOK 403 / GA306 / G(II)286 God Of Abraham lead us (Bernadette Farrell) This one is great. Just don't try to sing all 17 verses! Choose what you like… I love this energetic call and response with the response "Lead us to your kingdom". You can sing with a cantor and response, or you could split your congregation in the middle doing half and half, or you could just have people singing all the way through. Lyrics (and a slow sound sample). Sound sample (listen to the whole thing and see how they build it up).  Good for kids.
• Tune In / Online Resource Community (Dave Brown) A song about being welcomed and part of a community. "A glass of water shared with the thirsty". Free downloadable songbook, lyrics & sound samples.  Good for kids.
• Online Resource Awake with timbrel and with dance (Mary Louise Bringle) A joyful celebration of many women of the Scriptures (including Sarah), sung to AZMON. Sheet music sample, lyrics, and purchasing options. New words to old tunes. 
• Online Resource / GWA025 The God of Sarah praise (David Bjorlin) A broadening of the traditional song "The God of Ab'ram Praise" to include Sarah and Hagar; you make like to add some of these verses to the traditional words. I find verse 2 to be a bit colonial. Set to the traditional melody LEONI. Sound sample, sheet music and lyrics sample and purchasing options. New words to old tunes.    

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Psalm for the Genesis reading: Psalm 15
Only those who live right will live with God.

• Online Resource That's how we walk (Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan) This very simple chorus would be great to sing with kids, either during the service or in a Sunday School setting. Good for kids. Sheet music, sound sample and lyrics.
• VU575 / SFFS 2153 / GtG700 / PH369 / SP&P139 / W&R574 / Cha614 I'm Gonna Live So God Can Use Me (African American traditional) Good simple tune and meaningful words. Easy to sing and play around with. Good for kids, non-readers and for people for whom English is a second language. Sound sample.Alternatively: PfAS015C I'm Gonna Live So God Can Use Me (African American traditional) A version of the same song, used as a Psalm refrain. Good for kids Oldy-but-a-goody.
• TiS 657 / CH263 / VU700 / A&M559 / AA50 / CP(E) 447 / Cha656 / SP242 God of freedom God of justice (Shirley Murray) Powerful lyrics. Can be sung to either TREDEGAR (new, but not too hard) or PICARDY (very familiar) or RHUDDLAN. Lyrics (downloads a PDF) New words to old tunes
• Online Resource We want to be close to your heart (Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan) This is another song that would be simple enough for the congregation to sing the first time they hear it. It's great for kids too. Good for kids. Sheet music, sound sample and lyrics.
• Iona (M&G, T1AU) / MV099 / GC(II)673 / G(3)763 / Lau996 Stand O Stand Firm (Cameroon) I love having an excuse to sing this simple and powerful song. Very easy for your congregation. You can make up cantor parts too “Oh my sisters…. Oh my brothers… Oh my children….” or you can name countries you are praying for in your intercessions. Good for kids. Scottish sound sample. Lead sheet.
• PfAS015A Lord who are they that may dwell (James Seddon) A hymnlike paraphrase of the Psalm. Fairly formal, but inclusive words. Sheet music.
• PfAS015B Lord who shall be welcome (Steven Warner) A nice contemporary sung paraphrase of the Psalm. Easy to sing. Sound sample.
• CH008 Lord who may enter your house? (Whoever leads a blameless life) (John Bell) A lovely simple psalm response to a chanted or read paraphrase of the Psalm.   
• Emergent Psalter Who may abide on your holy hill? (Isaac Everett) Simple response with read Psalm. Sheet music. 
• TiS 5 Justice alone is the way of the Lord (S.T. Kimbrough / Carlton Young) Good cantor and response. Also in UMH Psalter. Lyrics (response only). 
  
• Cha729 Let justice roll down like the water (Lon Oliver) Responsive psalm with sung refrain.
• ATW 505 Whatever you do (John Ylvisaker) Simple and fun. Good for kids

Colossians 1:15-28
Some nice Christology “image of the invisible God, first-born of creation…. all things created through him and in him”. Reconciliation through Christ’s death, our lives as witness, Christ as Paul’s inspiration and energy. 

You may wish to sing an Alleluia. Some are listed here.

• W&R104 / URW102 Hidden Christ Alive for Ever (Brian Wren) Wonderful and inspiring words of Christ in all things. Can be sung to HYFRYDOL or HOLY MANNA, so would be easily sung by most congregations. A good song for just after the sermon. Lyrics. New words to old tunes.
• BUC Song Project Do you believe that love is real / Love is the Power (Sheree Anderson). Suggestion for the congregation at Brunswick as this is not published yet. It's a little bit tricky.
• NCH118 / VU061 / Cha104 Of God's very heart begotten / Of eternal love begotten / Of the Parent's heart begotten (Prudentius) These are inclusive translations of the 3rd century Latin hymn Corde natus ex parentis (older versions are "Of the Father's love begotten"). New English translation to old tunes. Sound sample (youtube).
  
• AA036 Every day I will offer you (Shirley Murray) “Everyday, in your Spirit, I’ll find the love and energy”… Good song of commitment. Might be good as closing song. This is also in other books of songs by Shirley Murray. Lyrics & Sheet Music.
• TiS 157 / AHB 103 / CH246 / A&M547 / PH297 / CP411 / CP(E) 263 O Lord of every shining constellation / Great God of every shining constellation (Albert Bayly) Great words; the tune in the Australian hymnals (NORTHBROOK) is a little tricky. Note that AHB is masculine for all people, so look up other sources for inclusive language. Sound sample.
  
• Online Resource / AoVK-28 / ATOK 376 Faith hope and love (Trish Watts) "Freedom for all, this is what we long for!" This is so easy, and so cool. If you have some groovy musicians, this can even be a very funky rock song. Very easy, and great for kids and non-readers. Sound sample and purchasing options.  Good for kids 
• 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.
  
• TiS 691 Faith will not grow from words alone (Elizabeth Smith) Excellent strong words of a questioning faith to a familiar hymn tune. Lyrics (scroll down).
  
• TiS 617 / NCH413 / UMH517 / WoV736 / ELW626 / A&M605 / GtG818 / PH342 / W&R75 / 82Hml-695 / Lau428 By gracious powers so wonderfully sheltered (Dietrich Bonhoeffer) Wonderful words. Lousy tune (in TiS). Words fit well to O Perfect Love if you find the tune too tricky. Can also be sung to BERLIN or INTERCESSOR. The 5th verse is omitted in some hymnals. Lyrics.New words to old tunes. There is also a very nice contemporary tune for the same words by Douglas Simper in his book Singing the Journey.  It makes the words feel much more relevant sung to this tune, but it will need to be taught, or sung by a soloist.
• TiS 720 / AHB 295 / AoVK-85 / AoV2-046 / ATOK 319 / NCH236 / Iona (Many & Great, There is one among us) / CH345 / VU958 / StJ / A&M836 / SFFS 2026 / HPP571 / GtG591 / GC(II)261 / G(3)329 / W&R005 / Cha041 / ZSS76 / SP324 / PfAS150G / URW370 / Lau178 Halle halle hallelujah (Traditional Caribbean) A good Alleluia would work well for this passage, and I think this one is particularly excellent – simple, great for kids, good rhythm. PfAS uses it as a Psalm refrain which would work well for any translation of the Psalm. Good for kids. Jazzy version with old school verses that are kind of odd, but the piano player is awesome. A more regular version.
  
• Iona (WWHW) / StF049 God beyond all names never fully known (John Bell) A beautiful peaceful chant. It works best if you can do it as a round (or with just the soprano and tenor parts) or with all four parts. Mysterious. "Mystery of mysteries, calling us your own". 
• 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”. Lyric video.
  

Luke 10:38-42 
Martha and Mary

• Taizé / GtG814 / CP563 / PfAS062D In God alone my soul can find rest and peace / Mon ame se repose (Jacques Berthier) A beautiful healing chant from Taize. Words and music and sound samples for learning the parts Good for kids.
• TiS 693 / AoV1-031 / GA212 Come as you are that's how I want you (Deidre Browne) This song is beautiful, gentle, simple, and very well known. Lyric and sound sample (though we sing it quite differently at Brunswick). A good song to start the service.
• Iona (LFB) / G(II)503 / GC701 / RS818 / StF464 God It Was who said to Abraham (John Bell) Easy tune. Good story words. Note that God is masculine; I think this has been addressed  in more recent editions of Love From Below. Lyrics and sheet music. Slow sound sample. 
• Unusual Resource When Jesus went to Bethany (Elizabeth Smith) Great words to a familiar tune (TALLIS CANON) From the book "Songs for a hopeful church". New words to old tunes. Lyrics (downloads a PDF).
  
• TiS 748 / GtB There once was a man as mean as could be (Digby Hannah) Good song for kids and great for this passage; it's very silly. Good for kids
• Voices Found / Online Resource / Resounding Voices In Boldness Look to God for Help (Mary Louise Bringle) Excellent new words to the familiar tune MORNING SONG. New words to old tunes. Lyrics and sheet music sample. Thanks to Sunny Hallanan for this suggestion. Free book download here. 
  
• Gospelling to the Beat One man was Peter he lived by the sea (Llewellyn) A simple kid's song "stop what you're doing and follow me" Good for kids.
• TiS 745 / AoV1-048 / ATN 34 / SiS96 / CH641 / UMH405 / VU356 / WoV783 / GA456 / HPP370 / PH333 / GtG175 / GC615 / GC(II)600 / CP458 / W&R349 / Cha354 / Srce593 / StF254 / 82Hml-711 / MP590 Seek ye first the kingdom of God (Karen Lafferty) A classic. Versions vary widely in the inclusiveness of their versions. A tip: GA, WoV and VU have all made this gender inclusive for God by simply replacing "his righteousness" with "God's righteousness". And "We do not live by bread alone". Words from Theresa of Avila. Thanks to Ken Wells for this suggestion. Sound sample (masculine God version).  Oldy-but-a-goody.
• Iona (One is the body) There is a line of women (Iona) Eve, Sarah, Tamar, Mary, Shiprah, Rahab, Esther, Martha, are all mentioned in this song. You might need to run a Bible study group to satisfy everyone's curiosity after singing this... Sound sample.
• Online Resource Awake with timbrel and with dance (Mary Louise Bringle) A joyful celebration of many women of the Scriptures (including Mary and Martha), sung to AZMON. Sheet music sample, lyrics, and purchasing options. New words to old tunes.
• Online Resource Matthew was a lonely man (Colin Gibson) Good words about Matthew, Thomas, Martha and Peter, and how they each found a friend in Jesus. Good for kids. Lyrics and sheet music. Thanks to Trisha Daniell for this suggestion. 
• Online Resource Bless the arms that comfort (Mary Louise Bringle) A song of thanks for those who have acted out their faith in caring for others, sung to the older tune CRANHAN. Sheet music sample, lyrics, and purchasing options. New words to old tunes. 
  

What ideas do you have? I would love to hear your ideas - please add a comment below.

First written in 2016 in Cullman Alabama, after the Cullman County Courthouse All-Day Singing.