Deuteronomy 18:15-20
The promise of a true prophet
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
It would be worth looking for an inclusive translation of this Psalm. You might also like to sing some Alleluias in your service, particularly good for kids. Here is a list of some favourites.
Take care that your liberty doesn’t become a stumbling block to others. Know your limits, and don’t wound the conscience of others if their limits are different.
Mark 1:21-28The promise of a true prophet
- SiS346 / ATN 77 / G(II)542 / GC749 O Welcome All You Noble Saints of Old / In Christ There Is a Table Set for All (Robert Stamps) Radical hospitality. A song about the foretold one who is now with us. Gather hymnals use "In Christ there is a table set for all" which is much more inclusive than the old "God and man at table are sat down". Good for celebration of communion, but is fine without it, too. We haven't sung this in ages. Lyrics (scroll down). Clunky sound sample
- URW293 We Sing to You O God (Gracia Grindal) Good words of God's protection through difficult times to a standard hymn tune (DARWALL'S 148th). Lyrics. Sheet music and sound sample of hymn tune only. New words to old tunes.
- Online Resource / ATAR643 / Walk as One Fire of prophet cool wisdom of sage / Spirit lead us
(Paul Somerville) An excellent song about knowing God through sacred
stories, and being part of God's sacred story. This would be an
excellent song for the entry of scriptures at the start of the service
if this is your practice. It may be best sung first by a soloist. Sound sample. Book (PDF) available for purchase.
- Online Resource / AoV2-102 / GA509 Who will speak if we don't (Marty Haugen) Could we be prophets? Excellent challenging words. Good for teenagers. Sound sample, sheet music sample, and choral version for purchase.
- Online Resource / TiS 283 / HPP87 / CP(E) 58 / W&R167 / Srce2-382 / Lau116 / StF178 Long ago prophets knew (Fred Pratt Green) I’m never sure if I like this one, but lots of other people do and it fits the reading this week well. Suitable if you choose to focus on Christ as being the prophet who was foretold. Lyrics, and sheet music samples. New words to old tunes.
- URW129 We gather at your table Lord (William Martin) A fairly standard communion hymn. A nice joyful old American tune, and good words about coming together and then a final verse to sing after communion about going out into the world. This would work well if you are celebrating communion, particularly the words "Remind us of our sacred past, our roots in Israel's soil"... Lyrics.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
It would be worth looking for an inclusive translation of this Psalm. You might also like to sing some Alleluias in your service, particularly good for kids. Here is a list of some favourites.
- PfAS111C The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Jay Weldon Wilkey) A simple Psalm refrain.
- PH274 O God of Earth and Space (Jane Parker Huber) Terrific words to a well known Jewish hymn tune (LEONI). "Wherever freedom reigns, where sin is overthrown, Where justice fused with mercy rules, there you are known. Give us the courage clear, to make the earth a home, For all to live in harmony, in Christ’s shalom. Highly recommended. Lyrics. New words to old tunes.
- Emergent Psalter With my whole heart (Lacey Brown) A really nice refrain for this Psalm; cool rhythm... Accompaniment sheet music.
- Online Resource / TiS 611 / AHB 543 / NCH436 / UMH577 / VU686 / LBW415 / ELW705 / A&M648 / HPP456 / PH420 / GtG307 / CP577 / CP(E) 448 / W&R569 / Cha464 / 82Hml-594 / StF682 / MP192 God of Grace and God of Glory (Harry Emerson Fosdick) A song about being courageous and wise. There are many possible tunes and many sets of words to this hymn. NCH has the most inclusive words, but TiS and AHB are okay too. They don’t hold back in verse 3. Chorus: “Grant us wisdom, Grant us courage, for the facing of this hour”. Don’t know about everyone else, but I know best the tune AHB 543 (ii). Lyrics, sheet music samples, and a purchasing option. New words to old tunes.
- ACS971 / MV010 / GtG174 / URW099 / VF060 Come and seek the ways of wisdom (Ruth Duck) This song is more about the personification of Wisdom, but would work very well as a gathering song in the context of this reading. The tune in ACS, MV and GtG is a joyful 6/8 tune, but not familiar, so if it seems difficult, you could sing the same words to PICARDY (TiS 497). VF has a more challenging tune, which may be a bit tricky for a congregation. Lyrics.
- NCH Psalter (Psalm 111) Great, great, great are the works of God (Marty Haugen) An excellent refrain with an inclusive Psalm for reading / cantoring.
- NCH510 Grant us wisdom to perceive you (Rae E Whitney) A hymn with great words seeking wisdom in perception, faithfulness in prayer, diligence in action, courage in evangelism. Sung to an old German carol tune which is not too hard. Could also be sung to other tunes if you like. Lyric video. Lyrics and sheet music.
- FFS32 God who sets us on a journey (Joy Dine) Good words about discernment. I think it would be easy to sing this to HYFRYDOL or BLAENWERN. Lyrics (in comments of a Youtube video). New words to old tunes.
- CH604 Holy wisdom lamp of learning (Ruth Duck) Great words seeking wisdom, judgement, and celebrating a searching faith. Sung to a good joyful and easy hymn tune (IN BABILONE). Could also be sung to BEACH SPRING. Sample music and lyrics. New words to old tunes.
- TiS 68 God established an eternal covenant (Jane Marshall) A good inclusive and simple refrain with non-inclusive cantor part / reading. Reading can easily be adapted to make it inclusive.
Take care that your liberty doesn’t become a stumbling block to others. Know your limits, and don’t wound the conscience of others if their limits are different.
- TiS 650 / ATA 191 / CH694 / A&M604 / NCH539 / VU595 / ELW659 / AA08 / SFFS 2222 / HPP442 / GtG727 / G(II)476 / GC683 / GC(II)661 / G(3)751 / CP500 / CP(E) 393 / W&R391 / Cha490 / SP263 / URW117 / StF611 / Lau924 / VF124 Brother, sister, let me serve you / Won't you let me be your servant? (Richard Gillard) I think you all know this one. Lyrics. NCH has a nice turn on the lyrics with "Won't you let me be your servant?" as the first line. Oldy-but-a-goody.
- Online Resource / ATFG561 / Tune In Part of a fam'ly interconnected / Community(David Brown) A song about being welcomed and how to work together as part of a community. "Part of a family interconnected, this is community; Welcoming strangers, visiting neighbours, this gives us dignity". Very singable song about building community. A big favourite at Brunswick Uniting. Good for kids. Sound sample, lyrics & free downloadable songbook.
- Taizé / CH801 / MV170 / StJ / GtG205 / WoV665 / ELW642 / SFFS 2179 / GC408 / GC(II)430 / G(3)500 / CP553 / W&R399 / Cha523 / URW394 / StF783 / Lau244b Live in charity / Ubi Caritas (Jacques Berthier) Usually sung in Latin, but can also be sung just as beautifully as "Live in charity and steadfast love, live in charity; God will dwell with you." Sheet music and sound samples for practice. Good for kids.
- TiS 686 / ATE 292 Lord Jesus we belong to you / Because we bear your name (Robin Mann). A straightforward and practical song asking God to help us to follow Christ well, with a refrain of "because we bear your name". Lyrics.
- MV141 We are all one people (Joseph Naytowhow) A simple Native American song. Video (English lyrics start at 2 minutes, so be patient!).
Jesus drives out an unclean spirit; the spirit names Jesus as the Holy One
- BUC Song Project Love is the Power (Sheree Anderson) Suggestion for the congregation at Brunswick as this is not published yet, but it is in our church folders. It’s a while since we sang it, but it went down well last time. It's a little bit tricky, but the chorus is really catchy and great for kids "We are love. Made in the image". Good for kids.
- Taizé / TiS 725 / ATE 275 / AoV2-167 / ATE 275 / StJ / GA538 / GtG678 / G(II)553 / GC763 / URW391 In our darkness there is no darkness in your sight / La tenebre (Jacques Berthier) The deepest night is clear as the daylight. Beautiful. Also translated as "Our darkness is never darkness". Sample music and lyrics.
- NCH176 / UMH264 / VU620 / HPP159 / GtG180/181 / Cha186 Silence frenzied unclean spirit (Thomas Troeger) Storytelling hymn. Not easy to sing, but can be sung to the more familiar (and easier) tune JEFFERSON (NCH 530). The words are quite powerful - particularly if you choose to reflect on mental health issues, and are relevant to our tendency to have busy overcrowded minds. Lyrics.
- TiS 638 / NCH175 / CH717 / A&M518 / GtG793 / PH380 / UMH265 / LBW380 / ELW610 / 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 sound sample (of an alternative tune). New words to old tunes.
- Online Resource / Tune In / NCYC '07: Forgive us now (Dave Brown) This is one of the best songs seeking forgiveness that I know. Let’s not forget that sometimes we are the ones waging war against the poor. “Forgive us now, O holy one For crimes committed in your name For all the holy wars we wage For all the children we enslave, Forgive us now O holy one”. I think this could fit if you want to focus on how we label people as unclean. It also picks up the "Holy One" language of the reading. Sound sample, lyrics & free downloadable songbook.
- CH348 / StS001 / LBW196 / ELW843 / A&M762 / G(3)625 / CP397 / W&R93 / SP304 / URW090 Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness (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. I will suggest this again next week! New words to old tunes. Lyrics and sheet music.
2 comments:
January is the 20th anniversary of the composition of the chart-topping hit In Christ Alone by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend - love from Noodle Thrower
An Evening Prayer / If I have wounded any soul today is another lovely prayer for forgiveness. I set it to EVENTIDE. https://hymnary.org/text/if_i_have_wounded_any_soul_today. Will publish it on The Hymnody Project in the next couple of days... https://www.youtube.com/@thehymnodyproject
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