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For Today...
'Let your Spirit come (with the tongues of fire)'
A Mal Pope song - not really congregational in my view, but too good to ignore. You could get them in for the chorus.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=M40mkS5IMqA - while Aled Jones was recording this in Worcester Cathedral, I was working on a photo-shoot of architectural features. He came close to tripping over me at one point.(07/06/2026)
Recent links
'Teach me to dance'
It goes a bit mad with the key changes at the end, but it's the first one I found that wasn't too slow!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE_fz0xc774 - sung by the Salvation Army's International songsters.(06/06/2026)
'Come Down O Love Divine'
19th century English, from the Italian that's 500 years older. No arguments about the tune for this one:- Down Ampney, by Ralph Vaughan-Williams.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi78bnzMyws - sung by the choir of Guildford Cathedral.(05/06/2026)
'Come Holy Ghost, our hearts inspire'
A Charles Wesley classic, set to the tune 'St. Stephen'. (I found several Youtube recordings setting it to 'Winchester Old' - a perverse and thoroughly misguided practice in my view.)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YSvEeezbR0 - a recording with a single soprano.(04/06/2026)
'Thou whose Almighty Word'
A solidly Trinitarian hymn, whose message of spreading the gospel has been mixed with national sentiment on occasion.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb8Jmo1DbhI - from a Trinity Sunday service at St John's, Detroit... and with a memorably wild introduction!(03/06/2026)
'Santo Santo Santo (Holy, Holy, Holy)'
A beautiful short song from Argentina. We found it through the John Bell/ Wild Goose collections of World Songs.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LU6bWsxC3A - very nice, but all in Spanish.www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMJIsCg2N9Q - bi-lingual version (rendered in compound time).
(02/06/2026)
'God is in His temple'
A fine hymn, very Trinitarian. Also makes a good opener for a traditional evening service, I've always thought.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvqLuxjikoU - a recording from the Metropolitan Tabernacle, London.(01/06/2026)
'Holy, holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty'
Classic hymn for Trinity Sunday, and also one of the three hymns by Bishop Heber that we have in repertoire.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARhoT6SvUk8 - a live, raw recording from a Sunday service from a parish church in Sheffield.(31/05/2026)
'All Hail the Lamb'
Dave Bilborough four-liner from the 1980s, standing the test of time - as far as we're concerned.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC-cEsuXsfw - slow rendering with a coda borrowed from a Reuben Morgan song.www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYSVznoWq5Y - a Robin Mark recording... more energy, very good but also a teensy bit slow.
(30/05/2026)
'O Holy Spirit Breathe On Me'
Norman Warren's hymn about the Holy Spirit has a different theme for each of its four verses.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM2bWjMMOFg - sung by a Chinese church choir. The page provides the lyrics in both English and Chinese!(29/05/2026)
'Wa Wa Wa Emimimo (English version: Come, O Holy Spirit, Come)'
Come, O Holy Spirit - this Nigerian song makes a great start to a service.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yn98ri6OBU - it's in a Nigerian language at first, then changes to English.(28/05/2026)
'Holy Spirit, living breath of God'
A Stuart Townend / Keith Getty song, modern and musically accessible.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aH0p8tXMXlc - a recording which doesn't actually feature the Gettys. Bracketed by 'Gabriel's Oboe' from the film 'The Mission' and ending with a prayer of St Patrick. Works quite well.(27/05/2026)
'Holy Spirit, from before the dawn of time'
It rambles a bit (musically):- possibly one where it's better to be in the band than the congregation. But I like it.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzPKOK0_Rh4 - it's by Michael Sandeman and Nathan Fellingham, and this is Phatfish doing their thing.(26/05/2026)
'Like a gentle breeze'
This Maggi Dawn song is a Whitsuntide essential, in my reckoning.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFd00w7YdXU - the only recording I've found- 2 voices and acoustic guitar. This song seriously needs an electric guitar and a Hammond... and a beat.(25/05/2026)
'Holy Spirit, we welcome You'
A Chris Bowater song. From 1991, when the rhythm seemed to be a little tricky for the average congregation.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUIXBmT-JNk - album recording by Mr Bowater himself.(24/05/2026)
'Breathe on me Breath of God'
A fine Victorian hymn, inexplicably set to Trentham in many books. My preference is Carlisle.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TssHTATafi0 - a Songs of Praise recording of this hymn, sung to Carlisle.(23/05/2026)
'Jesus shall take the highest honour'
Top-drawer song from Chris Bowater. A gift to church musicians and congregations alike.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GaiRYYOB0Y - done well, but the recording isn't perfect.www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGYVN5RyL1c - an alternative rendering with no recording glitches.
(22/05/2026)
'Everyone needs compassion / Mighty to save'
Great fun for the band, and the congregation can certainly get stuck into the chorus.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt4_fxU94xA - a Hillsongs recording - lockdown style, from home.(21/05/2026)
'Holy Holy / Lift up His name'
One we haven't used for a while, but which I still think of as 'in repertoire'. The second half can usefully take a fair bit of Hammond!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBnNHiyEo5Q - a Phatfish live recording.(20/05/2026)
'The Awesome God you Are'
A lively one from Matt Redman - makes a good opener. If I'm leading on my own, I prefer guitar to keyboard. (I also go a wee bit quicker than Mr Redman.)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGUP4fD0ZaE - sung by Matt Redman.(19/05/2026)
'O let the Son of God enfold You'
John Wimber's classic song.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cfbJVYMMi0 - a slightly twitchy rendering, straightforward but nicely done.(18/05/2026)
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