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For Today...
'We are waiting to welcome Jesus'
Works well as an all-age song. (Quality writing from Bernadette Farrell as ever.) Plenty of verses - it can be used long or edited down.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVkFLHP0ucA - a choir of 4-7 year olds singing their first mass. (Had to smile at the conductor holding up cue cards to remind them which verse comes next - I have been known to do that with adult choirs!)(02/07/2025)
Recent links
'O Thou who camest from above'
Wesley and Wesley - Charles for the words and grandson Samuel Sebastian for the music. Both are top-drawer. Methodist hymn books tend to set the hymn to 'Wilton' instead of (Anglican) SS Wesley's 'Hereford'. Which is a point of view, I suppose... but certainly not one I share. The emotional intensity of the tune and words are well suited to each other. Wilton's a good tune, but not for this. And yes, the same can be said for 'Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts'.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3UYybc7Xa0 - an arrangement sung by Rochester Cathedral choir.(01/07/2025)
'Thank You for the Cross, Lord (Worthy is the Lamb)'
Not the easiest of songs for congregations, but they can be confident with the powerful chorus.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=azYQqzoEjgU - A Hillsongs live recording.(30/06/2025)
'Praise is Rising'
A versatile and deservedly popular modern song.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMBDWG9tseU - extended version, by one of the authors (Paul Baloche).(29/06/2025)
'Go Peaceful'
Marvellous, brilliant song of blessing from Paul Field - it takes an effort not to overuse it.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRj4ExcxZso - - from Paul Field's album 'In the long run'(28/06/2025)
'Purify my Heart'
Powerful top-drawer song by Brian Doerksen.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IvXA0yRDwY - making good use of the electric piano, which is my choice of instrument for this one too.(27/06/2025)
'Give thanks with a grateful heart'
Useful golden oldie - though I've always played my own version of it.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=047xtru0ZR0 - playing it straight(26/06/2025)
'To be in Your presence'
Quality song by Noel Richards - works for me with a keyboard (electric piano) or guitar lead.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=typ7cueKdT4 - album recording.(25/06/2025)
'Give us light'
I've found this useful (in English) as a led response to prayers, especially around the Advent season. You can of course use any monosyllable that fits the prayer.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxODeTdoXxw - an album recording.(24/06/2025)
'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.(23/06/2025)
'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.(22/06/2025)
'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.(21/06/2025)
'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!(20/06/2025)
'Enemy of Apathy (She sits like a bird)'
A characteristically thoughtful song from John Bell and Graham Maule. A joy to play and a joy to sing.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwsiXzcYFis - single guitar is certainly not the ideal accompaniment for this, but I'm glad to have found a recording!www.youtube.com/watch?v=gULDAPG2248 - this one has a piano accompaniment but the language is Japanese.
(19/06/2025)
'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.(18/06/2025)
'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).
(17/06/2025)
'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.(16/06/2025)
'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.(15/06/2025)
'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.(14/06/2025)
'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.(13/06/2025)
'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!(12/06/2025)
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