Freedom Is Coming

“Freedom Is Coming” is a powerful song from the South Africa anti-apartheid movement.

It’s sung in a call response pattern between the song leader and congregation and therefore a bit trickier to lead than it may sound. Feel free to choose a different song if it feels like too much.

The congregation’s lyrics are . . .

Freedom is coming
Freedom is coming
Freedom is coming, oh yes I know

Subsequent verses vary, following on the song leader's call . . .

Jesus is coming
Jesus is coming
Jesus is coming, oh yes I know

And . . . 

Oh yes I know
Oh yes I know
Oh yes I know
Oh yes I know

Here is a helpful teaching track made by our own Debbie Holloway.

And here is a YouTube performance to help give you a sense of what it sounds like when it all comes together.

Songs for Eastertide 2023

Dear Song Leaders,

Here is the music we’ll be singing during Eastertide!

• Gathering Song:  Here Is Bread
  
• Candle Lighting Song: I’ve Got Peace Like a River
  
• Table Acclamation: Festive Table Acclamation
  
• Prayer Song: Any of our prayer songs or a new one you’d like to teach us.
  
• Offering Song: Duncan Alleluia or Freedom Is Coming.
  
• Final Hymn:  Now the Green Blade Riseth (April 23-30) and Jesus Christ is Risen Today (May 7-14)

I’ve Got Peace Like a River

“I’ve got Peace Like a River” is a beautiful and well-known African-American spiritual. Here’s a wonderful recording of it by Lynda Randle.

The words are . . .

I've got peace like a river
I've got peace like a river
I've got peace like a river in my soul
I've got peace like a river
I've got peace like a river
I've got peace like a river in my soul

Subsequent verses can swap in new imagery . . .

I've got love like an ocean . . . 

Or

I've got joy like a fountain . . .

Here is Bread

“Here Is Bread” is a beautiful song by  Mary Kay Beall and John Carter. You can hear a teaching recording here.

Our words are slightly different from the original song and the version used in the teaching recording linked above.

Here is bread for the hungry heart.
Here is wine for the thirsty soul.
Here is forgiveness, full and free.
Here at the table of the Lord."

It can be sung either a cappella or with a shruti box set to silver (C and G).

Songs for Lent 2023

Dear Song Leaders and Lydian music lovers,

Here’s our menu of songs for Lent:

• Gathering song: “Though the Earth Shall Change” 
• Confesssion: “Come, Bring Your Burdens to God”
• Candle Lighting: “Wade in the Water”
• Table Acclamation: “Holloway Acclamation”
• Prayer Song: Choose from our list of faves or teach us a new one.
• Offering Song: “What We Need Is Here”
• Closing Hymn” “Day by Day” (An old Swedish hymn, not the song from Godspell)

Thank you for leading your community in song!

“Holloway Acclamation”

Here’s a beautiful table acclamation by our very own Jack Holloway!

The shruti setting is blue (a C and an F).

And here’s a teaching recording.

“Day by Day”

This is NOT the song from Godspell but an older hymn, with words by the Swedish poet Lina Sandell, and music by Swedish composer Oskar Ahnfelt, who wrote tunes for many of Lina Sandell’s hymns.
The translation is by American composer Robert Leaf.

Here are the words:

Day by day, your mercies, Lord, attend me,
Bringing comfort to my anxious soul.
Day by day, the blessings, Lord, you send me
Draw me nearer to my heav’nly goal.
Love divine, beyond all mortal measure,
Brings to naught the burdens of my quest;
Savior, lead me to the home I treasure,
Where, at last, I’ll find eternal rest.

Day by day, I know you will provide me
Strength to serve and wisdom to obey;
I will seek your loving will to guide me
O’er the paths I struggle day by day.
I will fear no evil of the morrow;
I will trust in your enduring grace.
Savior, help me bear life’s pain and sorrow;
Till in glory I behold your face.

Oh, what joy to know that you are near me
When my burdens grow too great to bear;
Oh, what joy to know that you will hear me
When I come, O Lord, to you in prayer.
Day by day, no matter what betide me,
You will hold me ever in your hand.
Savior, with your presence here to guide me,
I will reach at last the promised land.

Savior, with your presence here to guide me,
I will reach at last the promised land.

Here’s the sheet music.

And here’s a recording.

“Though the Earth Shall Change”

“Though the Earth Shall Change” is a lovely song by Tom Witt and Rolf Vegdahl.

Here are the lyrics:

Though the earth shall change,
though the mountains tremble,
though the waters rage,
you God are here.

Though the nations war,
though the peoples battle,
though the empire falters,
we will not fear.

And here’s a recording.

Sermons of 2023

Epiphany

David Parsons sermon of 01-08-23 on Matthew 2:1-12.

Christian’s sermon of 1-15-23 on Matthew 4:12-23.

Christian’s sermon of 2-12-23 on Matthew 5:21-48.

Transfiguration

Christian’s sermon of 2-19-23 (Transfiguration) on Matthew 17:1-9.

Ash Wednesday

Billy McEntee’s sermon for Ash Wednesday — “Glitter and Ash”

Lent (a sermon series on sabbath and rest)

Liz Edman’s sermon of 2-26-23 on Shabbat

Rabbi Marissa James’s sermon of 3-5-23 (with introduction by Liz Edman)

Jack Holloway’s sermon of 3-12-23 on Isaiah 58.

Burke Gerstenschlager’s sermon of 3-19-23 on Acts 16:11-15.

Elizabeth Nelson’s sermon of 3-27-23 on Matthew 12:1-14.

Holy Week and Easter

(Palm Sunday) Christian’s Sermon of 4-2-23 on Matthew 21:1-13.

(Maundy Thursday) Amelia Schonbek’s sermon of 4-6-23 on John 13:1-17, 31b-35.

(Good Friday) Liz Edman’s sermon of 4-07-23 on Matthew 26:36-27:61.

(Easter) Christian’s sermon of 4-08-23 on Matthew 27:62—28:20.

Eastertide

Bambi Galore’s sermon of 4-16-23 on the ritual of Flower Communion.

Christian’s sermon of 4-23-23 on Matthew 28:16-17.

Christian’s sermon of 4-30-23 on Matthew 28:18 and Daniel 7:14.

Jack Holloway’s sermon of 5-7-23 on Matthew 28:19.

Christian’s sermon of 5-14-23 on Matthew 28:20  and Matthew 1:22-23.

Ascension

Christian’s sermon of 5-21-23 on Luke 24:44-53.

Pentecost

Dialogue sermon of 5-28-23 with Deborah Chi and Christian Scharen on spirit & the arts — Acts 2:1-21.

Music for Christmas and Epiphany 2022-2023

Hello Song Leaders! Here is our menu of musical selections for the upcoming season:

GATHERING SONG:

Arise, Shine (shruti box on silver)

CANDLE LIGHTING SONG: The Light of Christ (shruti box on silver)

TABLE ACCLAMATION: Shelton Table Acclamation

OFFERING SONG: Mxadana Alleluia

FINAL HYMN:

January — Star in the East  (American Traditional) Lyrics

February — Be Thou My Vision

Transfiguration 2/27 – God Calls You Good