Church Music

This is Marian song with music by Trish Watts and lyrics by Monica O’Brien from 1984, so Willow before As One Voice again. It was in Trish Watt’s colletion, Prophets of Hope, and was selcted for the Praise to God parish hymn book.

The sheet music is available still at Willow and is suitable for Advent or Christmas.

There is a delightful hint of Scarborough Fair in the tune somewhere. It is not sentimental and brings Marian devotion back to a focus on Christ’s teaching and death. It is a nice surprise to find hidden gems like this in an old hymnal.

1 Fair maiden, listen: the Lord calls your name, the Spirit will rest on you,

The power on high witholds new life. Mary be not afraid!

For you, oh Mary, are blessed in God’s sight.

Your ‘Yes’ gave birth to God’s son.

We see through you the hope for our lives, in you Emmanuel.

2 A star beamed brightly, revealing the path. Wise men journeyed by night.

In Bethlehem their hope renewed. Jesus, earth rejoice!

For you, oh Jesus, are blessed in God’s sight.

Your birth bought freedom to all.

Your life proclaims the Father’s word. Israel, reconciled.

3 A new commandment I give unto you: Love your neighbour and Lord.

My flesh I offer in sacrifice, my death will bring you new life.

For you, Oh Jesus, are blessed in God’s sight.

Your death transcends throughout time.

Your people pray for genorous hearts. Receive us, Lord of Life!

© 1984 Willow Music.

This is another very early song from Trish Watts that came from her collection, Prophets of Hope, that found its way into the Praise to God parish hymnal.

While that collection is long out of print, the sheet music for the song is available at Willow. I suspect this is the first general hymnal to collect songs from the Willow stable. Gather Australia did use “A New Heart for a New World” but that was in 1995, by which time AOV had been published.

The text is somewhat based on Psalm 62 (63), but the second verse opens things out to a more communal perspective.

I can find no recording anywhere, so I have no idea what it is meant to sound like, but that didn’t stop me making a backing track:

1 You are my God; I am seeking you,

My soul is thirsting for you.

My flesh is longing for you alone.

I lift my hands unto your name.

Chorus

Your love is better than life itself!

My soul will feast in the praise of your song.

I’ll sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.

My soul clings close to you.

2 We are your people, your chosen ones,

Invited to commune with you.

We bow to you in humility −

Holy, holy is your name.

Chorus

Continuing with the songs the Praise to God parish hymnal sourced from small collections, I have arrived at Trish Watts‘s album, Prophets of Hope. This is Willow music before As One Voice.

Four songs from the collection were chosen and I have already looked at “Summoned By Love“, because it made it into As One Voice Vol 2.

Trisha wrote the music for “Rejoice in the Kingdom” and the lyrics were by her and Monica McInerney – now better known as Monica O’Brien. This song is also in the “Arise! Awake!“collection.

The sheet music is still available for this song at Willow, and while you are there, listen to the sample music with all it 80s synthesiser goodness.

My backing is so staid:

Verse

Come now, gather around, see God’s hand upon th earth.

Life and all of its treasures beckons us on to new birth.

Chorus

Rejoice, rejoice in the Kingdom!

Rejoice, rejoice in the wonder of life!

Let us be confident in our God,

Rejoice in the Kingdom today!

© 1984 Willow Music

The Praise to God hymn book chose this Monica Brown children’s song for it’s collection. It was from her collection Our God is Good, but can now be purchased as part of her Praise & Blessings collection at her Emmaus site.

1 Jesus is with me, He’s always within me.

Always, always within me. La la la la la.

O how it’s good that Jesus is always with me.

2 Jesus does love me, yes always He loves me.

Always, always He loves me. La la la la la.

Oh how it’s good, that Jesus always loves me.

3 Jesus does care for me, always He cares for me.

Always, always He cares. La la la la la.

O how it’s good, that Jesus always cares.

© 1986 Monica Brown / Emmaus Productions

Because of our use of Monica Brown music for our children’s first communion classes all those years ago, I tend to think of her as a children’s song specialist, but her work for adults should not be ignored.

For example:

Monica Brown‘s collection, Our God is Good, provided four songs in the Praise to God hymn book. There was the hit song, “Celebrate” and “Speak from Your Heart“, which I have blogged already, because they were in As One Voice. This article may be ten years old, but it is a nice appreciation of her work over the years.

PTG also included the title track and the format of the sheet music is melody line with chords, which appears very much cut and paste from the originals. This is a children’s song and requires clapping.

Her older children’s songs are helpfully complied in Praise & Blessings, available to download as sheet music at Emmaus.

Chorus

Clap with your hands, our God is good!

Sing with your voice, our God is good!

With all that you have, sing it to the world,

Our God is so good!

1 He is good to us in the beauty of the earth,

In the wonder of the sea and sky.

He’s good to us in the smile of a friend,

In a helping hand or a gentle word. So…

Chorus

2 He is good to us in his gift of love,

Jesus his only son.

He’s good to us in calling us together

To celebrate His love. So…

Chorus

© 1986 Monica Brown / Emmaus Productions

Of course the recorded version has no clapping! Add it yourself I suppose.

Entrance: Send Down the Fire (Haugen) AOV 2/164

Psalm 103 (McKenna)

Lord, send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.

Gifts: Holy Spirit of Fire (Mangan) CWB II 110

Communion: Enemy of Apathy (Bell-Maule) AOV 2/75

Recessional: Hope in Love (Bierer, Deegan, Hart, Lynch, Watts)

Entrance:  Christ Be Near Us (Ogilvy/O’Brien) AOV NG 21

Psalm 46 (McKenna)

God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

Gifts: Harvest (Grant) AOV Digital

Communion: Bread Broken, Wine Shared (Horner) AOV 2/155

Recessional:  Send Us Out (Bryant) AOVD

Entrance: City of God (Schutte) AOV 1/57

Psalm 66 (McKenna)

O God, let the nations praise you.

Gifts: A Trusting Psalm (Bates) AOV 1/115

Communion: To the Table We Are Called (O’Brien/Harvey) AOVD

Recessional: Alleluia! Love is Alive (Angrisano, Manibusan, Hart)

Entrance: A New Commandment CWB II 443 (Unknown?)

Psalm 144 (McKenna)

I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.

Gifts: Bless Our Gifts (Grant) AOVD

Communion: Come to the Table (Burland) AOV NG 33

Recessional:  Jesus is Risen (O’Brien/Ogilvie)

Entrance: Christ Light, Shining in the Darkness (Grant) CWBII 468

Psalm 99 (McKenna)

We are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Gifts: Like a Shepherd (Dufford) AOV 1/160

Communion:  To the Table We Are Called (O’Brien/Harvey) AOVD

Recessional: Alleluia! Love is Alive (Angrisano, Manibusan, Hart)