I am an occasional hymn writer, but it tends to happen in bursts. Many years ago an indulgent priest let me do a completely original mass setting along with ancillary hymns. My recollection is that I was very depressed for some reason and this is what happened. The only problem was that I had done no liturgy studies at that point and pretty much everything was I did was wrong. The music group at church practised with me and we did the mass and that was the end of that.
I recently found a burnt CD (remember that technology) that had rough demos I had done as well as a recording of a practice session. I don’t remember what technology I was using to record twenty odd years ago. I also haven’t listened to some of these in ages but perhaps some songs may be worth another look or adaptation.
This was the entrance song for which my wife helped on the lyrics. This was one of the least egregious. This backing is much more recent than the demos.
1 We have gathered in this place.
We are here to see God’s face
We see Jesus in each other
When we try to love our brother.
Life is hard, it’s no joke.
We find rest in God’s yoke.
Bound together we can see,
Your burdens lighter when you share it with me.
Chorus
This is the Kingdom feast
Where the first will be least
We are the Kingdom feast.
2 It doesn’t matter ’bout your real estate.
It doesn’t matter how much money you make.
It doesn’t matter who’s heard your name.
We are the blind, the poor, the lame.
But if we’re here then it’s God’s will.
We’d love to see God’s house filled.
The tables set and the invites are out.
Get in the streets and start to shout.
Chorus
© Geoffrey and Robyn Madden
Your wife let you get away with “brother”?!?
One hopefully constructive comment I would make is that for congregation involvement, I believe that music shouldn’t have much more of a range than one octave, with anything at either the top or bottom end outside of the octave only being passing notes. Just an opinion from someone who is not a very good singer!
With you all the way on that, Chris, as a groaner from way back.
If a tune goes above C I will likely transpose down until it doesn’t, but that sometimes gives grumbly low A’s to contend with. In my defence I had not a clue what I was doing when I wrote some of these and it only gets worse!
Geoff