The next song in Fr Frank Andersen’s book Eagles Wings is “The Eucharist Song”, which I blogged many years ago here.
I should mention that the big book from 1985 I have of these songs with Erica Marshall’s hand written arrangements also has an introduction on music in church, and many of the songs have notes and suggestions for their use. The small book from 1998 is a second edition with some of the lyrics updated but dreadful formatting and frequent mistakes. The downloadable sheet music is much more usable and a worthy investment for clarity and practicality.
That brings me to “Living Water”. This is a pair with his much more famous “Come to the Water” but with more of a mission emphasis.
It is a country song and that is a fine genre for church music as it encourages singing and is good for telling stories. Once again I have removed all his exclamation marks.
Refrain
I will give you living water.
Shade to rest under; strength to your heart.
Grow deep within me…filled by my spirit;
My burdens are easy; my life it is yours.
1.
We have been with the lonely…
To the hungry we’ve given your bread…
We now come with all our hopes and dreams
To rest awhile with you.
2.
To the empty we’ve carried…
Your word of hope and of life…
Build us now beyond our hopes and dreams
‘Til we live in you.
© Frank Andersen 1979