Church Music

No fourth week in ordinary time this year. This liturgy has only Australian music as we use Paul Taylor’s Mass of St Francis.

Entrance: Gather As One  (McKenna) AOV NG 48

Psalm 23 (McKenna)

Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!

Gifts: Bless Our Gifts (Grant) AOVD

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

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

It is the weekend of the Tamar Valley Folk Festival here in George Town, Tasmania, so this is a good day to look at this folk song from David MacGregor of Brisbane, Australia.

It is a reflective song that is about grace and baptism without mentioning water.

It’s range is out of my league, but as a solo vehicle for someone talented, it is a nice find. He has let lose all his tricks – modulations, triplets, extra 2/4 bars – all under a folk-pop style – sweet. The sheet music is at his site.

My understated backing shows how good BIAB is at this style.

When the days in the spotlight seem over
When your life‘s like a page ‘bout to turn
When you’re entering a space rarely travelled
and your pride knows there’s much yet to learn
That it’s time to step back in the shadows 
to realise it’s time to move on
Time for looking afresh at the Saviour
for brand new depending upon

Hand it over
Over to Jesus
Hand it over
Let it all go
In the dying is rising
In losing is finding 
Hand it over
Over
Over
To grace, to God 

When a new generation starts rising
When the ways of the past must give way
When you’re seen as an elder but wonder
What this all has to do with today
Sure it’s time to start passing that baton
But in passing, there’s pain letting go
Time to see myself newly in Jesus
The hope, the comfort I know

David MacGregor
© 2017
Willow Publishing

This is David Macgregor‘s joyous setting of Charles Wesley’s Easter text.

The sheet music is at his site.

Christ the Lord is risen today
Let the whole creation say
Raise your joys and triumphs high
Sing now, heaven, and earth reply

Hallelu, hallelujah
Hallelu, hallelujah
Hallelu, hallelujah
Hallelu, hallelujah

Love’s redeeming work is done
Fought the fight, the battle won
Vain the stone, the watch, the seal
Christ has burst the gates of hell
Hallelu, hallelujah …

Lives again our glorious King
Where O death is now your sting
Once he died our souls to save
Where’s your victory, O grave
Hallelu, hallelujah …

Love’s redeeming work is done
Fought the fight the battle won
Death in vain forbids Him rise
Christ has opened paradise
Hallelu, hallelujah …

Soar we now where Christ has led
Following our exalted Head
Made like Him, like Him we rise
Ours the cross, the grave ,the skies
Hallelu, hallelujah

Charles Wesley
© Words: Public Domain
Music: David MacGregor
© 2023 Willow Publishing

I’ve hit a rich vein of children’s songs by Brisbane’s David MacGregor.

The sheet music is hard to download from his site so I have converted it to pdf and posted it below.

This is also Australia Day.

Entrance: One Body In Christ (McKenna) AOV NG 102

Psalm 18 (McKenna)

Your words, Lord, are spirit and life.

Your words, Lord, are spirit and life.

Gifts: Blessed Be Our God  (McKenna) AOV NG 13

Communion: A Blessing Hymn for Australia (Herry) CWB II 655 THAXTED

Recessional: One Bread, One Body (Foley) AOV 1/129

Entrance: A Place at the Table  (Shirley Erena Murray – Lori True) AOV NG 1

Psalm 95 (McKenna)

All proclaim God’s marvellous deeds to all the nations.

Gifts: One Body (O’Brien/Watts) AOV 2/146

Communion: From the Many Make Us One (Huck/Alonso)

Recessional: Sing a New Song (Schutte) AOV 1/80

I’m in a run of children’s songs by David MacGregor from Brisbane, Australia.

It a sweet song of reassurance for bad times, urging trust in God.

The sheet music is one of his older ones that are hard to link to, so converted it to pdf and posted it below.

Chorus

When the going’s tough,

and it’s kinda rough

You’ve gotta … got to be trusting.

When you’re full of doubts

and there’s no way out, in Jesus

you’ve got to be trusting.

1. When it seems like you’re at your end.

Problems face you at ev’ry bend.

All you want is a trusting friend.

Put your trust in Jesus.

2. When your world’s just about to fall.

Friends don’t want you around at all.

Oh, to hide in some corner … small.

Put your trust in Jesus.

3. Jesus’ love keeps the fears at bay.

Know his love with you ev’ry day.

Look to Jesus to show the way.

Put your trust in Jesus.

© David MacGregor 1997

I’m slowly working through David Macgregor‘s music and I’m still only up to “G”.

I’m looking on this one as a recessional – an uptempo song he suggests to be played “moving along.” They key change after the bridge takes it higher than is comfortable, so I’d take it down a few notches. The last verse has optional echoes – quite the production really.

The sheet music is at his site.

1. God’s Word, God’s World
   Our life, we live within it
   We serve, we praise
   the Christ – the risen One
   Journeying his suffering way
   Share his hope, his light this day
   God’s Word, God’s World
   In God, our life is found.
2. God’s Word, God’s World
   Our call is lived within it
   Transformed, enlivened
   by God’s Spirit hand
   Speaking out for truth and faith
   Facing Jesus’ hungry face
   God’s Word, God’s World
   In God, our call is found.

And through it all we pray Lord,
your church, in faith would be
compassionate disciples
so the world – your grace might see

3. God’s Word, God’s World
   We meet you, Jesus, in it
   Your power to heal
   makes new through time and space
   Binding every broken soul
   Freeing the prisoner, making whole
   God’s Word, God’s World
   In God, our faith is found.
   In God, our hope is found.
   In you, our love is found.

David MacGregor © 2006

David MacGregor must be a fan of reggae music, as many of his songs have this style. I think this is a song for young people but is a sung prayer for us all really.

The sheet music is at his site.

Oh-oh
Oh-oh
Oh-oh
Oh-oh

God, you make room
Room in your heart
A heart of love
Heart open wide
You welcome all
No matter who
Your heart finds room there 
As love must do

Oh-oh
Oh-oh
Oh-oh
Oh-oh

So Jesus come and make your home
Your home in me, Lord, do!
Yes, Jesus come and make your home
Be born in us anew

God, you make room
Room in your heart
A heart of love
Heart open wide
You welcome all
No matter who
Your heart finds room there 
As love must do

Oh-oh
Oh-oh
Oh-oh
Oh-oh

Your heart finds room there
As love must do

David MacGregor
© 2023 Willow Publishing

This is a timely song for Baptism, with the Baptism of the Lord celebrated tomorrow. It is another from David MacGregor‘s inexhaustible trove. It has the feel of a traditional hymn.

The sheet music is at his site. There is also a SATB arrangement that would be great to hear performed.

God of life

of Living water

Loving Spirit

flow through us

We’re restored to life forever

Through the waters bring new birth

Loving Spirit

flow on freely

Quench our thirsting

Fill, renew

Washed and cleansed

We rise with Jesus

Called and sent and

for serving you

God of life

of Living water

Loving Spirit

Bless this one

Bless this water

Bless new birthing

Dying, rising with the Son

May they come to live your likeness

May they walk in Jesus’ Way

In the praise of God all Holy

in your light for all their days


David MacGregor
© 2023 Willow Publishing