Church Music

I’m continuing to work through Brian Boniwell’s collection, Spirit of Love, and have come to this joyous gathering song. It would work for communion as well and is easily singable.

Contact him on boniwell@aapt.net.au if you want a copy of the sheet music.

Refrain

Gather together, gather as one,

Come to the body of Christ.

Gather to share in the Spirit of love.

Gather together as one.

1 Open to all, we gather as one.

Drawn by the light of Jesus the Son.

Refrain

2 Called to be bread, now broken and shared.

Called to be one in the Spirit of love.

Refrain

3 Come with the gifts, the fruit of your lives.

Share in this life, the family of God.

Refrain

4 Called to forgiveness, called to the light.

Promise of hope to the lonely and poor.

Refrain

5 Let there be dancing. let there be song.

Open your heart to the people of joy.

Refrain

© Brian Boniwell 2000

Entrance: Lord, The Light of Your Love (Kendrick) AOV 2/59

Psalm 111 (McKenna):

A light rises in the darkness

for the upright, for the upright.

Gifts: The Cry of the Poor (Foley) AOV 1/83  

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

Thanksgiving: The Summons   (Maule-Bell) AOV NG 149

Recessional: Bring Forth the Kingdom (Haugen) AOV 2/4

I don’t say often enough how useful the music selections posted here by correspondents are. They give an insight into the thinking of parishes across different countries and different styles of music, which become very useful for people looking for assistance in planning their liturgies. Thanks to all have contributed over the years.

Brian Boniwell’s song “Holy Lord”, from his collection Spirit of Love, is a reflection based on the Sanctus.

1 Holy, holy, holy Lord.

God of mercy, God of might.

Hidden in your burning light.

Holy, holy Lord.

2 Holy, holy, holy Lord.

Fount of wisdom, source of life.

Deep beyond the deepest night.

Holy, holy Lord.

3 Holy, holy, holy Lord.

Fire of glory, heart of love.

Rich beyond all treasures known.

Holy, holy Lord.

4 Holy, holy, holy Lord.

All creation worships you.

Angels sing their joy-filled song.

Holy, holy Lord.

5 Holy, holy, holy Lord.

Touch us with your silent hand.

Reaching out to heal our land.

Holy, holy Lord.

© Brian Boniwell 2000

You wouldn’t write a collection of liturgical songs without putting in a Christmas song, and neither would Brian Boniwell, in his collection, Spirit of Love. Joseph gets more verses than Mary in this lovely song, in a break with tradition.

1 Joseph you cared for the Mother of God,

not knowing the way that God would provide.

Believing and taking each step of the way,

walking by faith, trusting God’s love in your life.

2 Mary your road led to Bethlehem town,

though it was time for the child to be born.

In a stable you wrapped him and held him with love.

“Glory to God”, the angels did sing in your life.

3 Joseph you stood with both mother and child,

silent before this mystery of birth.

A king in a stable was born for us all,

And opened your heart to the wonder of God on that night.

4 Jesus be near to us, come teach us to pray,

Come open our lives to the mystery of God.

Give us courage to stand in the stillness of light,

Help us to know God’s hand is still holding us near.

© Brian Boniwell 2000

Twice a year there is an enormous charity booksale at the Brisbane convention centre. I usually go to look for good books and especially hymn books.

I didn’t get to go until the last day this year, which meant I have may have missed the best selection, but they do drop the prices for the last day and that makes up for it somewhat.

I have had some wonderful finds over the years and was lucky to get some stand outs among the collections of praise and worship songs I seem to buy and then never look into much.

I found a well preserved melody line edition of GIA’s Gather from 1988. I have Gather Australia and Gather Comprehensive but it is good to have just plain Gather as well.

I also found a Graham Kendrick book called The Collection that might prove useful. I picked up Sing Alleluia, which is the supplement to the Australian Hymn Book, which has – ta da – chords! – how wonderful. There was also a Lucein Diess collection of prayers called Come Lord Jesus.

Not a hymn book, but found in the “fill a bag for $5” section was Schillebeeckx’s The Eucharist. It was sold by Pellegrini & Co in Brisbane for $1.50 to the Holy Spirit Convent at Carseldine where it no doubt corrupted the faith of the nuns with its modernist ways. I was delighted to come across it.

In the past you often found copies of As One Voice or Gather Australia but I think people are holding on to them these days.

This is another Brian Boniwell song from his collection Spirit of Love. It is suggested for a wedding. It would have to be a solo vehicle, but I don’t this one succeeds matching the liturgical act as well as the rest of the collection – the minor key is a bit grim and the text is a rather vague.

It is listed at 60 bpm but even at 70, as my backing is set, seems slow to me.

1 Walking in the silent forest, covered by your love,

I hear your spirit softly calling, gentle as a dove.

“Come to me, know the longing that I always have for you,

let my love fill you with my life.”

2 And there within the starlit heavens, twinkling in the night.

I know your graceful beauty calling, silent as the night.

Draw me near, let me share with you the treasures of my love.

Live with me, let us be as one.

3 From deep within eternity I feel you gently come.

Rising on the breath of morning, shining with the sun.

Take my life, let it be a vessel pouring out your love.

Take me now, I surrender all to you.

© Brian Boniwell 2000

Shirley Erena Murray, the great writer of convicting hymn texts of social justice died recently. Known worldwide for such texts as “A Place at the Table” and “Star Child”, her song “Touch the Earth Lightly” is in CWB II. You might also know “When Human Voices Cannot Sing”, which is in Gather Australia.

I pass on some of the e-mail from her family.

Tena koutou

It is with much sadness that we note the passing of Shirley.

She died on Saturday afternoon New Zealand time, peacefully at Paraparaumu.

Mum had been in declining health for some months, and was accepting of the last passage of her life, so it was both a relief for her and the family, despite the obvious sadness.

Funeral arrangements – Friday 31 January, 11:00 am at Kapiti Uniting Church, 10 Weka Road, Raumati Beach.

We send aroha (love) to all her friends, relatives, and those in the music community.

David, Alastair and Rob

There are further details here.

She had a unique gift that will be greatly missed.

All the songs in Brian Boniwell’s book Spirit of Love have a liturgical purpose, which is certainly obvious here. Interestingly, this song finishes on a verse rather than the chorus, which works as the final line of the second, fourth and fifth verses states what is happening. There are enough verses for a crowd to get baptised. I should note that in some of these songs, including this one, Jan Boniwell contributes to the lyrics.

1 Here in this water the Spirit has come

covering all with new love.

The seed of the Spirit, the breath of new life,

the power of creation within.

2 You are my daughter, you are my son,

grow with the gifts that I bring.

Nurtured and fed by the Spirit of God,

the life of the Father and Son.

You have been baptised in Christ.

Refrain

All who are born of the Spirit,

Sing the song of new life.

Living with hope and new vision,

graced from the presence within.

3 Called to be holy, called to grow strong,

washed in the waters of life.

Anointed and graced to walk in the light,

clothed with the garment of faith.

4 You are the temple, the house of our God,

shine with the light in your heart.

Loved by his people who share in your life,

walk with the fire burning bright.

You have been baptised in Christ.

Refrain

5 May all our family who gather this day

find a new peace in our lives.

Strengthened, encouraged, united as one,

share this joy and this love

You have been baptised in Christ.

© Brian Boniwell 2000

This is obviously the song for Eucharist from Brian Boniwell’s Spirit of Love collection.

I hear a vague similarity to David Haas’s “Table Song” . The sheet music says 75 bpm but 100 is more like it.

Refrain

This is the body of Christ,

Blessed and broken for us,

Blessed and given for us.

This is the body of Christ.

1 This is the bread of my love.

How I long to fill you with my life.

Refrain

2 Drink from the cup of my blood.

Let my Spirit heal you deep within.

Refrain

3 If you would live in my love,

Hold my word, my promise in your heart.

Refrain

4 Gathered as one in my name,

Take my joy, my freedom to the world.

© Brian Boniwell 2000

This is is another recessional from Brian Boniwell’s Spirit of Love collection.

It is in the voice of God, which I gather is frowned on these days but it suits the liturgical action well and is singable as usual. He does introduce slight variations in the timing of notes between the verses – he does this a lot – but assemblies will just sing over these and smooth them out.

1 Go now I am sending you to walk the way of peace.

To spread the warmth of human kindness, love will be your sign.

Love will be your sign.

2 Take the bread of life I give, a leaven for the world.

Share the word that has been broken, share the fruits of love.

Share the fruits of love.

3 Let my Spirit come the change your water into wine.

Heal the broken, raise the fallen, comfort in my name.

Comfort in my name.

4 Join the song creation sings, a hymn of joyful praise.

Speak the truth and speak for justice, let your voice be heard.

Let your voice be heard.

5 Know that I will be with you, no matter where you roam.

Gently leading gently guiding, love will bring you home.

Love will bring you home.

© Brian Boniwell 2000