You can find a YouTube playlist here with many of the songs suggested below.
Gathering
This is the Sunday after Ascension Day so it would be very appropriate to begin with songs which celebrate this and call us to worship with well known options including The Lord is King lift up your voice (CH 129 / MP 656), Rejoice! the Lord is King (CH 449 / MP 575), Jesus shall reign where’er the sun (CH 470 / MP 379) and My Jesus, my Saviour / Shout to the Lord (CH 531 / MP 1003 / CCLI). Christ triumphant, ever reigning (CH 436 / MP 77) is a fabulous contemporary hymn that is well worth introducing if your congregation don’t know it. I have some reservations about how large the range is (two octaves) for a congregation in All hail King Jesus (CCLI) but it does a good job in taking us on a journey from Easter to Ascension and the different musical sections are all strong and catchy. Clap your hands, all you nations (PFAS 47D / GSW) is a joyous setting of Psalm 47 (which was the psalm for Ascension Day) from West Africa which would be very easy to pick up.
Word
Psalm 97 seems to be a little bit of an unloved sibling in between psalms 96 and 98 which both have many more settings. However, God reigns! Earth rejoices! (PFAS 97A) gives us a good metrical option, sung to the well known tune Noël Nouvelet. The Lord is king (OCP) by Rory Cooney or The Lord is king (GIA) by Tony Alonso are both simple responsorial settings, while At your name (CCLI) could offer an option for bands.
Response
Some well known songs which would link to the Gospel and its themes of love and unity include In Christ there is no east or west (CH 624 / MP 329), We are one in the Spirit (Hymnary) and the alternative version of Spirit of the living God (CH 620) by Michael Baughen, while We are one in the Father’s love (CCLI) and Trinity Song (CCLI) would be well suited to bands. Some other interesting options include I will sing a song of love (WGRG) or Dear friends, we’re one (STB 311 / Hymnary) from Laos.
When the storms of life are raging (CH 570) and And can it be that I should gain (CH 396 / MP 33) both have verses linking directly to the passage from Acts while My life flows on in endless song (How can I keep from singing) (CH 565) can link to Paul and Silas singing hymns to God while they were in jail. Hold on (GIA) is a traditional spiritual which is also based around this passage.
This week brings us to the end of the period exploring Revelation and Soon and very soon (CH 749) would be a great song for this reading while View the present through the promise (CH 479) and the short songs Word of the Father (CH 480) and Maranatha (MV 19) are all based on a call that Christ will come again. You could also consider Bright morning star (Resound) to link to v16 and Let all who are thirsty come (Taizé) or All who are thirsty (MP 1025 / CCLI) to link to v27.
Sending
The place we are in the church year makes Revelation a great place to end and to look towards the coming of Christ’s kingdom, with ‘Thy kingdom come!’ - on bended knee (CH 473) or Love divine, all loves excelling (CH 519 / MP 449) some classic hymns to consider while Build your kingdom here (CCLI) or Revelation song (CCLI) would be good options for worship songs. Son of God, eternal Saviour (CH 468) and The Church’s one foundation (CH 739 / MP 640) could link to this but also to the Gospel with their focus on unity.
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