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Writer's pictureIain McLarty

Proper 25C / 20th Sunday after Pentecost


You can find a YouTube playlist here with many of the songs suggested below.



Gathering


Psalm 65 sings praise to God the creator and this is a wonderful gathering theme which could be picked up in classic hymns such as All creatures of our God and King (CH 147 / MP 7), Sing for God’s glory that colours the dawn of creation (CH 172) and Let all the world in every corner sing (CH 122), worship songs like Let all creation sing (Resound) with its wonderful country vibe, God of wonders (MP 1089 / CCLI) and My Jesus, my Saviour / Shout to the Lord (CH 531 / MP 1003 / CCLI) or songs from around the world such as Uyai mose / Come all you people (CH 757) and Mari beribadah / Let us come and worship our Creator (H 37).



Word


Praise waits for thee in Zion, Lord (CH 44) and Every heart its tribute pays (PFAS 65E / Hope) sung to St George’s Windsor are both very useable metrical settings of today’s psalm. For bands there are also two good options, with Come one, come all (Gordon) a fairly loose paraphrase originally written for communion while Praise awaits you (Resound) was originally written for Harvest, but both are possible to use as a standalone psalm.



Response


The Gospel is the second of two parables Jesus’ tells about prayer and the theme of humility and focusing on speaking to God rather than those around us could suggest songs such as It’s me, it’s me, O Lord (CH 493), Lord of creation, to you be all praise (CH 500 / MP 40), Come down, O love divine (CH 489 / MP 89), Just as I am, without one plea (CH 553 / MP 396) and Create in me a clean heart O God (PFAS 51F). As with last week you could consider using the Taizé chant O Lord, hear my prayer (GIA / Hymnary) or Come, bring your burdens to God / Woza nomthwalo wakho (WGRG) from South Africa either as standalone songs or as sung responses for prayers.


The contemplation of the end of life in the Epistle can suggest hymns such as O love that wilt not let me go (CH 557), Abide with me (CH 580 / MP 4), When peace like a river (Hymnary / CCLI) or Be still, my soul: the Lord is on your side (CH 691). You could also consider Who would true valour see (CH 535 / MP 224) which is a more general song on the theme of the Christian journey while much of the language of this passage is picked up in Fight the good fight (CH 517 / MP 143).


The most direct link for songs to the Old Testament passage is God’s promise to “pour out my Spirit” in vv.28-29 and there are a whole range of songs which could relate to this including Breathe on me, breath of God (CH 596 / MP 67), Spirit of the living God (CH 619 / MP 613), Holy Spirit, living breath of God (MP 1183 / CCLI / Getty), Fresh wind (CCLI) and Breath of God (Common). God the word of life (Great day) (Resound) gives a completely different angle on this passage by linking it to the restoration of creation.



Sending


There is a broad theme from today’s readings of praise for what God has done in our lives and that could lead to finishing with songs such as Lord, for the years (CH 159 / MP 428), One more step along the world I go (CH 530 / MP 1346), My hope is built on nothing less (MP 473 / Hymnary) and its two great reworkings - the Kenyan song Kwake yesu nasimama (GSW 34 / GIA) and the popular worship song Cornerstone (MP 1334 / CCLI). Other worship songs to consider include Goodness of God (CCLI) and There's nothing that our God can't do (CCLI).




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