Category Archives: Congregational Songs

Psalm 122: Let Us Go (Church of the Servant)

Posted on February 15, 2021 by Greg Scheer

How cool is this? My friends at Church of the Servant made a music video of my song “Let Us Go” for the COS Psalm Contest premiere Sunday. It was great to see old friends from the COS Choir, Guitarchestra, … Continue reading →

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Joy (with Harry Plantinga)

Posted on February 2, 2021 by Greg Scheer

Harry Plantinga, the guru behind Hymnary.org, is fluent in computer code. But lately, all his work with Hymnary.org is rubbing off on him and he has also started writing hymn texts. “Joy” is a short, meditative lyric based on the … Continue reading →

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Psalm 57: The Thunder’s Rage Is Roaring (with Kate Bluett)

Posted on February 1, 2021 by Greg Scheer

I met Kate Bluett through a Facebook group in which we’re both members: Liturgy Fellowship. After she won first place in a song contest and I placed second (always the bridesmaid!) I introduced myself and asked if she’d like to … Continue reading →

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You Walk Along Our Shorelines

Posted on January 20, 2021 by Greg Scheer

Sylvia Dunstan wrote the beautiful hymn “You Walk Along Our Shorelines” in response to Mark 1:14-20, in which Jesus calls the first disciples. It is often paired with the tune AURELIA (“The Church’s One Foundation”), but I felt it needed … Continue reading →

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Psalm 56: O God, in Mercy Look to Me (Carlill)

Posted on January 7, 2021 by Greg Scheer

I came back again to Adam Carlill’s Psalms for the Common Era, this time his version of Psalm 56. This Psalm is a plea for mercy when being hotly pursued by enemies. Have you ever felt like David did when … Continue reading →

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My Days Are in Your Hands, two versions

Posted on January 4, 2021 by Greg Scheer

It seems that my recently written “My Days Are in Your Hands” was timely. A number of people downloaded it for use in their New Year’s services. One of those was was Joel Jupp, who recorded this beautiful rendition for … Continue reading →

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My Days Are in Your Hands

Posted on December 23, 2020 by Greg Scheer

Matt Mulder is preaching from Ecclesiastes 3 this Sunday. Thanks, Matt… Of course, one always thinks of the Byrds’ iconic “Turn! Turn! Turn!” in relation to this scripture passage, but Matt will be teasing out a New Year/Old Year theme: … Continue reading →

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The Peaceable Kingdom

Posted on December 18, 2020 by Greg Scheer

This song started its life a few years ago at the Christmas songwriting retreat that produced Refugee King, Jesus Be Enough, and Tiny King. The page of sketches had “Peaceful Revolution” scribbled at the top, a phrase I still like. … Continue reading →

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Psalm 53: Fools Deny Their God within Them (Carlill)

Posted on December 10, 2020 by Greg Scheer

I returned to Adam Carlill’s excellent Psalms for the Common Era to get his take on the difficult Psalm 53. This Psalm (and its nearly identical twin, Psalm 14) is full of rancor, claiming that foolish humans are godless, corrupt, … Continue reading →

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Jesus Cristo, esperança do mundo/Jesus Christ, Hope of the World

Posted on December 7, 2020 by Greg Scheer

This fall, I was commissioned to write an arrangement of the lovely Brazilian milonga, “Jesus Cristo, experança do mundo.” It premiered last night in the second installment of Calvin University’s four-part Lessons and Carols. The whole program was lovely and … Continue reading →

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