Category: Church

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Church Congregational Songs Live Psalms

Psalm 124: If God Had Not Been on Our Side

Update 12/29/21: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.

A lot of music ministers lament the never-ending grind of planning worship services, week after week, without a break. Yeah, it’s easy to get a little jealous of school teachers with their summer breaks, but frankly I like the challenge each week brings. I enjoy digging into the service’s scriptures, teasing out themes in the music. I especially savor the search for settings of the lectionary Psalm that will fit both the congregation and the day’s music ensemble.*

Which brings us to today’s post. The lectionary called for Psalm 124 in yesterday’s service. You would think that Reformed folk would have lots of songs based on this one, because the Psalm includes the words that often begin Reformed worship: “Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

Alas! There are a few songs based on those words, a few metrical Psalms, and my octavo for choir and narrator. But nothing that fit the Guitarchestra. So I wrote a new one to fit the occasion. The lyrics are below and the PDF leadsheet is downloadable on my website (see link above). In some ways this follows the lead of my recent setting of Psalm 137, using the basic themes and images of the Psalm as clay that is then molded into a somewhat different shape. Still faithful to the Psalm, but taking some creative license.

1. If God had not been on our side, When cornered by our foes;
When there was no place left to hide, To whom could we have gone?
If God had not been on our side, When anger flared like fire;
They would have swallowed us alive, If God had not been on our side.

2. If God had not been on our side, When troubles surged like floods;
We would have watched the water rise, And waves mount up like walls.
If God had not been on our side, We would have had no hope,
been swept away in deadly tides If God had not been on our side.

3. If God had not been on our side, When hunters laid their snares;
Their steely teeth would snap us tight, We wouldn’t have a prayer.
If God had not been on our side, We wouldn’t have escaped;
But our God made the earth and sky, our help is only in his name.

*I know this makes me sound super holy. Don’t feel bad. I get tired of the weekly grind, too.

Categories
Arrangement Church Congregational Songs

All Hail the Power

Update 3/12/22: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.

My final post from the 9/13/15 COS service is an oldie but goodie, “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.” A while back I wrote a “Haydnesque” string intro that proved to be a headache for many of our string players. But on this particular Sunday, the string quartet was made up of talented and eager college students, so I made them work a bit! (This is not to say that COS’s other string players are not talented, just not quite as eager.)

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Arrangement Church Congregational Songs Global

Father in Heaven

global_songs_cd_medIn my work on Global Songs for Worship I wrote a lot of arrangements. A. Lot.

I’m a constant musical tinkerer, so I often take a previous idea and build on it, depending on what musicians I have available. On 9/13/15 at COS I had a fine string quartet, so I dug deep into my string archives and pulled out this little string arrangement of the Filipino song, “Father in Heaven.” It’s a lovely song that follows a Trinitarian pattern. Why don’t more people sing this song? Why?

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Arrangement Choir Church

Vivaldoxology

One of my jobs as a music director is to put a multitude of music styles together in one service, then smooth the edges so that it feels natural.

This 9/13/15 medley begins with the choir singing Vivaldi’s “Gratias Agimus Tibi.” I wrote a short fugal transition between the Vivaldi and Thomas Ken’s “Doxology” that just makes me smile. The Doxology’s closing “amen” provides the opening chords of Ron Rienstra’s “The Lord Be with You” communion music. That’s who we roll at COS–a few centuries of music wrapped up in a 4 minute bon bon.

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Arrangement Church Congregational Songs Retuned hymn

May the Mind

Update 10/1/20: Sheet music for this song can be downloaded here.

15 years ago I wrote a “retune” of the hymn “May the Mind of Christ, My Savior.” Of course, in those days we didn’t call them retunes, we called them, “hey I really like this hymn so I wrote some new music for it.” (Retune is catchier.) 15 days ago, I wrote string parts for the song, which we used in the 9/13/15 service at COS. They add a nice little halo to the song. (And be honest; we could all use a nice little halo.)

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Arrangement Church Congregational Songs

We Sing the Mighty Power, string quartet

Update 12/29/21: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.

Last Sunday at Church of the Servant I had the luxury of leading worship with a choir and string quartet. You know I can’t resist fully exploiting an opportunity like that!

The service began with “We Sing the Mighty Power of God,” the perfect opening hymn for a sunny Fall day: “Lord, how your wonders are displayed, wherever we turn our eyes, if we survey the ground we tread or gaze upon the skies.”

I wrote this string arrangement for a worship symposium service a few year ago and I was glad for the opportunity to use it again. KINGSFOLD is a great tune, and I like the way this arrangement brings out its folk character. Add the strings and you’re golden.

If you’re interested in the score/parts, just send me an email.

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Arrangement Church Congregational Songs Global

All of My Heart, voiceover edition

Update 1/15/22: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.

A while back I discovered the Brazilian congregational song writing duo of Rubem Amorese and Toninho Zemuner. They produce an astounding number of songs, all of them good. When they found out I had translated “Adoracão” into English, they were kind enough to ask that I sing the English over their instrumental tracks. It is nowhere near as good as the original, but I gave it my best.

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Church Congregational Songs Psalms Rock and/or Roll

Psalm 149 at Cardiphonia

Update 3/12/22: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.

Exactly one year and a day after its premiere at Church of the Servant, “Psalm 149: Let God’s People Sing a New Song” is appearing on the latest Cardiphonia release.

Bruce Benedict and the Cardiphonia gang are taking on the ambitious goal of producing a series of albums that cover the whole Psalter. This time around they are tackling Psalms 135-150 in a two volume collection. I contributed two songs, the first of which is a setting of Psalm 149, “Let’s God’s People Sing a New Song.” My goal was to make the recording sound like something by Polyphonic Spree. I don’t know that I achieved that, but it’s certainly more epic than my usual fare. Here are the fine folks who helped me bring on the epic:

Joel Klamer, alto saxophone and trumpet
Becca Klamer, harpsichord and backing vocals
Kurt Schafer, accordion
Cal Stapert, recorder
Johnny Simmons, drums
Sarah Bratt, Lis Hatfield, Erin De Young, Marie Bloem, Sine Nomine String Quartet

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Church Congregational Songs Live

Make Us One within Your Spirit

Update 10/1/20: Sheet music for this song can be downloaded here.

I’ve introduced “Make Us One within Your Spirit” elsewhere (here for the story of how it lost a contest and here for music and the exciting story of the second draft), but thought I’d post a recording from yesterday’s service. I don’t know that it’s destined to be a big hit, but I’m quite proud of the lyrics. Maybe someday someone will commission me to turn this into a regal choral anthem with brass and timpani. Until then, enjoy the modest yet beautiful sound of Church of the Servant’s musicians leading the congregation in the song.

1. Living God, in the beginning, when you formed humanity–
Man and woman, child and parent, in community complete.
One with you, one with each other, let us live as your redeemed.
Make us one within your Spirit;
Join us in your bond of peace.

2. Jesus Christ, you are our lifeblood and the Church’s living Head.
You have cleansed us with one water. You have fed us with one bread.
And as grapes are brought together before wine can be released;
Make us one within your Spirit;
Join us in your bond of peace.

3. Holy Spirit you revive us, breathing life into dry bones.
Let the winds of new creation, animate our dusty souls.
Fill our lungs with inspiration. Fill our hearts; let love increase.
Make us one within your Spirit;
Join us in your bond of peace.

4. Blessed Trinity, you show us how to live as family.
Only tethered to each other will each one, and all, be free.
Each a gift and each a giver, offered in humility.
Make us one within your Spirit;
Join us in your bond of peace.

Added bonus for those of you who read the lyrics to the end: enjoy a beautiful song called “Una Espiga/Sheaves of Wheat,” also from yesterday’s service.

Categories
Church Congregational Songs

The Beauty of Your Holiness

Biking to work this morning, this song came to mind. Usually I reserve my blog for new music, but I’ll make an exception this once and bring back a golden oldie on its 20 year anniversary. It’s interesting to look back at my first congregational songs. I can see the seeds of what I do today. I’m still interested in writing songs that are singable, but not entirely predictable. (I love the E/G# in the second measure and the C#m7, F#7, G in the chorus. They’re “wrong” but they sound just right.) I only hope that I don’t lose the love of exploring that I had back then.

If you want to read more about the song–and who wouldn’t?–visit “The Beauty of Your Holiness” page at my website.