Commission on Worship - Department of Congregational Song

Duties of the Department of Congregational Song

These include:

a) Gauging current needs for congregational song in the church
b) Examining existing hymnbooks and songbooks used in the church and advise on their suitability and use for current needs
c) Revising and supplementing existing congregational song resources where necessary
d) Fostering the writing and composing of hymns and songs; and evaluating new revised and/translated hymns and song, to promote what is suitable for congregational use; and discovering ways of releasing useful new hymns and songs
e) Advising the church on hymns and songs suitable for various liturgical, church year, etc
f) Providing guidance and aids for the church in regard to hymns and songs

For further information contact the Secretary.

Activities:

Modernised Hymns from the Lutheran Hymn Book

Promotion of Australian songs and song writers

New songs, songwriters and other musical resources

The Department of Congregational Song is currently collecting and promoting songs which could be used in a worship context. These songs can be from either published or unpublished songwriters.

Interested?

Want to obtain permissions, gain more information, or contribute some songs, etc? Contact the Songwriters Liaison

Songwriters

Robin Mann

Click Here for details of songs by Robin Mann which are suitable for congregational use. The songs listed are not published in the All Together series but may be obtained through Robin at robindormann@ozemail.com.au. You may like to add them to your Worship Resource Index.

Bruce Hulme

Check out a sample of lyrics from Bruce Hulme: Throne of Grace; Found; For it is by Grace, Rest in Him; Be Like You; Ashes

[Bruce is a former parish worker who is currently pursuing ministry studies. He is a new song writer who has a passion for leading worship, helping others grow in their worship ministry gifts, and writing songs that connect us with God’s heart. He has recently compiled his first CD "Throne of Grace". An enhanced CD, containing lead sheets as PDF files for Mac or PC, it represents a snapshot of his musical and spiritual journey presented in a variety of musical styles. Selling price $20 (+ $2.50 p/h per CD)]

Wendy Dawes

Wendy Dawes developed an early love of church music and her childhood experiences include piano lessons and singing in the St David's Cathedral choir in Hobart. Later she enjoyed visiting English churches famous for their good music.

The desire to write Christian music herself grew slowly After being a member of Immanuel Lutheran Fellowship, Novar Gardens, South Australia, she began writing songs based on the Psalms. For these and her original compositions she says, "Often the words or music just came to me."

Recently she has written "There's a time for all things" based on Ecclesiastes 3, one of her daughter's favourite passages. Her own experience speaks throught these words as does her faith in the fulfillment of God's Kingdom.

Other songs by her include a lively Advent Song and a reflective Christmas Song.

Wendy can be contacted for the music on (08) 82944883 or pug505@hotmail.com

Ray Jaensch

Click Here to view the lyrics of a collection of new songs by Ray Jaensch.

The first song "Forgive me, O Father, forgive me" uses a very accesible tune with reminders of "Botany Bay", and words that are common to everyday speech but theologically appropriate to a prayer of confession. The song "Make way, make way" was written recently in response to his pastor's comment that there seemed to be few bright and lively Advent songs around.

Two more songs by Ray Jaensch to well-known and popular tunes

[Ray Jaensch was born in 1936 at Callington, South Australia. After primary schooling there, he joined the S.A. Railways and remained with them for most of his working life. As a teenager he taught himself to play the saxaphone and also had published several books of verse. In the 70s and 80s he began to write songs one of which won first prize in the Grenfell, Henry Lawson song-writing competition. He became discouraged by what he saw as the deterioration of quality in lyrics and music of country music and began writing again only a few years ago, this time in the "spiritual realm". You can contact Ray at the following address:
133 Gordon St, Albert Pk, Sth. Aust. 5014 ]

Hymns

Song on the Ten Commandments: Luther’s Paraphrase

Eccles. 3 (There’s a time for all things)

The Celebration Song!

Christ Child

Local Resources

All Together Song Books Indexes:

Introduction & Acknowledgements
Alphabetical Index
Scriptural Index
Subject Index

(NB These will soon be available on the Worship CD-ROM.)