Music - Sunday, 4 September 2022 – 13th Sunday after Pentecost, Year C (Proper 18) – Father’s Day

Introduction

There are many music choices available each week. You will find music suggestions for each reading drawn from the Lutheran Hymnal, the All Together song books and Together in Song. In addition, we have selected the Top 4 Public Domain hymns, the Top 4 All Together and LHS songs under copyright and the Top 4 Contemporary Music suggestions each week. You may like to mix and match from these lists to suit your context.

Songs Suggestions for Fathers Day

Be sensitive to the needs of your congregation in choosing songs or adding prayers or blessings for Fathers Day, as there may be men who desire to be fathers and can’t be, men who have recently lost a child, people who have traumatic memories associated with their fathers, and children and young people who do not have fathers present in their lives.

There are very few hymns and songs that concentrate on ‘fatherhood’ alone. Hymns and songs which have as their theme ‘marriage’, ‘family’ or ‘home’ may be appropriate for Father’s Day. Of course, many hymns and songs have the fatherhood of God as their theme, and this may be appropriate for the day also. You can find hymn recommendations in the “Other Suitable Hymns and Songs” section below.

The following hymn was written by Delores Jenson (altered with permission by David Schütz). It may be sung to the tune Hyfrydol (LHS 164, TIS 233)  backing track.

God gave fathers to protect us,
and to guide us in love’s way.
They stood by us from our cradle,
teaching us to watch and pray.
Precious Saviour, bless our fathers;
or our fathers’ memory.
Precious Saviour, help us honour
those who gave us love so free.

As we grew they stayed beside us,
listening, loving constantly.
They spoke to us words of wisdom,
though, at times, so hard to see.
Precious Saviour, bless our fathers;
or our fathers’ memory.
Precious Saviour, help us honour
those who taught us how to be.

(This verse may be sung by fathers who are present)
Now as fathers, Lord, we ask you
be our helper and our guide.
Give us courage, bless our efforts,
let us live love deep and wide.
Precious Saviour, keep us faithful.
teaching, leading, loving, true.
Precious Saviour, thanks for children;
they are precious to you too.

Top 4 Public Domain

If you enjoy traditional hymn singing or your congregation does not have a copyright license, here are our recommended Public Domain hymns for the week:

If a title is hyperlinked, that means that modernised lyrics are available. MP3 backing tracks have been recorded for you to use.

Breathe on me, breath of God – LHS 129 - Backing track
Jesus I my cross have taken – LHS 349 - Backing track
Our God is love, and all His saints LHS 344 - Backing track
O Jesus I have promised LHS 371 - Backing track

Top 4 All Together and LHS songs under copyright

Copyright information for the following suggestions has been provided. Please ensure that you are reporting the use of any material under copyright.

Breathe on me, breath of God – LHS 129 - Backing track
Jesus I my cross have taken – LHS 349 - Backing track
Our God is love, and all His saints LHS 344 - Backing track
Follow me – AT 401 red (CCLI, One Licence)
O Jesus I have promised LHS 371 - Backing track

Top 4 Contemporary Music Suggestions

The following songs have been carefully reviewed, and are recommended for use in congregational worship, primarily because they point people to Christ and proclaim the message of his word in music and song for this Sunday in the lectionary cycle. They also fit well with other selection guidelines as highlighted in Tips for song selection and Fact Sheet 6: Music in Worship. While the use of a particular song by a band or organisation is not necessarily an endorsement of that group or the entire body of their work, we recognise that any scriptural song is a Spiritual song that can be used to complement a rich diet of worship for God’s people.

Please note, the hyperlinked Youtube clips are provided to give you a sense of how music can be performed or for personal use. You must always obtain permission from the creators of the music videos and the creators of the song before using clips in worship, unless permission is explicitly stated beneath the video.

Breath of God - Emu Music - CCLI by Alanna Glover, Edwin Hatch, Liv Chapman, Philip Percival
All My Ways are Known to You - CityAlight - CCLI by Dustin Smith, Jonny Robinson, Michael Farren, Rich Thompson
We Are One - Emu Music - CCLI by Claire Williams & Alanna Glover
I Will Follow - Chris Tomlin - CCLI by Chris Tomlin, Jason Ingram, Reuben Morgan

Song/Hymn suggestions based on the Lectionary readings

Some LHS hymns have modernised lyrics. Click on underlined hymns to see the new lyrics.

Please click here to go to the Modernised Hymns page.

G3, G4 . . . = Guitar chords available in the Music Package 3, 4 . .ro.; GS = Guitar chords in the Supplement to LH

First Reading: a) Jeremiah 18:1-11

LHS

Hymns of repentance

AT

354 Change my heart, O God (CCLI, One Licence)

TIS

–

First Reading: b) Deuteronomy 30:15-20

LHS

128 O Spirit of life, O Spirit of God* G5
129 Breathe on me, Breath of God G5
168 O blessed Sun, whose splendour G4
176 We come, O Christ, to Thee G9
290 O Bread of life from heaven* G3
294 O God, unseen yet ever near* G6
355 May we Thy precepts, Lord, fulfil* G3
358 Renew me, O eternal light* G3
471 Lord Jesus Christ, my life, my light G3
859 Seek, O seek the Lord

AT

41 Father, we adore you (CCLI, One Licence)
250 Glorify your name (CCLI)
267 Bread of heaven (CCLI, One Licence)
325 Sing to God with joy (CCLI, One Licence)

TIS

401 O Spirit of life, O Spirit of God
407 Breathe on me, Breath of God
464 Seek, O seek the Lord
526 Lord Jesus Christ

Second Reading: Philemon 1-21

LHS

344 Our God is love, and all His saints* G6
381 O God our Father, throned on high (alt tune 391, G9)
859 Seek, O seek the Lord (One Licence)

AT

177 Love one another (CCLI, One Licence)
503 Show me heaven
506 Oh, let’s get up to love and serve (Please use freely with permission of the author)

TIS

434 Where there is charity and love
464 Seek, O seek the Lord
587 Fold to your heart your sister and your brother
648 Help us accept each other

Gospel Reading: Luke 14:25-33

LHS

336 ‘Come, follow me,’ the Saviour spake* G3
349 Jesus, I my cross have taken G3
351 ‘Take up thy cross,’ the Saviour said G9 (alt tune 270, G3)
361 Let us ever walk with Jesus* G5
371 O Jesus, I have promised G5

AT

265 Take us now, we are yours (CCLI)
372 Teach me your way (CCLI, One Licence)
401 Follow me (CCLI, One Licence)
413 The summons (CCLI, One Licence)
495 Come and follow me (One Licence)
506 Oh, let’s get up to love and serve (Please use freely with permission of the author)
527 All that is hidden (One Licence)
579 Go and tell
555 See Yourself (CCLI, One Licence)

TIS

583 ‘Take up your cross,’ the Saviour said
595 O Jesus, I have promised

Other Suitable Hymns and Songs: Fathers Day

LHS

467    For the beauty of the earth G7
583    O Father, all creating G4
587    O happy home, where thou art loved the dearest
588    O blest the house, whate’er befall * G6
589    O blessed home where man and wife G3

AT

TIS

137    For the beauty of the earth
328    Joseph, your love of life
581    Happy the home that welcomes you, Lord Jesus

Psalms

PSALM 139

The following metrical paraphrase of Psalm 139:1-6,13-18 by David Schütz could be sung to the tune ‘Dir, dir, Jehovah’ (LH 218). If reproducing this version, please put ‘Words (c) David Schütz’ at the beginning or the end of the psalm.

O Lord, you’ve searched me and you know me,
you know when I sit down and when I rise.
From far away you know my thinking;
you watch me where I walk and where I lie.
You know my ways and all the things I do,
before I speak a word, it’s known to you.

On every side, you’re all around me;
your mighty hand is always over me.
So great your knowledge – far beyond me! –
its height and depth too great for me to see.
For it was you who made my inmost being
and knitted me together in the womb.

I praise you for my wondrous making –
I know that all your works are wonderful.
When I was hidden deep in darkness,
yet there you saw me and you made me whole.
And even then you numbered all my days –
my life unlived was written on your page.

Your thoughts, O God, are deep in mystery!
How vast they are is more than I can say.
Were I to count your thoughts, I’d stumble –
their number is far more than grains of sand!
If counting them, I were to fall asleep,
when I awoke you’d still be here with me.

Note that the songs AT 224 Where could I run from you, 394 Search me, O God, and 424 O God, you search me are song versions of Psalm 139. AT 534 I always will love you is also partly based on this psalm.
Music Resources Vol. 3– Psalm settings: Psalm 139 p233 , Psalm 139 p234

PSALM 1

The following metrical paraphrase of Psalm 1 by David Schütz may be sung to the tune Ellers (LH 514). If reproducing this version, please put ‘Words (c) David Schütz’ at the beginning or the end of the psalm.

Happy are they whose love is in God’s law,
those who do not walk in ungodly ways,
those who don’t stand among the the sinful crowd,
those who refuse to sit with those who scoff.

They meditate on God’s law day and night.
They are like trees that grow beside a stream;
they will bear fruit at every harvest time,
they will not die, but thrive in all they do.

But the ungodly – they are not like this!
They are like chaff that scatters in the wind.
They cannot stand before the Lord their judge
in the assembly of God’s righteous ones.

All those will perish who walk in the path
of the ungodly, following their way.
But the Lord knows the way of all his saints,
who love his law and live in righteousness.

Music Resources Vol. 3– Psalm settings: Psalm 1 p1 , Psalm 1 p2 , Psalm 1 p3 , Psalm 1 p4

Advice for Musicians

Advice for Congregations Without Musicians

Other Music Resources

LCA Music Resources

Downloadable Hymnal Resources (including downloadable backing tracks and lyric PPTs)
Modernised Hymn Lyrics
Hymnal Index (by tune and scriptural link) 
All Together Index (by tune, scriptural link and theme)
Five Songs of Faith

For further Music Resources click here.

OTHER HELPFUL WEBSITES FOR CHURCH MUSIC

While the LCA does not necessarily endorse the content of these websites, you may find them helpful in your worship planning.

Together to Celebrate: lectionary based song and hymn suggestions from a variety of sources.
Singing from the Lectionary: has song and hymn suggestions based on the RCL from other hymnals.
Song Select: catalogues CCLI licensed music. You can search for more contemporary songs by theme. If your congregation has a paid subscription you can also download sheet music and other resources.
Hymns Without Words: mp3 downloads of hymn tunes.
Metrical Psalms by Dale Schoening : Psalms set to well known hymn tunes.