Search Results

Sam on Advent:

Waiting, anticipating, longing (Israel waiting, Zechariah waiting, us waiting). Resources - 
- Rain for Roots "Waiting songs"
- Taize "wait for the Lord"
- Kathryn Scott "Hungry"
- video on engage "The Waiting Room" (James 5). 

Jesus coming again - so repentance required. Songs about the second coming?
- Lift up your eyes

Anticipation of the incarnation - John the Baptist prepares the way. 
- "Come thou long expected Jesus" Charles Wesley 
- Daniel Renstrom 
- Rain for Roots "Waiting songs"
- Gareth Robinson

OT prophetic writings about the coming Messiah, esp Isaiah. 
- O Come O Come Emmanuel (many versions - including this a capella)
- "Wonderful counsellor" round
- "You bring peace" based on Isaiah 9. 

Annunciation to Mary and Joseph. Versions of the magnificat 
- "My soul glorifies the Lord" round. 
- "Tell out my soul"

Joel mentioned:

Messiah by Bifrost Arts

Cliff Richard singing 'Can it be True'

Matt Redman in Times Square singing 10,000 Reasons

The blog post we discuss is here:
http://healthyleaders.com/is-evangelical-worship-headed-for-a-huge-crash/

Sam mentions two books:
Participating in Worship: History, Theory & Practice by Craig Douglas Erickson.
The New Worship: Straight Talk on Music and the Church by Barry Wayne Leisch & Donald Hustad

The two-line challenge offerings are:

We give glory honour and praise
to the Saviour, the King of all grace.

and

Open our eyes to a world of need,
open our hands with your generosity.

with melodies, chords and more details available on the 12 Song Challenge Forum

Joel's "ten commandments" of congregational songwriting:

1 Write within a median vocal range for your congregation; if in doubt, ask them what they struggle to sing
2 Limit complexity: usually only one of rhythm, melody or lyrics should be complex, the rest should be simple
3 Aim for we/us and move to I/me if you have to: think community
4 Expect to translate and rewrite your personal worship expressions if putting them in the mouths of others
5 Write what sings well in you congregation's voice, not what sounds good in yours
6 Always be willing to revise a song after its first airing based on feedback, experience
7 Write in a lyrical voice that suits your congregation and culture and enables the richest expression
8 Do write about experience and emotion; but always make it broadly applicable when you do
9 Don’t be carelessly or lazily exclusive in language or style
10 Always be consistent in metre, melody and rhythm from verse to verse

Sam's "beatitudes" of congregational songwriting
Blessed are churches who prioritise congregational singing more than individual performance - they will grow in community.
Blessed are songwriters who see personal outpouring as a great starting point, but hone congregational songs to be usable by a wide range of the church body. Their songs will last.
Blessed are worship leaders who draw out the unique expressions of their locality - they will avoid perpetuating McChurch.
Blessed are congregations who root creativity in historical and biblical truth - they will go deeper into the things of God.

The featured song is
In the beginning by Joel Payne from the Christmas Songs album.

Happy Christmas!