This song was composed by Doug von Koss while teaching in Italy as Italians were marching to protest the United States invasion of Iraq. He wanted a strong musical statement that would “lift the desire for peace to a more assertive and active place.” He borrowed a melody he had heard in Canada and used a Latin phrase as the text.
"Cantemus pacem mundi."
Translation:
We sing for the peace of the world.
The song is published in a small book/CD called How Sweet the Sound and is part of Doug's "Noah Project.”
Here's a video of Marilyn Haskel leading Cantemus pacem mundi at Holy Cross Monastery in September 2015:
Paul Vasile is an interim/transitional church musician, consultant and composer based in NYC.
This buoyant, rhythmic setting of verses from Psalm 134 was written by Ana Hernández in 2007.
The 7/8 meter is best felt in the body, first through tapping or clapping the larger rhythmic groups (2+2+3). Ana often invites the group to sing the tune on "la" until they've gained familiarity with the melody and rhythm. Then text can be added.
"Yours the day also the night, you made the moon and the sun.
La la la la...
God has bless'd us. God has bless'd us. God has bless'd us."
A shruti box or another drone instrument can help the group stay on pitch; percussion instruments can add rhythmic support.
Sheet music can be found in Music By Heart, the original collection of paperless songs that gave birth to MMC's workshops.
Come, My Beloved was written by Carol Logen and shared with the MMC community by Chanda Rule.
"Come, my beloved,
make your home in my heart."
The video features Chanda Rule leading the song at a Music that Makes Community workshop in Baltimore, Maryland in November 2015.
This South African Song in Xhosa is roughly translated “Go with us, our Savior” and comes from the repertoire of anti-Apartheid Freedom Songs written in the 1970's and 80's. It was shared with the MMC community by Paul Vasile, who learned it from Pamela Warrick Smith. In the spirit of music from many African contexts, the song invites opportunities for improvisation and adding actions/themes specific to the community's needs or experiences.
We have seen leaders share it as zipper/pocket song (i.e. Go with us, Lord, and give us your love/joy/peace) or deepen its communal spirit by crafting new verses (i.e. Come walk with us and share in our bread/...and join in the song). It makes a powerful sending song.
"Hamba nathi Mkhululi wethu"
There are several poetic translations of the song into English, not all faithful to the original Xhosa:
1. You Are Holy, You Show Us the Way
2. God With Us, Lord, and Set Us All Free
3. Come Walk With Us, the Journey Is Long (Anders Nyberg)
Teaching note from Paul Vasile: When you lead Hamba nathi, make sure that you keep a steady beat so the group feels the syncopated rhythm of the tune. I teach the tune first and once that's set offer the bass line. If folks don't intuitively add harmony (almost every group I've taught this to has), outline parts.
Here is sheet music for an SATB setting in Xhosa.
Here is a recording of the song by the Drakensberg Boy's Choir in South Africa.
Whoever Eats This Bread is by composer and consultant Eric Law of the Kaleidoscope Institute. It is an excellent example of a notated composition found in a hymnal that can be easily adapted for paperless singing.
Commonly used during the Distribution of Elements within a eucharistic liturgy (the time when the bread and wine are shared), the antiphon/antiphon can be taught through call and echo patterns. Once confident, it can be sung as a three-part canon; secondary canons can also be added on the verses.
The piece can be sung a cappella or accompanied by an ostinato chord progression played by a keyboard instrument or guitar.
Antiphon:
Whoever eats this bread will live for ever.
1. This is the true bread
which comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world. Antiphon
2. Whoever believes in me
shall not hunger or thirst,
for the bread which I give
for the life of the world is my flesh. Antiphon
Copyright for the piece is held by Church Publishing, Inc. If you don't have copies of The Episcopal Hymnal or Wonder, Love, and Praise in your community, you'll need a OneLicense membership to print the text or music.
Sheet music can be found in The Episcopal Hymnal #S170, as well as in the supplemental hymnal Wonder, Love, and Praise. It is also available for purchase here.
Here is a recording of Eric Law teaching the piece at our Music that Makes Community workshop in Los Angeles in October 2008.
Kerri Meyer wrote There Is Enough at a Music that Makes Community workshop and it became an instant hit! The melody was adapted from a Peter Mayer refrain and she also composed a descant to sing over the tune.
The song is easy to teach through call and echo. Simple hand gestures can help reinforce the subtle differences between the phrases, especially the first and third. And harmony is so intuitive it may show up before you invite folks to add it.
We've seen the piece shared in so many settings - from church suppers and stewardship campaigns to a protest in the office of a United States senator.
"There is enough!
There is enough!
There is enough, oh,
Enough and some to share!"
Descant:
"God has blessed her people, God has blessed us!"
The Rev. Breen Sipes of Tri-Saints Lutheran Parish in rural Nebraska shared additional verses she's used with young people in her community:
"I am enough..."
"You are enough..."
"God has enough..."
Kerri has given faith communities permission to sing and share the song without copyright restrictions.
Sheet music can be found here.
Hear an audio clip of Kerri leading this song at our 2014 Musical Test Kitchen in San Francisco.
And here's a video of AnnaMarie Hoos leading this song at our Winter Retreat at The Bishop's Ranch in 2015.
This song is originally from Ghana, and the version we've sung at many MMC events is from a setting by Marty Haugen and Marc Anderson. You can find the sheet music and a recording of the song at GIA Music.
This layered song by psalmist Richard Bruxvoort Colligan is based on Psalm 31. Each part can be taught to a different part of the community or choir. When each is secure, they can be combined to create a rich, textured space for prayer.
The song can be sung a cappella or can be accompanied. It could be useful in Taizé-style services, and the text also invites it to be sung during Holy Week, especially Good Friday.
Part 1:
"Into your hands I place my life."
Part 2:
"Oh, loving faithful God."
Part 3:
"Oh, my life is yours."
Richard's music is licensed through CCLI, OneLicense.net and Worldmaking.net. Be sure report use of the piece if you print the text or music for your community.
Find sheet music for the song on Richard's PsalmImmersion website.
The Light of Christ is a simple melody by Donald Fishel with a leader/cantor descant. It could also be taught as a two-part layered song.
Teach the piece phrase by phrase through call and echo. Then invite the community to sing it through, adding the leader part when the group is confident.
The song can be used for Vespers, for candle lighting, and as a response during the Christmas and Epiphany seasons. An accompanying instrument like a shruti box or a soft unison or open fifth on the organ can help support the congregation and sustain the energy of the song.
"The light of Christ has come into the world."
Copyright for the piece is held by Church Publishing, Inc. You will need a OneLicense membership to print the text or music.
Sheet music can be found in My Heart Sings Out, a wonderful hymnal designed for all-age worship.
Here's a link to an audio recording of Emily Scott singing The Light of Christ, then offering some suggestions for how to lead it without paper.