the greatest song around

Hi all

I’m not suggesting this new one of mine is!  Let’s be clear on that.  However, I’m really very happy with it, and look forward to sharing it (Dale as singer) at a Christmas gathering tomorrow night’ and perhaps on Christmas Day.

The title of course is a play on words, me emphasizing that God, in gifting Jesus in human form at Christmas has in a sense provided us “the greatest song around”.  The best song ever!

A couple of things have inspired this.  I came across an excellent sermon from 1966 written by N.T. (Tom) Wright, called The Most Dangerous Baby It significantly challenged me; with comments like:

If Jesus is the true King of all the world, whose kingdom redefines power and glory so that they are now seen in the manger, on the cross, and in the garden, then to pray “Thy kingdom come” from the Lord’s Prayer is to ask that this kingdom, this power, and this glory may be seen in all the world. It is not enough, though it is the essential starting point, that we submit in our own lives to God’s alternative kingdom-vision; we must pray and work for the vision to come in reality, with the rulers of this world being confronted with the claims of their rightful King.

Perhaps I’ll draw on some of this on Christmas Day, my final sermon at Indooroopilly Uniting Church.

As I prepared my sermon for this Sunday, not sure how I got there – I recalled the old Sam Cooke R&B classic from the early 60s: A Change is Gonna Come.  It was as I read both Zechariah’s and Mary’s proclamations of God’s intent in Luke 1:

Luke 1:50-53 His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.

So, I’ve written The Greatest Song Around.  Here’s the lyrics.  Basic leadsheet here.   My worship website will eventually have full piano score – hopefully by Monday night

The greatest song around

There’s a star
shines in the sky
There’s a lowly manger by
There’s a child there born this day
Jesus Christ is born to save

Sing with the angels
Join with their song
Join with their praises
Heaven’s song
God of the ages
in Jesus comes down
Sing with the greatest song around

The proud are scattered
Mighty fall
Hungry hearts hear mercy’s call
Creation’s soul sings praise to God
Jesus comes, light for the world

Kingdoms of this world will fall
Reign of God will triumph all
Peace and pow’r of God’s design
Full of grace
Gift for all time

David MacGregor
© 2009  Willow Publishing

Congregational song – forming faith, making disciples – Week 2

Hi all

The teaching series kicked off well last Sunday – with some initial establishing some basics about the role of music in worship and especially citing the case for music seeking to engage the ‘totality’ of God and the totality of our human condition.   After this, we spent some time reflecting on congregational song  1. as praise   2. as prayer.  Yes, we sang lots.  I enjoyed the singing of a marvellous 20th century Fred Prat Green hymn: When in our music, God is glorified (I even played it on the new Allen organ in the evening) AND the way the congregation embraced the wonderful old Vineyard classic: Hosanna. In the evening service, we sang a South African short song: God welcomes all, as well as its companion piece, the (Themba) Amen.  This one was written in a South African hospice which works with HIV/Aids patients.  Great songs, and brought to world-attention through John Bell of the Iona Community

SO … on to today.  During all three services today, we’ll focus on the place of congregational song as:

1. confession & lament
2. proclaiming justice
3. forming our intercessions and community life

I’m looking forward to it – though I’ll sleep well tonight!

Click here for a full transcript of today’s teaching.   For Christian ministry, non-profit use only please.

David

 

Congregational song – forming faith, making disciples – Week 1

Hi folks

Tomorrow, I start week 1 of my teaching series on the formative role of music, especially congregational song, in forming faith and discipleship.  In essence, it’s a distillation of my 2007 Masters thesis, majorly worked for sharing with a congregation.  I’m taking the risky (and I pray not-too-demanding) step of sharing this across our three worship services for the next 3 Sundays at Indooroopilly Uniitng Church, Brisbane.

Click this link for a full transcript of Week One.   This is for non-profit personal reflection/study OR small group use only.

David

love the lord your God (with all your heart)

Hi folks

Been reflecting on this Sunday’s gospel: Mark 12:28-34.  As I’ve done so, I’m drawn back to the great words from Deuteronomy 6 – the Shema, which Jesus quotes from, as well as from Leviticus 19:18. I remember, in Old Testament Pentateuch studies almost 10 years ago back at college, doing a decent-length assignment on the Shema.  Its imperative for all of us in Christian Education with not just kids but all ages never leaves me.  Have I been brilliant at it, including with my own now-adult kids.  I’m sure not.  But the words of scripture don’t call me to attain the heights of a VHA with all of this, or a High Distinction.  The call of God is to love God with all of our being; but then to not leave it at that – to express this love relationship in our daily encounters and relationships in the world and to be intentional about teaching this to our children of all ages.

So … I’ve just written a somewhat-reflective song.  Couldn’t find an appropriate song to end my sermon this Sunday night. Didn’t want to use the old, hand-clapping round from the 1970s. So, as so often happens, the Spirit inspires me to write something.  Still a bit of a work in progress.  I’ll post a lead-sheet later today, but for now, here’s Draft 1 of Love the Lord your God (with all your heart)

• each line is echoed/repeated; either using the cantor – congregation pattern OR a male/female thing.  Your call.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart
Love the Lord your God with all your mind
Love the Lord your God with all your strength
and with all your soul

Love your neighbour as you love yourself
Love your neighbour as you love yourself
Love your neighbour as you love yourself
with the love of God

Teach it to your children through each day
Teach it to your children through each day
Teach it to your children through each day
and your whole life long

Love the Lord our God with all our heart
Love the Lord our God with all our mind
Love the Lord our God with all our strength
and with all our soul
and our whole life long
… as the Kingdom comes

David MacGregor
© 2009  Willow Publishing
Inspired by Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Mark 12:29-33

accordions, community, music & marvellous memories

Michael Hawn

I’m sitting in railway station,
Got a ticket for my destination …

Well … sort of; exception that it’s an airport lounge in Canberra. Dale and I have been down here for almost three days at Wesley Music Centre’s & Wesley Uniting’s Celebrating our Faith seminar on word and music in worship. 200 folk from around Australia, and three superb international speakers: Michael Hawn (USA), John Bell (UK/Scotland/Iona Community) and Colin Gibson (New Zealand). One of the best music/worship conferences I’ve been to in a long while!

I particularly appreciated the great teaching, humour, encouragement, challenge and music from Hawn and Bell. They are a great gift to the world church.  Often people are so attracted to the music that John Bell writes, sources and leads (usually in congregational 4-part harmony) that one forgets how excellent a teacher, preacher and storyteller he is.

I had read a  bit of Hawn’s writing over the years – he offers much to the wider church in the area of world.multicultural music and worship.  Did a lot of wonderful justice songs too – a real encouragement and challenge for me. Also a wonderful comedian – as last night’s concert extravaganza proved – Michael doing this wonderful standup comedy act with a piano accordion – all about (very much tongue-in-cheek) accordion evangelism.  He had us all in stitches.  John Bell was behind me- he was cacking himself.

John Bell

It was great having several Queenslanders there – including Cliff, Wendy and Eric from my home church.  They all gained much from the weekend. Dale and I were invited (almost 3 years ago) by Gregor Henderson (ex-UCA President) and local UCA minister there, to lead an elective next time around. As already blogged, this was on Contemporary Australian Worship Songs. We were happy with the way our two elective sessions went.  In a church known for its high quality classical and choral music – to kick off an elective session with Reuben Morgan’s “For all you’ve done” was a bit risky. But hey!  If you’re talking Oz worship music, you’ve got to mention Hillsong — a shame you’ve got to filter the wheat from the cahff, though.  We were able to use five of my songs over the weekend:

• Holy Spirit come
• Deeper into you
• Celebrate Emmanuel
• Sing with joy to God
• Jesus- healing man

We also played tourist – Friday morning at the National Gallery; this afternoon at old Parliament House.  Yes, I stood on the very place where Gough Whitlam uttered those memorable words at his dismissal back in 1975.

Now we board in about 45 minutes.  Can’t wait to get home. More special music around the corner: next Sunday’s Reformation Sunday services with a special Bach tribute amid our 10 am service; with more than a nod to Calvin too.

Soon … homeward bound.  Cheers

D.