Morning Song
To the tune of "For the Beauty of the Earth" ("Dix")
Verse 1:
Step by step and mile by mile
Bring each woman, man and child
To Your called community,
Singing, faithful, bold, and free
Refrain:
Love divine who for us longs
Make us one in morning song
Verse 2:
May Your ears be ever pleased
With Your people's harmony
Notes and skin in varied tones
One communion, Yours alone
Refrain
Verse 3:
In Your beauty every day
Open up the homeward way
Towards Your body, bread and wine,
Branches growing in one vine
Refrain
Verse 4:
Rising light and mercy's seed
From the Father for our need
Till the work of love is done
In Your Spirit make us one
Refrain
Text (c) Copyright Brian West
Psalm 88 (Hear My Cry)
My soul is full of trouble;
I am pulled towards the grave
On the list of doomed and dying,
Weak, forsaken, like the slain
Whom You pull your hand away from
And forget like faded paths
You have put me in the deepest,
Darkest pit beneath Your wrath
Chorus:
Lord, God of my salvation,
I call both day and night
Allow my prayer before You,
Tilt Your ear to hear my cry
Your oppression swells and surges;
Every friend you've chased away
They despise me, I’m imprisoned;
You allow me no escape
I am blinded by affliction,
Yet I cry out every day
Lord, to You my hands are lifted,
Open, hear me as I pray
CHORUS
Do You show the dead Your wonders?
Do they rise and shout Your praise?
Will the chaos sing Your faithful love,
Your mercy's power to save?
Does darkness hide Your miracles,
Making all forget Your light?
Yet I'll cry to You, and will not
Cease my prayers, morning and night
CHORUS
My soul, Lord, You've rejected.
You keep hiding from me--why?
I am drowning in Your terrors,
Death and suffering are my life
I've been scalded by Your anger,
By Your terrors been destroyed
See them ceaseless in their swirling;
I'm surrounded by the void
CHORUS
Lord, all who ever loved me,
You have ripped them from my hands
All You leave me are the shadows;
In the dark I find my friends
You Are With Me (Psalm 23)
Oh, Lord, You are my Shepherd
You give me all I need
Lay me down in greener pastures
To the still waters lead
Chorus:
You are with me, Lord, You are with me
You are with me, Lord, You are with me
Lord, restore me; make me holy
Just and righteous paths reveal
For You only, for Your glory
You are all that is real
Chorus
Though I'm walking through the darkness
There's no evil I fear
In the shadow land so heartless
Still I know You are near
Chorus
You protect and reassure me,
Making feasts before my foes
With Your oil You anoint me
So my cup overflows
Chorus
Surely goodness, love, and mercy
Will pursue me all my days
And the Lord's own holy temple
Will be my home always
Chorus
Comfort Me No More (Rachel Mourning Her Children)
Refrain:
Let weeping fill the streets
Let weeping fill the streets
O comfort me no more
O comfort me no more
We live and breathe our poverty
Death always close at hand
Each passing year a miracle
That shines in this dark land
But this attack so savage,
Unexpected, and extreme
Makes all the common travesties
Feel like a faded dream
Refrain
O heartless puppet king,
You took my children to the grave
But this, my chance to mourn,
I will not let you steal away
The pow’rful clench their fists
And our prospects start to dim
In grief God meets us mourning,
And each morning we are His
Let weeping fill the streets
Let weeping fill the streets
O comfort me no more
My children are no more
Wow, Hallelujah (Christmas)
Those who walk in darkness will see a great light
Grace and justice meet; love and truth will unite
Every hope and joy meet in this Child tonight;
Waves of great relief swirl with awe and delight
Refrain:
Wow, hallelujah
Wow, hallelujah
Wow, hallelujah
The King is born!
Powerless, we see in the Lord our true hope
Yet the years pile up since the Almighty spoke
Trust in Him; the fullness of time will unfold
Wait and wait again, He is patient, not slow
Refrain
Shackled to our sin, we've no hope on our own
Yet the Lord of love left His heavenly home
Taking on the weakness of our flesh and our bone
All to offer us pure and living shalom
Refrain
Whisper every promise the Lord has proclaimed
Then remind each other the power in His name
Build up to a shout: He is breaking our chains!
Grateful, weary souls welcome God's peaceful reign
Refrain
Tell again the story we've heard and re-heard
Join the angel armies: rejoice in Christ's birth
Spread it far and wide, fill all heaven and earth
Grace has given more than we'll ever deserve
Refrain
The Lord is With You (Advent 3)
The Lord is with you; He never leaves you
So lay your fear down and sing
His yoke is easy, His burden light,
So kneel and trust our loving King
Through every dark tragedy,
He is a source of loving comfort
He mourns and holds you as you grieve;
The Lord is with you.
The Lord is with you, in rushing waters
The rivers won't overwhelm
And when the fire arises 'round you,
You will not be without His help
He is your Savior, the Lord,
And you are precious beyond measure
You are His pleasure; You're adored
The Lord is with you.
The Lord is with you; He won't forsake you
Our God is making all things new
So be courageous; be bold and fearless
What He has promised, He will do
Oh, from His wealth he brings joy;
And from His beauty He gives blessing
In our distress we hear His voice;
The Lord is with You.
The Lord is with you; He lives within you
And through you He will do great things
Most High and Holy, in manger lowly,
Oh here the paradox begins
For these are strange words to hear
For you and me or Virgin Mary
His very birth says, "Have no fear,"
The Lord is with you.
The Lord Has Done Great Things (Advent 2)
So much has been taken from our people
Taken from our families and friends
So how can we believe in new beginnings,
When so much sweet comes to a bitter end?
We will find reminders of redemption,
We will speak and sing the sacred truth
That when the darkness on us has descended
The Light will rise again and lead us through
Refrain:
Rejoice! The Lord has done great things!
Rejoice! The Lord has done great things!
The good news is the hist'ry of the healing that He brings
Rejoice! The Lord has done great things.
Lord, we sow the holy seeds of healing,
Longing for injustice to be crushed
We build and we believe, through weeks of weeping
We are not fools to plant in You our trust
You are Who we need to build and blossom
In You is our genesis of joy
So when the well has dried down to the bottom
Our confidence in You is not destroyed
We will bring good news to the afflicted
We will bandage up the broken hearts
Declaring freedom for all those convicted
And liberty for people behind bars
Mighty justice God alone delivers
He consoles all those who grieve and mourn
He pours His joy and gladness out in rivers
A heart of praise replaces one forlorn
One day all our mouths will fill with laughter
What was once a dream will be made real
The tears we poured and planted in disaster
Will blossom into joy from the same field
Jesus, lead us from despair and sorrow;
Help us harvest holiness and light
We cannot build a hopeful home tomorrow
Without Your pow'r to rescue us tonight
Lord, You Are Waiting (Advent 1)
(Each verse of this song summarizes the Advent Scripture passage listed before each verse. See below for a playable copy of the music.)
Isaiah 64:1-9:
Open up the sky, Lord;
Show the world Your power.
May Your presence leave
The nations trembling
You are like no other,
Awe-inspiring Father,
We beg for Your mercy;
Turn away from all our sin
Refrain:
Lord, You are waiting for our repentance.
You hold back the justice of Your wrath.
Your love is patient, longing that we turn and confess
And find forgiveness in Your mercy's path.
Isaiah 40:1-11:
You plead for our comfort,
Eager for our pardon,
That our guilt be cancelled
And we be redeemed.
Though our flower withers,
Your word stands forever.
So we trust Your justice;
We will follow where You lead.
Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13:
Listen to the Lord speak
To His people true peace
May they not return to all
Their foolish ways.
Truth meets lovingkindness;
Righteousness and peace kiss.
God will give the goodness;
Let us shower Him with praise.
2 Peter 3:8-15a:
God fulfills each promise,
Not in ways of slowness
Waiting patiently
To see the world repent.
So let us in hope cling
To all that is lasting.
With the Lord's provision
Let our vision be content.
Mark 1:1-8:
We lay down our pleasures
To oppose oppressors,
To prepare a pathway for
The Righteous One.
Though we are unworthy
To kneel down and serve the
Mighty one of Zion,
We await the rising Son
Walk Another Mile
When they lie and bring you shame,
'Cause you call on Jesus' name
Let the Spirit bear your pain:
Walk another mile
When they look, then look away,
Scurry off, nothing to say
Don't let fear fill up your day:
Walk another mile
CHORUS:
The eyes of God are watching;
The hand of God restores
He knows the miles you have been walking;
He will strengthen you to walk one more
When they stop you in the street
To test the love and truth you speak
Let your joy become complete:
Walk another mile
When they make every attempt
To break your love, to make you bend
Fix your eyes upon the end:
Walk another mile
Chorus
When your family's in their sights,
Keeping you awake at night
On our knees is where we fight:
Walk another mile
When arrested, don't despair—
Make the guards wonder and stare
Fill the prisons with your prayers:
Walk another mile
And when the guns pound at the door,
Boots and blood upon the floor
Sing and pray, love even more:
Walk another mile
Chorus
He will strengthen you to walk one more