Lyrics

You're welcome to add these words to your songbook, OHP acetate, multimedia file, as long as you acknowledge copyright in the usual manner for your part of the globe; most are registered with CCLi.

Our home-grown songs include The Dung Song and Put down your arms as well as completing Thine be the Glory with a verse based on the cross.

Thine be the Glory

We recommend using this as the first verse to this hymn - often sung at Easter. It's sometimes as a solo; it allows the congregation to rise into the refrain - which ends up being the whole of the first verse!

Come, see the myst’ry; glory on the earth
God hath sent the Saviour, here through virgin birth.
One with us in suffering; he died upon the cross;
Showing us the Father, bringing home the lost.

Because I know

An opportunity to express more of God's love and life to each other. Sing this in pairs, one echoing the other for the first two lines; feel free to harmonise on the last line! Ideal during the sharing of The Peace, or instead of "saying the grace to each other".

v I can love you

Because I know

That God has loved me too

Further verses include: I can forgive you; I can pray for you .... That Jesus prays for me too. One day we'll hear the newly-weds singing "I can marry you because I know that God has ordained it too"!

Father, you're weeping

Put down your arms

Adeste

Beatitudes

Father, hear the prayer we offer

Thank you, Jesus

I love the name of Jesus

Jesus, name above all names 3

We are marching

Some hymns and songs lend themselves to additional verses to reflect a theme or season. We added these verses to tie in to the theme of Moses at Messy Church using the tune Siyahamba and adapted 'The Grace' to the same melody; there's another further below.

2 We are marching to the promised land

3 We are waiting for the manna to fall

4 We are praying to say thank you to God

5 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
And the love of God our Father in heaven
And the power of the Spirit of God
Be ' with us all for evermore

And another for Messy Church taster or training events:

2 We are changing all the words of the songs, we are making it fit to the theme

3 It’s a ‘welcome’ to the family of God in a way that brings us together

4 It’s OK to have whale of a time, it’s a party in the Kingdom of Heaven

5 It’s so Messy, there is glitter and glue; and things rhyming in the church hall, too…

6 We are praying to say thank you to God

Remembrance Day

We're aware that everyone can sing slow, reflective worship songs in ways that are deeply anointed, but Remembrance may be considered to be an unusual time or theme for a lively, strongly rhythmical song. Then The Wombles sang 'Remember you're a Womble' (1974) at Glastonbury, 2011... (Youtube). Many thanks to Mike Batt, of course.

1 When the sun doesn't shine
And it's cloudy and grey;
Yet it's just the beginning
Of a very special day;
And you've bought yourself a poppy
For Remembrance Day…

Remember, remember, remember, remember, remember, remember -
Remember to be thankful (echo)
Remember to be grateful
Remember to be prayerful
Remember to be thankful.
Remember, ’member, ’member
How much Jesus loves us all.

2 When it's sad and lonely when
Your friends are away;
And all those we have loved
Can no longer stay.
’Cos it’s time for their souls
To go to heaven to pray…

Adapted from 'Remember you're a Womble' by Mike Batt - with thanks - by Humph Baker, 2013; G -> A

Father, you're weeping

Written after seeing God's tears:

1 Father, you’re weeping
Jesus, you’re bleeding
Spirit, you’re grieving
Over me, over me.

2 Father, I’m sorry
Jesus, forgive me
Spirit, release me
From my guilt, from my pain.

3 Father, you’re smiling
Jesus, you’re rejoicing
Spirit, you’re thrilling
Over me, over me.

Put down your arms

Yet more tears following the pain of adultery and deception, in all cases perpetuated by the folly that the error was no worse than anyone else's mistake. Put down your arms pours out the desire to come alongside the accuser and walk with them to the foot of the cross. Some have considered this song too powerful for the congregation's ears.

1 When will you look into the face of all your games
While all the folly of your selfishness breeds shame?
Your desires fuel only your ego - and cause me pain;
Look into your Father’s eyes, look once again:

® Put down your arms, surrender all;
At our precious Saviour’s feet we fall;
Submit to him, the bridegroom welcoming his bride
Live his life, since he gave his life for you.

2 Point your finger and tell me I’m wrong to point at you,
But why should my life and so many others be rent in two?
Is the purity of your heart bringing me new life,
Or is it only reveling in the chance to fight?

Adeste

In honouring those joining in worship at Sophie & Tim's wedding in 2015, the processional music was printed and projected in a dozen languages, including this 'Unknown Dialect':

® By gum now, let's adore him,
Eh - si thee! Let's adore him,
Ay, then, let's adore him,
Christ t'Lord!

Beatitudes

This version can be sung as a canon, second part comes in at start of the second bar, together on second line.

Blessed are those who are poor in spirit
Theirs is the kingdom of heaven

Blessed are those ’ who mourn
Comfort will truly be theirs

Blessed are those who live so meekly
They will inherit the earth

Blessed are those who thirst for righteousness
Their hunger, it will be filled

Blessed are those who offer mercy
They will receive it in kind

Blessed are those whose heart is pure
They will surely see God

Blessed are those who share your peace Lord
You have called them your sons

Blessed are you when you are persecuted
The kingdom of heaven is yours

Father, hear the prayer we offer

A triumphant last verse for hymn

Now we give thee all the glory

Three in one, we give thee praise;

Guiding, guarding, and empowering -

God and Lord of all our days.

Thank you, Jesus

As used at Messy Church one Christmas

1 Long foretold on earth, your humble stable birth,

Thank you, Lord, for loving me;

Laid in a manger stall – to show your love for all,

Thank you, Lord, for loving me

2 Born at Bethlehem - in a stable there,

Thank you, Lord, for loving me;

This Christmas season where you show you care,

Thank you, Lord, for loving me

3 Kings and shepherds came to show their love the same,

Thank you, Lord, for loving me;

Hosts of Angels sang – crying out your name,

Thank you, Lord, for loving me.

Extra verses © Humph Baker, 2012, Three Humps Music

I love the name of Jesus

A second verse for Kathleen Thomerson's song

I love the name of Jesus, he walked on the earth, & he guides my feet each day;

I bless the name of Jesus, the path for my life, he's the truth, the life, the way;

Spirit of love, Spirit of power, shine through eternity

I love the name of Jesus, river of life, by your side I will always stay.

I have loved you

This is closely based on John 15 v9, written whilst being loved and welcomed by the folk at the Saturday night fellowship in Allerthorpe in the mid-seventies (more below). The extra verse includes the heartbeat of the passage as revealed by The Message.

I have loved you, even as the Father has loved me;

I have loved you, even as the Father has loved me.

Live in me;

Live within my love

I have shown you all that the Father has shown me;

I have shown you all that the Father has shown me.

Live in me;

Live within my love

I have called you, even as the Father has called me;

I have called you, even as the Father has called me.

Follow me;

Follow me wherever I go

I have loved you, even as the Father has loved me;

I have loved you, even as the Father has loved me.

Live in me;

You're at home in my love

Holy Joe

Written for a theme of summer services, complete with hand jive; the vicar laughed his head off when he returned from holiday. He moved from Holy Trinity, Ripon, to the Church of England's selection team....

Holy Joe! The life he led:
Forgetting troubled times, being left for dead;
But his life bore fruit indeed,
He met his brothers' needs;
And through his life he's sown a seed.

People saw God alive in Joe,
They gave him favour only a king would know
But some lied about his ways
And threw him into chains,
Yet God in Jo still won the day.

Then, as now, God spoke in dreams,
The Holy Spirit can tell us what they mean.
Just like Jo we'll hear God's word
Which cuts like a two-edged sword
To teach and guide or give our lives a stir.

Joseph knew a love so rare;
He forgave his brothers - though they were unaware,
He returned their cash in their sacks
So full of grain on their backs,
To test their faith and show his love and care.

Holy Joe! We can see God's hand
Putting Joseph in charge of Pharaoh's land,
So his dad and brothers ate
When famine hit the state,
Preserving them as God had always planned!

Holy Joe, Jacob's Son; Wed to Asenath, Manassah your first born son; Ephraim your second, you loved your family; Justice, favour & honour

MOTD

The youth weekend had four separate themes: Ephesians 5, Run the race, Beatitudes and Knowing Jesus. I used the Match of the Day inspired first verse (author unknown) and wrote three verses for the other themes. We eventually ran out of time and so we sang all four verses at the same time - each group singing their own verse. Great fun!

We're aware that many other verses have also been written for this tune.

Put your helmet on your head
And your sandals on your feet,
Put your belt around your waist
And you're nearly dressed complete;
Put your breastplate on your chest
And your sword and shield in hand
Now you're ready for the battle
So for Jesus take a stand!

If you want to run the race
And you want to run to win
Then you need to know the Lord
And how to run to him;
You need to know his voice
And the Spirit's power within
Then you'll long to meet the Father
And to run and walk with him!

Blessèd are the poor in spirit,
For the kingdom of heaven is theirs;
Blessèd are all those who mourn,
They'll have comfort for all their cares;
Blessèd are the meek in heart,
For the earth was made for them;
Blessèd are those great in mercy,
They'll receive it back again.

Jesus is the real reason
He's the Father's precious son;
When I know he suffered for me
Then my new life's just begun;
Laying down his own desires
And his life upon the cross;
He has granted me forgiveness
In my life - with God, the boss.

The Dung Song

Some think this is anti-Kingdom principles, others have laughed for hours. The sight of a giggly curate never leaves you. Enjoy richly:

I love to go in beehives, cos I like to be stung,
I love to swim in sewers and paddle on my tum;
I love to splash in pig sties and trample in the dung,
'Cos what's in my heart comes out of my mouth, not just out of my bum

It's nice to laugh at others, I like to say they stink,
I love to take the mickey, it's good - that's what I think;
I love to spread the rumour to send people to the shrink,
'Cos what's in my heart comes out of my mouth by the waggling of my tongue

I love to play with magic, I think it's just good fun
Here's a fiver in the sweepstake cos I might just win a ton
A pound goes on the lott'ry, it might just help someone
'Cos what's in the heart comes out of the mouth and it won't hurt no-one.

Abba, Father 4

A few unusual ones collected over the years; I'm unable to find the author and copyright holder; if you know more, let us know - contact us via the Resources page. The well known first verse of this one was written by Dave Bilbrough

Abba, Father, let me be yours and yours alone;
May my will for ever be evermore your own;
Never let my heart grow cold, never let me go;
Abba, Father, let me be yours and yours alone

Abba, Father, when I look up into your face
May you see within my smile gratitude for grace;
Never let my heart forget all your mending care;
You have drawn me in your love to your holy place

Abba, Father, your embrace is security;
May I keep your family name high in purity;
Spirit of adoption come: cry within my soul;
Abba, Father, I'm your child for eternity

Abba, Father, we are yours, help us to be one,
One in body, spirit, mind, one in love for you;
Never let my patience fail, keep me strong and true;
Abba, Father, we are yours, help us to be one

Jesus, name above all names 3

Two extra verses to Jesus, Name above all names :

Jesus, name above all names,
Beautiful Saviour, glorious Lord;
Emmanuel, God is with us,
Blessèd Redeemer, living Word.

Anointed above his companions,
Man of gladness, lover of righteousness;
Messiah, life giving Spirit,
Mighty Deliverer, Priest and King.

Bruisèd, despised and rejected,
Man of sorrows, you died for our sin;
Now risen, reigning in splendour,
Thank you, Lord Jesus, Lamb and King.