DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.'S BIRTHDAY
(BELOVED COMMUNITY DAY)

MUSIC & WORSHIP RESOURCES

Monday, January 18, 2010

Ramón D. Bryant, Guest Lectionary Liturgist
Director, Chancel Choir, Douglas Memorial Community Church, Baltimore, MD

Worship Planning Notes

(a) Prior to the start of service, show images of global social injustice juxtaposed with images of Dr. King and other civil rights activists working to bring an end to suffering throughout the world. Consider using Yolanda Adam’s “The Things We Do” as the soundtrack to the video. See #14 in the cites section.

(b) Play clips of Dr. King’s sermons or speeches at appropriate times during the service.

(c) Host an interactive event with seniors, youth, and young adults where the elders share with the younger generations their first-hand accounts of racial and social injustices.

(d) Invite another church that consists predominantly of another race to worship with your congregation. Develop a theme for the worship service, and share in each other’s musical and homiletical traditions.

1. Instrumental Prelude, Spoken or Sung Call to Worship, or Litany
Instrumental Prelude
(a) Spiritual: Round about the Mountain. By Noel Da Costa. For organ

(b) Sheep May Safely Graze (from Cantata No. 208). By Johann S. Bach. For organ

Spoken Call to Worship
(c) Psalm 47:1-2, 5-6

Choral Call to Worship
(d) Let the Heaven Light Shine on Me. Arr. by Roland M. Carter

(e) Grace and Peace. By Charlene Moore Cooper

Litany
(f) Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

2. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a) Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah. By William Williams. Tune, (CWM Rhondda)

(b) Hail to the Lord’s Anointed. By James Montgomery. Tune, (Sheffield) English
      melody

(c) I Am on the Battlefield. By Sylvana Bell and E. V. Banks. Tune, (Battlefield)

(d) In Christ There Is No East or West. Galatians 3:28, John Oxenham. Tune, (McKee)
     Adapt. by Harry T. Burleigh

(e) Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You. By Henry Van Dyke. Tune, (Hymn to Joy) by Ludwig
     van Bethoven

(f) Let All the People Praise Thee. By C. H. Morris

3. Spirituals or Traditional Songs
(a) Ain’t Got Time to Die. Arr. by Hall Johnson. For SATB, a capella

(b) I Wanna Be Ready. Arr. by Moses Hogan. For SATB, a capella

(c) Done Made My Vow to the Lord. Arr. by John W. Work. For SATB, a capella

(d) Ain’t-A Dat Good News. Arr. by William L. Dawson. For SATB, SSA, TTBB, a
     capella

(e) Guide My Feet. Negro spiritual. Harm. By Wendell P. Whalum

4. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a) Come into His Presence. By Lynn Baird

(b) High and Lifted Up. By Joe Pace

(c) We Worship You. By David Caton and James J. Hairston

(d) No Defeat. By David Frazier

5. Liturgical Dance Music
(a) I Understand. By Percy Bady

(b) He’s Got the Whole World in His Hand. Negro spiritual. Arr. by Margaret Bonds

6. Anthems
(a) Lord, Make Me an Instrument of Thy Peace. By John Rutter. For SATB with organ,
TTBB with piano

(b) O For a Faith. Arr. by Nathan Carter. For bass or contralto solo, alto, SATB and
keyboard

(c) Blessed Are the Men Who Fear Him (from Elijah). By Felix Mendelssohn. For SATB
with piano

(d) No Greater Love Hath No Man. By John Ireland. For SATB with organ

(e) I Am His Child. By Moses Hogan. For SATB with piano, SSA with piano

7. Modern Songs
(a) Koinonia. By V. Michael McKay

(b) Heal the Land. By Myron Butler

(c) My Name Is Victory. By Justin Savage and Jonathan Nelson

(d) Hold On Old Soldier. By Walter Hawkins

8. Offertory Song or Instrumental
(a) There’s a Bright Side Somewhere. Anonymous

(b) Taste and See. By Kenneth W. Louis

(c) The Blessing of Abraham. By Donald Lawrence

9. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a) Lord I Have Seen Thy Salvation. By John D. Cooper

(b) My Help (Comes from the Lord). By Jackie Farris-Gouche

(c) Keep Hope Alive. By Donald Vails

(d) Thy Way, Oh Lord. By Nina B. Jackson

10. Sermonic Selection
(a) Beams of Heaven. By Charles A. Tindley. Arr. by Robert E. Wooten, Sr. For SATB
with piano

(b) Precious Lord. By Thomas A. Dorsey

(c) Encourage Yourself. By Donald Lawrence

(d) Take Up Your Cross. By Ray Johanson, Joan Blotz, and Steve Millikan

11. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a) Here Am I. Text and tune by Nolan E. Williams, Jr.

(b) Lord, I Want to Be a Christian. Negro spiritual

12. Benediction Spoken or Sung
Spoken
(a) So Overcome

As the Savior so taught…
Go now and Overcome.
Overcome racial hatred with love and understanding.
Overcome sexism with mutual honor and respect.
Overcome social inequities with fair and equal educational and employment opportunities.
Overcome mean-heartedness with a kind word or good deed.
Overcome war, poverty, hunger, and suffering throughout our urban streets and lands abroad, by sharing the love of Christ Jesus with your neighbor.
Go and take peace…take peace to the elderly, the imprisoned, the parentless, and the homeless. Remember all those who society tends to forget.
Let your light shine wherever darkness looms so that all God’s children may be free at last.
God grant us the strength to overcome and love to conquer.
Amen.

Sung
(b) Some Day. By Charles A. Tindley. Arr. by Nathan Carter. For mixed chorus, solo,
organ

(c) Unity. Arr. by Daniel M. Cason, II. Tune by Glorraine Moody

(d) We Shall Overcome. Traditional

13. Postlude
(a) For He Is King of Kings! (from Songs of Deliverance). Arr. by William Farley Smith. For organ

(b) We Are All One in Mission (from Augsburg Organ Library-Epiphany). By Mark Sedio. For organ

Cites and Additional Information for Music and Materials Listed

Spoken Call to Worship
(c) Psalm 47:1-2, 5-6

12. Benediction Spoken or Sung
Spoken
(a) So Overcome. By Ramón DeMar Bryant