MUSIC & WORSHIP RESOURCES

Michelle Riley Jones, Lectionary Team Liturgist and Lesley F. Shannon, Guest Lectionary Liturgist, Associate Pastor, St. Paul Community Baptist Church, Brooklyn, NY

Worship Unit Preface

“My grandfather’s grand-mother was seized by an evil Dutch trader two centuries ago; and coming to the valleys of the Hudson and Housatonic, black, little, and lithe, she shivered and shrank in the harsh north winds, looked longingly at the hills, and often crooned a heathen melody to the child between her knees, thus:

‘Do bana coba, gene me, gene me!
Do bana coba, gene me, gene me!
Ben d’ nuli, nuli, nuli, nuli, ben d’ le.’

The child sang it to his children and they to their children’s children, and so two hundred years it has travelled down to us and we sing it to our children, knowing as little as our fathers what its words may mean, but knowing well the meaning of its music.

This was primitive African music; it may be seen in larger form in the strange chant which heralds ‘The Coming of John:’

Worship Planning Notes

The MAAFA commemorates the great tribulation of free Africans brought to the Americas and enslaved. Specifically, the MAAFA helps black people to remember a horrific part of their history and learn from that history. This understanding of our entire story in this country informs how we view and act in the country. Like the Jews who encountered a holocaust at the hands of Germans, Africans endured a far longer and more heinous holocaust at the hands of slavers and white Americans in America.

This year, the African American lectionary’s  MAAFA worship unit features the “sorrow songs,” those songs that begin with expressions of sadness and despair, and that follow a process of transformation and end with hope and joy.

As the worship service begins, have the choir enter singing “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.” The drama team (dressed in black) should also enter down the aisles in pairs, holding cloths of red, black, green, and yellow above their heads, waving as to mimic the waves of an ocean, representing the journey of horror across the ocean from Africa to the Americas. The Liturgical Dance ministry (dressed in black) should accompany them, representing the millions of Africans stolen and herded onto slave ships against their will. If you have a balcony, position two singers in different locations—the first singing “Swing low,” and the second answering “Sweet chariot.” The choir then joins in “coming for to carry me home” and continues with the remainder of the verse. The congregation then joins in singing the first verse again, then proceeds to the remaining verses.

Include “MAAFA Moments” throughout the service—readings, poetry, audio-visual material, dance, musical, or mini dramatic presentations—that speak to the full impact of MAAFA. See the accompanying video, which can be used for one of these moments, or as a transition in the service.

As the service is ending, have your choir and congregation sings songs on how God has brought us through. Use your liturgical dancers, again dressed in black, but this time with sashes in red, green, or yellow, to celebrate God’s mighty acts for us.

1. Congregational Reading, Invocation, or Meditation for Gathering
Meditation for Gathering

Aftershocks

We live with the aftershocks of fear
Our hearts and strength failing
Our tears and rivers through which we run
To you O God

We find our desires
Rubbed against the unknown
Of terror on every side—
And as a maiden watches for her mistress—
We focus our eyes, steadfast on you

Come to our aid, and help us
Where we are fractured and frayed, repair us
When we are weary, uphold us

In the tidal waves of memory
And dust and damage
By the sea of grace of which we
Walk on water to you
Be the last word of hope
And the first sound of joy

While we live with these aftershocks
Be our firm foundation

Amen.

2. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a)  Swing Low. Negro Spiritual

(b)  God Leads Us Along. Text and Tune, (God Leads Us) by G. A. Young

3. Spirituals or Traditional Songs
(a)  Hush, Hush Somebody’s Callin’ My Name. Traditional. Tune, (Somebody’s Callin’)

(b)  I Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray. Negro Spiritual

(c)  Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. Negro Spiritual. This is a contemporary rendition of this familiar Spiritual.

(d)  Soon A Will Be Done. Traditional Spiritual. Arr. By Rosephanye Powell

4. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a)  Out of the Depths. By Thelma Gross

(b)  Does Jesus Care? Traditional

(c)  Wholy Holy. By Renaldo Benson, Al Cleveland, and Marvin Gaye

(d)  I Know Who Holds Tomorrow. By Ira F. Stamphill

5. Liturgical Dance Music or Mime Music
(a)  You Heard My Cry. By Twinkie Clark-Terrell

(b)  Can I Lay In Your Arms? By Donald Lawrence

6. Anthems
(a)  I Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey. Negro Spiritual. Arr. By William Barks-Dale

(b)  Many Are the Afflictions. By Roger Holland. For SATB choir

(c)  Nobody Knows the Trouble I See. Negro Spiritual. Arr. By Fernando Allen

(d)  Some Day. By Charles Tindley. Arr. By Nathan Carter

7. Modern Songs
(a)  I’ll Never Turn Back No More. Negro Spiritual. This is a contemporary version of this Spiritual.

(b)  Save Me. By Warren Campbell, Erica Campbell, and Trecina Campbell

(c)  Remember. By Joan Joseph

8. MAAFA Moments. These can be rendered as short spoken word, drama, dance, video, or musical interludes in the service.
(a)  Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. Negro Spiritual.

(b)  Harambe. By Rosephanye Powell. This selection is for spoken word, vocals, and percussion.

(c)  The Journey, Part III: Death and Freedom. By Rosephanye Powell. This is a great selection for your drama team!

(d)  I’ll Never Turn Back No More. Negro Spiritual. This is a contemporary version of this Spiritual.

(e)  Africana. By Gary Hines. This selection is for spoken word.

9. Song or Instrumental for the Offertory Period
(a)  God Is Good. By Regina Belle

(b)  Run, Mary Run. Negro Spiritual

(c)  Well, Well, Well. Traditional

(d)  The Lord Is My Shepherd. African American Spiritual

10. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a)  Let Us Cheer the Weary Traveler. Negro Spiritual. By Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. Piano solo

(b)  An’ I Cry. Negro Spiritual

(c)  Come Here Jesus, If You Please. Negro Spiritual

(d)  Does Jesus Care? By Frank E. Graeff. Tune, (My Savior Cares) by J. Lincoln Hall

11. Sermonic Selection
(a)  De Blin’ Man Stood on de Road an’ Cried. Arr. By Harry T. Burleigh

(b)  Lord, How Come Me Here. Negro Spiritual

(c)  Don’t Forget to Remember. By Donald Lawrence

(d)  City Called Heaven. Negro Spiritual

(f)  I’ll Never Turn Back No More. Negro Spiritual

12. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a)  How I Got Over. Spiritual

(b)  Bridge Over Troubled Water. By Simon and Garfunkel

13. Benediction Song or Instrumental
(a)  He Has Done Great Things for Me. By Jesse Dixon

(b)  No More Auction Block for Me. Negro Spiritual. Arr. By Lawrence Brown

(c)  Songs That Brought Us Over Medley. By Albert E. Brumley, Albert A. Goodson, Harrison Johnson, and Eddie Johnson

(d)  You Brought the Sunshine. By Twinkie Clark-Terrell

(f)  He Brought Me from A Mighty Long Way. By Walter Hawkins

(g)  Peace and Favor Rest on Us. By Kurt Carr

14. Audio Visual Suggestions
(a)  Use black, red, green, and yellow colors for the altar, choir robes, banners, and flags. Accent colors can be added for the drama and liturgical dance ministers. Ushers and deacons can also be coordinated, dressed in black, with accents of red, green, and yellow.

(b)  Play the accompanying video, “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” as part of a “MAAFA Moment,” or as a lead in to the period of prayer.  

(c) King of Sorrow. By Praylu Production. This video is based on the song “King of Sorrow” as recorded by Sade, and includes music by Tupac and Bob Marley.

Cites and Additional Information for Music and Material Listed

8. MAAFA Moments. These can be rendered as short spoken word, drama, dance, video, or musical interludes in the service.