INDEPENDENCE SUNDAY
(Honoring Those Who Helped Gain Our Independence)

MUSIC & WORSHIP RESOURCES

Sunday, July 4, 2010
 
W. Patrick Alston, Sr., Lectionary Team Liturgist
 
1. Litany/Call to Worship—Liberation

Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters.

“Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey…

“The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them.

“So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”

In this year of jubilee you shall return, every one of you, to your property. You shall observe my statutes and faithfully keep my ordinances, so that you may live on the land securely.

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,

To bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners;

To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;

To provide for those who mourn in Zion—to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

But thanks be to God that you, having once been slaves of sin, have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted, and that you, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another.

For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, despicable, hating one another.

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

2. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a) Lift Every Voice and Sing. By James Weldon Johnson. Tune by J. Rosamond Johnson

(b) My Tribute. By Andraé Crouch

(c) Oh, What He’s Done for Me. Traditional. Arr. by James Abbington

3. Spirituals or Traditional Songs
(a) Daniel, Daniel, Servant of the Lord. By Undine Smith Moore

(b) God Never Fails. By George Jordan

(c) We Are Soldiers. Traditional. Arr. by Nolan Williams, Jr.

4. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a) You Deserve the Glory. By Lena Hellmark

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

(c) I’m Encouraged. By Thomas Whitfield

5. Liturgical Dance Music
(a) Faith. By Darnelle Harris

(b) He’s on Your Side. By David Frazier

6. Anthems
(a) Lord, We Give Thanks to Thee. By Undine Smith Moore

(b) It Pays to Serve Jesus. Arr. by Nathan Carter

(c) O for a Faith. Arr. by Nathan Carter

7. Modern Songs (Songs Written after 1989)
(a) Champion. By Jonathan Nelson and Kenneth Shelton

(b) Hero. By Kirk Franklin

(c) I Owe You the Praise. By Milton Biggham

8. Offertory Song or Instrumental
(a) Bye and Bye. By Milton Biggham

(b) He Saved My Soul. By Thomas Whitfield

(c) It Must Be the Lord. By Alvin Darling

9. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a) Somebody Here Needs a Blessing. By Eddie A. Robinson

(b) Mansions of the Lord. By Randall Wallace and Nick Glennie-Smith

(c) Precious Memories. Roberta Martin and Georgia Jones. Arr. by Joseph Joubert

10. Sermonic Selection
(a) Oh What Love. By T. J. Hemphill

(b) I Can’t Thank You Enough. By Tony Dyson

(c) The Promise. By Darius Brooks

(d) Soon as I Get Home. By Thomas Whitfield

11. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a) I Am Redeemed. By Jesse Dixon

(b) We Won’t Leave Here Like We Came. By Maceo Woods. Arr. by Nolan Williams, Jr.

(c) May the Work I’ve Done Speak for Me. By Sullivan Pugh. Arr. by Kenneth Morris

12. Benediction Song or Instrumental
(a) God of Our Fathers. By Daniel C. Roberts. Tune, (NATIONAL HYMN), by George  
W. Warren

(b) For All the Saints. By William How. Tune, (SINE NOMINE), by Ralph Vaughan
Williams

(c) The Star-Spangled Banner. By Francis S. Key. Tune, (STAR SPANGLED  
BANNER), by John S. Smith

13. Audio Visual Aids
Use family photos from congregants. These photos should be representative of the theme (Independence Day) from an African American perspective. If congregational photos are not available, use other images (photos, sculptures, quilts, or dramas) that represent the theme from an African American perspective.

14. Other Recommendations
(a) If your choir chooses to sing Spirituals, they may want to dress in period attire.

(b) Today it is appropriate, if desired, to have worship flags (Christian and Civil) on flag stands.

Cites and Additional Information for Music and Material Listed Above

(c) I’m Encouraged. By Thomas Whitfield
Location: