ECONOMIC JUSTICE SUNDAY
  
MUSIC & WORSHIP RESOURCES

Worship Planning Notes

In his inaugural address President Obama admonished us to choose our better history and reminded us that we are all equal. His words draw our attention to our responsibility to the poor and stewardship of our resources to uplift the poor.

In today’s commentary, Dr. Forrest Elliott Harris makes it plain: a compassionate spirituality relevant to the spiritual and material needs of people is the urgent lifeboat the Black church can provide in today’s economic crisis.

Develop a church covenant statement on economic justice and identify specific actions and goals your church will pursue. This covenant statement should be read by the entire congregation during a service, printed in your church bulletin/order of worship, displayed in a highly visible location in your church, and indicated on your church website.

Worship Elicits Response
1. A period for testimonials is appropriate to highlight real-life situations of poverty to build acceptance for the ongoing work of the church in this area and to sensitize persons in your congregation to economic justice work. Be careful when highlighting persons in poverty that you gain written permission before persons at your church speak about them or show their images.

2. Offer a ministry spotlight during worship to profile your church ministries that are focused on issues related to poverty, homelessness, etc. Although ministry members should be appreciated, instead of giving plaques to them, celebrate the individuals whose lives have been impacted by the work of the ministry.

3. Consider having your photographer capture images of local poverty, and project them on screens throughout the service as you read Scripture and sing songs. To complement this (see 13(a) and 13(b).) This day presents an opportunity to help your congregation see what they might otherwise not see, and begin to respond to God’s call for active service on behalf of the poor.

4. Develop a pamphlet of the church’s ministries and programs relative to all justice issues and use this day to host a sign-up for members to get involved in current or projected projects that concern issues related to poverty, homelessness, etc.

Outside of the worship service:

1. If your church does not have ministries dedicated in these areas, partner with local established and organized efforts that are doing what your church wants to do.
   
   
2. Review the needs of your local community, and develop your own ongoing programs and services to address the needs of poverty. Also, consider other church-based models which may help in the development of your own programs. (See today’s Cultural Resource unit for numerous suggestions for programmatic ideas.)
   
   
3. Friday Night “TRUTH and ACTION” Jazz Vespers. This service could address issues of economic injustice through music, readings, or reflections from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speeches and the writings of many others; real-life reflections; and/or spoken word or poetry. Highlight the music of jazz musicians who rallied for justice (i.e., Nina Simone, etc.). This service can also serve to introduce people to established programs in your church and to solicit volunteers.

1. Invocation or Litany
Instrumental Prelude
(a) His Eye Is on the Sparrow. By Civilla D. Martin. Tune by Charles H. Gabriel. Arr. by Kathy Smith. For piano

Call to Worship
(b) Call to Worship.

Music
(c) You’re Welcome Here. By Percy Gray, Jr.

2. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a) Christ Is All. Text and Tune, (Christ Is All) by Kenneth Morris

(b) In Christ There Is No East or West. By John Oxenham. Tune, (St. Peter) by Alexander R. Reinagle

3. Spirituals or Traditional Songs   
(a) Go Down, Moses. African American Spiritual. Tune, Go Down Moses

(b) No, Not One. By Johnson Oatman, Jr. Tune, (Harper Memorial) by George C. Hugg

(c) Plenty Good Room. Negro Spiritual

(d) I’ve Been Buked. Traditional

4. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams          
(a) Angels Unaware. By Nolan Williams, Jr. For SATB

(b) Help Somebody. By Jeff Majors

(c) It’s Better to Help Somebody. By Michael E. Mathis

5. Liturgical Dance Music
(a) Love’s in Need. By Stevie Wonder

(b) Unto the Least of These. By Mary-Kathryn

(c) Least of These/Put a Little Love in Your Heart. By Jackie DeShannon, Jimmy Holiday, Israel Houghton, Meleasa Houghton, and Randy Myers. Revise the lyrics from “this Christmas Day” to “this Justice Day.”

6. Anthem
Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor. By Emma Lazarus. Arr. by Jay Rouse. Part of “Sweet Land of Liberty” compilation. For SATB. This contemporary version of this familiar anthem also incorporates narration.

7. Modern Songs
(a) He Cares. By Isaac Carree and H. R. Crump

(b) Love Them Like Jesus. By Mark Hall and Bernie Herms

(c) Help Somebody. By Deitrick Haddon, Tim Kelley, and Bob Robinson

8. Song or Instrumental for the Offertory Period
(a) Hunger & Starvation/Satisfy My Soul. By Mark Mohr. Christian Reggae

(b) Lord Jesus Help Me (Help Somebody Else). By Mitchell Jones

(c) Lighthouse. By Percy Gray, Jr. and Jereal Gray, Sr.

9. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a) The Cry of the Poor. By John Michael Talbot

(b) Medley: Poor, Wayfaring Stranger/I’ve Been in the Storm So Long. Spiritual

(c) Spirit of the Living God. By Daniel Iverson

(d) Father, I Stretch My Hands to Thee. By Charles Wesley. Tune, (Martyrdom) by Hugh Wilson

10. Sermonic Selection
(a) If I Can Help Somebody. By Alma Bazel Androzzo. Solo version

(b) Keep the Dream Alive. By Robert Manuel

(c) Help Somebody Today. By Jerri Little

(d) I Need You to Survive. By Hezekiah Walker. This Gospel classical rendition features a male trio.

(e) To Be Like Jesus. By Duranice Pace

(f) Jesus’ Love Is Like a River. By Orrin G. Hatch, Janice Knapp Perry, and Gladys Knight

(g) No One Ever Cared for Me Like Jesus. By C. F. Weigle

11. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a) Jesus Is Love. By Lionel Ritchie. Instrumental or vocal renditions

(b) No Man Is an Island. By John Doone

12. Benediction Spoken, Sung, or Instrumental
Benediction Prayers
*(a) Benediction Prayer for the Poor.

Benediction Music
(b) Yes We Can (Live). By John P. Kee

(c) God Will Take Care of You. By Civilla D. Martin. Tune, (God Cares) by W. Stillman Martin. Instrumental arr. by Todd Ledbetter

13. Audio Visual Suggestions
(a) Develop a “TRUTH and ACTION” Poster Campaign. Take photos of local poverty and develop posters using these images with the following caption:

Worship Planning Notes
Excerpt taken from Inaugural Speech of President Barack H. Obama, January 20, 2009.

See Dr. Forest Elliott Harris’s 2009 commentary on Economic Justice for The African American Lectionary. Dr. Harris is the President, American Baptist College. He is also the Director of the Kelly Miller Smith Institute on Black Church Studies, Vanderbilt Divinity School, Nashville, Tennessee, a collaborative partner in The African American Lectionary.

1. Invocation or Litany
Instrumental Prelude
(a) His Eye Is on the Sparrow. By Civilla D. Martin. Tune by Charles H. Gabriel. Arr. by Kathy Smith. For piano
Location:
Smith, Kathy. His Eye is On the Sparrow: (Songs of Faith for the Piano Soloist). Kansas City, MO: Lillenas Publishing, 2004.

Call to Worship
(b) Call to Worship. By Rev. T. Anne Daniel. Copyright 2009. Used with permission.

13. Audio Visual Suggestions
(a) Images for an Economic Justice worship service or related activity may be found at

www.istockphoto.com.