Worship Resources





MAAFA SERVICE

MUSIC & WORSHIP RESOURCES

Sunday, February 17, 2008

William C. Powell, Guest Lectionary Liturgist
Associate Professor of Music, Auburn University, Auburn, AL

Lectionary Scripture - Psalm 137 (New Revised Standard Version)

Worship Planning Notes
Audio/Visual Suggestions:
  • If possible, display images of enslaved Africans as drawn by seventeenth and eighteenth century artists. Incorporate these images into a slide show or display them in print form, depending upon availability. As worshippers enter, play recordings of African American spirituals as sung by choral groups at historically black colleges and universities (see 4(a) in the Cites and Additional Information section).
  • Images of slave ships (perhaps a picture of the hull of a slave ship could be inserted in the bulletin)
  • Images of lynchings or of a noose in light of the recent occurrences in Jena, Louisiana
  • An audio-visual clip of Mamie Till Mobley Bradley speaking about her son’s death1, or clips from the 2006 film Eyes on the Prize: The Story of Emmett Till2
  • Audio story of the Emmett Till murder3
  • Excerpts from The Murder and the Movement that explain how Emmett Till’s murder inspired the NAACP and the Civil Right’s Movement4
  • As worshipers enter, the version of the song “A Change Is Gonna Come,” as sung in the 2006 film The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till5, can play softly so that it echoes throughout the sanctuary. This song can also be found on YouTube as sung by various artists.
  • Use the image of a fount of water to remind worshippers that our baptism waters define us more than the waters of our "exile."
  • Quotations from Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed (30th Anniversary Edition) (New York, NY: Continuum, 2000) can be read or quotes from the book can be used in bulletins or orders of worship.

    1. Invocation
    Years of pain, suffering, oppression!… Lord, help us to remember the high cost our forefathers and foremothers paid for the freedom we enjoy today. May we always honor the memories of the millions of our ancestors who died on our behalf. May we glorify you and never forget the pain and suffering you endured for us in exchange for our freedom from the sting of sin and death.

    2. Hymn or     Anthem
    Anthem
    (a) Lift Every Voice and Sing. By James Weldon Johnson. Tune by J. Rosamund Johnson

    Hymns
    (b) We’ve Come This Far by Faith. By Albert A. Goodson

    (c) The Storm Is Passing Over. By Charles A. Tindley. Arr. By Donald Vails

    (d) In Remembrance. By Jeffery Ames

    3. Spirituals
    (a) Go Down, Moses.

    (b) I’ve Been ‘Buked (and I’ve Been Scorned).

    (c) Soon-a Will Be Done.

    4. Liturgical Dance Music
    (a) Listen to the Lambs. By Robert Nathaniel Dett

    (b) Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child. Traditional

    5. Offering Song or Instrumental
    (a) We’ll Understand It Better By and By. By Charles A. Tindley

    (b) I Want Jesus to Walk with Me. Traditional

    6. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
    Instrumental
    (a) Sweet Hour of Prayer. By William W. Walford

    Songs
    (b) Deep River. Traditional Spiritual

    (c) I Don’t Feel No Ways Tired. By Curtis Burrell

    7. Congregational Songs
    (a) Oh Freedom. Traditional

    (b) Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around. Traditional

    8. Invitational Song or Instrumental
    Song
    (a) Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone. By Thomas Shepherd

    Instrumental
    (b) Come, Ye Disconsolate. By Thomas Moore and Thomas Hastings

    9. Benediction Song or Instrumental
    Till We Meet Again. By Kirk Franklin


    • Cites and Additional Information for Music and Material Listed

    1. Invocation     written by William C. Powell, Auburn, AL. Used with permission.

    2. Hymn or Anthem
    Anthem
    (a) Lift Every Voice and Sing. By James Weldon Johnson. Tune by J. Rosamund Johnson
    Location:
    African American Heritage Hymnal. Chicago, IL: GIA Publications, 2001. #540

    African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal    . Nashville, TN: The African Methodist Episcopal Church, (2000) sixth printing 2004. #571

    Lead Me, Guide Me: The African American Catholic Hymnal. Chicago, IL: GIA Publications, 1987. #291

    The New National Baptist Hymnal 21st Century Edition    . Nashville, TN: Triad Publications, 2001. #457

    Hymns
    (b) We’ve Come This Far by Faith. By Albert A. Goodson
    Location:
    African American Heritage Hymnal. #412

    Lead Me, Guide Me: The African American Catholic Hymnal. #225

    The New National Baptist Hymnal 21st Century Edition. #412

    (c) The Storm Is Passing Over. By Charles A. Tindley. Arr. By Donald Vails
    Location:
    African American Heritage Hymnal. #427

    (d) In Remembrance. By Jeffery Ames. SATB divisi, Horn in F and Piano
    Location:
    Walton Music, distributed by Hal Leonard Corporation
    Available from J. W. Pepper & Sons Incorporated
    2480 Industrial Boulevard
    Paoli, PA 19301
    Phone: 1-800-345-6296

    Online location: www.jwpepper.com


    3. Spirituals
    (a) Go Down, Moses.
    Location:
    African American Heritage Hymnal. #543

    Lead Me, Guide Me: The African American Catholic Hymnal. #292

    The New National Baptist Hymnal 21st Century Edition. #490

    (b) I’ve Been ‘Buked (and I’ve Been Scorned).
    Location:
    African American Heritage Hymnal. #386

    Lead Me, Guide Me: The African American Catholic Hymnal. #53

    (c) Soon-a Will Be Done.
    Location:
    African American Heritage Hymnal. #587

    The New National Baptist Hymnal 21st Century Edition. #492

    4. Liturgical Dance Music
    (a) Listen to the Lambs. By Robert Nathaniel Dett
    Location:
    Howard University Chamber Choir. “Listen to the Lambs.” Eichelberger, Kehembe, and Bernice Johnson Reagon. African American Spirituals The Concert Tradition. V. 1. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Folkways, 1994.

    Smithsonian Global Sound
    600 Maryland Ave. SW, Suite 2001
    Washington, DC 20024
    Phone: 202-633-6460

    Online location: www.smithsonianglobalsound.org

    (b) Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child. Traditional
    Location:
    Eichelberger, Kehembe. African American Spirituals The Concert Tradition. V. 1. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Folkways, 1994.
    Online location: www.smithsonianglobalsound.org

    5. Offering Song or Instrumental
    (a) We’ll Understand It Better By and By. By Charles A. Tindley
    Location:
    African American Heritage Hymnal. #418

    African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal. #394

    The New National Baptist Hymnal, 21st Century Edition. #288

    (b) I Want Jesus to Walk with Me. Traditional
    Location:
    African American Heritage Hymnal. #563

    African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal. #375

    Lead Me, Guide Me: The African American Catholic Hymnal. #263

    6. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
    Instrumental
    (a) Sweet Hour of Prayer. By William W. Walford
    Location:
    African American Heritage Hymnal. #442

    African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal. #307

    Lead Me, Guide Me: The African American Catholic Hymnal. #212

    The New National Baptist Hymnal 21st Century Edition. #332

    Songs
    (b) Deep River. Traditional Spiritual
    Location:
    African American Heritage Hymnal. #605

    Lead Me, Guide Me: The African American Catholic Hymnal. #150

    The New National Baptist Hymnal 21st Century Edition. #491

    (c) I Don’t Feel No Ways Tired. By Curtis Burrell
    Location:
    African American Heritage Hymnal. #414

    Lead Me, Guide Me: The African American Catholic Hymnal. #159

    7. Congregational Songs
    (a) Oh Freedom. Traditional
    Location:
    African American Heritage Hymnal. #545

    Lead Me, Guide Me: The African American Catholic Hymnal. #298

    The New National Baptist Hymnal 21st Century Edition. #486

    (b) Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around. Traditional
    Location:
    Online location: www.negrospirituals.com

    8. Invitational Song or Instrumental
    Song
    (a) Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone. By Thomas Shepherd
    Location:
    African American Heritage Hymnal. #554

    African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal. #155

    The New National Baptist Hymnal 21st Century Edition. #221

    Instrumental
    (b) Come, Ye Disconsolate. By Thomas Moore and Thomas Hastings
    Location:
    African American Heritage Hymnal. #421

    African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal. #227

    Lead Me, Guide Me: The African American Catholic Hymnal. #255

    The New National Baptist Hymnal 21st Century Edition. #264

    9. Benediction Song or Instrumental
    Till We Meet Again. By Kirk Franklin
    Location:
    Kirk Franklin and the Family. Englewood, CA: Gospocentric, 1993.

    NTIME MUSIC COMPANY
    4913 Albemarle Road #103
    Charlotte, NC 28205
    Phone: 704-531-8961

    Online location: www.ntimemusic.com

    Notes

    1. The PBS clip of Mamie Till Mobley. Vecchione, Judith, et al. Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Rights Years. Awakenings 1954-1956. Alexandria, VA: PBS Video, 1986. www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/eyesontheprize/story/01_till.html; and Nelson, Stanley, Marcia Smith, Andre Braugher, Robert Shepard, Lewis Erskine, Tom Phillips, Laurens Grant, Amilca Palmer, and Rena C. Kosersky. The Murder of Emmett Till. [S.l.]: WGBH Educational Foundation, 2003. PBS www.pbs.org
    2. Eyes On The Prize, Part 1: Awakenings 3/9.
    3. (3) Lauver, Nelson. “Story 261: Emmett Till: Historical Account of Emmett Till Murder.” The American Storyteller (Audio) www.theamericanstoryteller.com/story-details.cfm?story=261 accessed 2 January, 2007.
    4. Samuels, Rich. "The Murder and the Movement.” The Story of the Murder of Emmett Till, Expanded version of the original aired on WMAQ-TV in July of 1985. Online video at www.richsamuels.com/nbcmm/till/till.html accessed 25 January, 2008.
    5. Beauchamp, Keith A. The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till. New York: Thinkfilm, 2005. It’s Been a Long Time Coming. Audio at: www.Emmetttillstory.com

    Website

    © 2012 The African American Lectionary.