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HEALTH DAY

MUSIC & WORSHIP RESOURCES

Sunday, June 27, 2010
                         
Rodney Teal, Guest Lectionary Liturgist, Minister of Music, Israel Baptist Church, Washington, D.C.

Worship Planning Notes

This Sunday is critically important for African American churches. Our community, per capita, leads the country in cases of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, prostate cancer, new cases of HIV/AIDS, and mortality due to violence. Health Day is not a part of traditional church calendars. But it should be! Given the limited health care available to many in our community and the low health literacy level in the United States, it is time for our churches to take a hard stance against unhealthy lifestyles.

On Health Day, bring in doctors, nutritionists, and others and have them speak during your worship service. Focus on things that persons can do each day to improve their health. Put pictures of health activities on screens and throughout your church in visible areas (such as restrooms).

Most importantly, set up a health station on this Sunday or the week prior to the service, where persons can receive testing or screening for  health issues such as high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and breast cancer. Work several weeks in advance to secure medical personnel, perhaps through your local clinics and county health services office. Invite the community to participate. Advertise, advertise, advertise the event. Leave no stone unturned in getting out the word that you are holding free health screenings/testing.

Make your church a “Health Zone.” This will mean making a commitment to serving only healthy foods for all events and during times such as coffee hours and after church meet-and-greets. The pastor and/or his or her spouse can lead in this effort by engaging in an example of healthy living such as participating in an upcoming marathon or walkathon and by getting tested for all ailments that commonly cut short the lives of African Americans.

Have pins created for this day. Place the name of your church on the pins and a slogan that concerns health.

Place banners around the church that include statistics to make people aware how bad our health problems are in our community. If you cannot do banners, include this information in your church bulletin.

Finally, your church may want to commit to a CHURCH GOAL of losing one thousand (1,000) pounds or whatever your church believes is appropriate over the next twelve months. Make this fun. Do monthly weigh-ins even during worship service. You can have group or committee weight loss/get healthy goals. Be creative! Perhaps as a prize to all who participate, the church can hold a “Health Victory” Picnic, take a trip to a special destination, etc. Also, be sure to advertise in all media that your church has set the goals and then advertise to let your community know how your church faired.

1. Litany -  Health and Wellness

Leader:	History bears witness that God has chosen the fragile vessels of people to be vehicles of grace and messenger of his ministering presence and mercy.
People:	We bear the mark of God’s image. We have been created as unique and special individuals, knowing that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit.
Leader:	We live in a medical age unprecedented in history. We have eliminated many of the scourges and plagues that haunted the world through the ages.
People:	We thank you, God. You are the Comforter and Healer of all sickness and affliction. We depend on you to give us insight and wisdom for greater cures, therapies, and techniques to conquer diseases and mental afflictions.
Leader:	Bless all health practitioners, the methods they use and medicines they prescribe. Give us the faith and trust to cooperate with the revealed truth which you have given to help us attain wholeness of body and mind.
People:	Heal your people through the hands of research, surgery, and touch. Relieve the pain of many who are languishing in despair. Give them the strength to endure and the faith to overcome what ails them.
Leader:	Today we take responsibility for our own health and wellness by learning how to practice good habits and how to respond to our body’s warning signs.
People:	We take responsibility for our diet, exercise and health care. Lord give us a balanced life of work and relaxation.
Leader:	Pressures, demands, and worries fill us with disease. We take responsibility to keep them within manageable limits. Illness is often associated with the need for inner healing. Therefore, we take responsibility to confess our sins before God, and to be reconciled to our brothers and sisters.
People:	Wellness is a state of mind, body and soul. We take responsibility to view health and wholeness as an important part of our salvation. Jesus said, “For which is easier to say, ‘Your sons are forgiven’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk?’” (Matt. 9:5)
Leader:	We pray that all people may have access to quality health care, regardless of economic status or family situation.
ALL:	Jesus was concerned with the sick and he was attentive to the mind and spirit of those who suffered. May we do the same in daily service, reminding others that the healing power of the Holy Spirit is within every true believer.

2. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a) Lord, Keep Me Day by Day. By Eddie Williams

(b) Keep Me Everyday. By F. L. Eiland. Tune by Emmet S. Dean

(c) Just a Closer Walk with Thee. Anonymous. Tune, (CLOSER WALK), Anonymous

3. Spirituals or Traditional Songs
(a) There Is a Balm in Gilead. Negro Spiritual. Arr. by Nolan Williams, Jr.

(b) I Know the Lord Has Laid His Hands on Me. Negro Spiritual. Arr. by Valeria Foster

(c) All My Help Comes from the Lord. By Cleophus Robinson

4. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a) Can’t Nobody Do Me Like Jesus. By Andraé Crouch. Arr. by Nolan Williams, Jr.

(b) Lord, Help Me to Hold Out. By James Cleveland. Arr. by Evelyn Simpson-Curenton

(c) Open the Eyes of My Heart. By Paul Baloche

5. Liturgical Dance Music
The Potter’s House. By V. Michael McKay

6. Anthems
(a) Psalm 23. By Eugene W. Hancock

(b) Let the Heav’n Light Shine on Me. Arr. by Roland Carter

(c) I Sing the Mighty Power of God. Arr. by Roberto Burton

7. Modern Songs (Songs Written after 1989)
(a) Everything I Need You Are. By Rodney Teal

(b) I Have a Testimony. By Oscar Williams

(c) G.A. Hymn (Who Else but God). By Tye Tribbett

8. Song or Instrumental for the Offertory Period
(a) Jesus Can Work It Out. By Bernard Jordan

(b) All in His Hands. By V. Michael McKay

(c) That’s What He’s Done for Me. By James Hall

9. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a) Acceptable to You. By Eli Wilson, Jr.

(b) I Can Do All Things through Christ. By Elbernita Clark

(c) Learning to Lean. By John Stallings

10. Sermonic Selection
(a) Healing. By Richard Smallwood

(b) Healed. By Donald Lawrence

(c) Restoring the Years. By Donald Lawrence

11. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a) The Broken Vessel. By Andraé Crouch

(b) The Corinthian Song. By V. Michael McKay

(c) O How He Loves You and Me. By Kurt Kaiser

12. Benediction Song or Instrumental
(a) He Touched Me. By William Gaither. Tune, (HE TOUCHED ME).

(b) It Is Well with My Soul. By Horatio G. Spafford. Tune, (VILLE DE HAVRE), by Phillip P.
Bliss

(c) Because He Lives. By Gloria Gaither. Tune, (RESURRECTION), by William Gaither

Cites and Additional Information for Music and Material Listed

1. Litany – “Health and Wellness.”
Location:
2. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a) Lord, Keep Me Day by Day. By Eddie Williams
Location: (b) Keep Me Everyday. By F. L. Eiland. Tune by Emmet S. Dean
Location: (c) Just a Closer Walk with Thee. Anonymous. Tune, (CLOSER WALK), Anonymous
Location: 3. Spirituals or Traditional Songs
(a) There Is a Balm in Gilead. Negro Spiritual. Arr. by Nolan Williams, Jr.
Location: (b) I Know the Lord Has Laid His Hands on Me. Negro Spiritual. Arr. by Valeria Foster
Location:
(c) All My Help Comes from the Lord. By Cleophus Robinson
Location:
4. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a) Can’t Nobody Do Me Like Jesus. By Andraé Crouch. Arr. by Nolan Williams, Jr.
Location: (b) Lord, Help Me to Hold Out. By James Cleveland. Arr. by Evelyn Simpson-Curenton
Location:
(c) Open the Eyes of My Heart. By Paul Baloche
Location:
5. Liturgical Dance Music
The Potter’s House. By V. Michael McKay
Location:
6. Anthems
(a) Psalm 23. By Eugene V. Hancock
Location: (b) Let the Heav’n Light Shine on Me. Arr. By Roland Carter
Location:
(c) I Sing the Mighty Power of God. Arr. by Roberto Burton
Location: 7. Modern Songs (Songs Written after 1989)
(a) Everything I Need You Are. By Rodney Teal
Location:
(b) I Have a Testimony. By Oscar Williams
Location:
(c) G.A. Hymn (Who Else but God). By Tye Tribbett
Location:
8. Song or Instrumental for the Offertory Period
(a) Jesus Can Work It Out. By Bernard Jordan
Location:
(b) All in His Hands. By V. Michael McKay
Location:
(c) That’s What He’s Done for Me. By James Hall
Location:
9. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a) Acceptable to You. By Eli Wilson, Jr.
Location:
(b) I Can Do All Things through Christ. By Elbernita Clark
Location: (c) Learning to Lean. By John Stallings
Location: 10. Sermonic Selection
(a) Healing. By Richard Smallwood
Location:
(b) Healed. By Donald Lawrence
Location:
(c) Restoring the Years. By Donald Lawrence
Location:
11. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a) The Broken Vessel. By Andraé Crouch
Location:
(b) The Corinthian Song. By V. Michael McKay
Location:
(c) O How He Loves You and Me. By Kurt Kaiser
Location:
12. Benediction Song or Instrumental
(a) He Touched Me. By William Gaither. Tune, (HE TOUCHED ME).
Location: (b) It Is Well with My Soul. By Horatio G. Spafford. Tune, (VILLE DE HAVRE), by Phillip P.   
Bliss
Location: (c) Because He Lives. By Gloria Gaither. Tune, (RESURRECTION), by William Gaither
Location:

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