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CHOIR ANNIVERSARY

MUSIC & WORSHIP RESOURCES

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Nolan Williams, Jr., Lectionary Team Liturgist; Kenneth Mosley, Assistant Liturgist; and Byron Cage, Contributor, Gospel Recording Artist/Minister of Worship, Ebenezer AME Church, Fort Washington, MD

Worship Planning Notes

In so many ways, choirs are called to lead congregations in praise and rejoicing, no matter the circumstances of people’s lives. The lection text, Habakkuk 3:17-19, provides for singers and musicians an instructive word: even when there is no fruit on the vines, do not forsake your charge to lead the people of God in boldly proclaiming, “yet [we] will rejoice in the Lord; [we] will exalt in the God of [our] salvation.”

1. Call to Worship, Centering Prayer, and Litany
Call to Worship

Psalm 150

Leader:	Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty firmament!
People:	Praise Him for His mighty deeds; praise Him according to His surpassing greatness!
Leader:	Praise Him with trumpet sound; praise Him with lute and harp!
People:	Praise Him with tambourine and dance; praise Him with strings and pipe!
Leader:	Praise Him with clanging cymbals; praise Him with loud clashing cymbals!
ALL:	Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

Centering Prayer
O God, with Heaven’s symphony and the chorus of angels, we joyfully worship you as the maker of music and of all things. On this day, we especially celebrate your gift of music to us. We thank you for its ability to heal, inspire, and communicate beyond cultural, economic, and generational barriers. Thank you for choosing us to be the recipients of and participants in music ministry. Through rejoicing and through mourning, to enliven and to bring finality, you’ve given us music, to sustain and uplift us, and to escort us along the pathway of life. We pray that our offerings of praise and worship, our selections of admonishment and encouragement, and our songs of celebration all glorify you, edify the Body, and ultimately build your Kingdom. In harmony with your Spirit, we pray this prayer. Amen.

Litany
(partially adapted from Isaiah 61:3)

Leader:	Today, we commend those who lead us in music and worship!
People:	We celebrate their charge to uplift our spirits, to raise high the banner of our Christ in this place.
Leader:	Through their ministry, we are reminded of God’s never changing promises…
People:	Through their songs, we are encouraged to persevere, no matter our struggles!
Leader:	They sing of God’s PROVIDENCE…
People	“O, to be kept by Jesus!”
Leader:	They sing of God’s PROTECTION…
People	“All night, All day, Angels watching over me!”
Leader:	They sing of God’s PRINCIPLES…
People	“Order my steps in your Word!”
Leader:	They sing of God’s PARDON…
People	“Morning by morning, new mercies I see!”
Leader:	They sing of God’s POWER…
People	“How great is our God!”
Leader:	And with every song, we find strength for the journey, comfort in our grief, peace in our storms and hope for tomorrow…
People	Out of our ashes, their songs bring beauty. Out of our mourning, their songs bring joy. Out of our despair, their songs weave a garment of PRAISE!

2. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a) Walking Up the King’s Highway. By Mary Gardner and Thomas A. Dorsey. Tune, (KING’S  
HIGHWAY), arr. by Mary Gardner and Thomas A. Dorsey

(b) Rejoice Ye Pure in Heart. By Edward Plumptre. Tune, (MARION), by Arthur Messiter

(c) Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. By Robert Robinson. Tune, (NETTLETON), Wyeth’s
Repository of Sacred Music, Pt. II

(d) When in Our Music God Is Glorified. By Fred Pratt Green. Tune, (ENGELBERG), by
Charles Stanford

3. Spirituals or Traditional Songs
(a) Keep Me Every Day/Lead Me, Guide Me. By Doris Akers. Arr. by Donald Vails

(b) Ride On King Jesus. By G. R. Woodward

(c) Heaven-Bound Soldier. By Glenn Jones

(d) This Joy I Have (The World Didn’t Give It to Me). Traditional

4. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a) In the Sanctuary. By Kurt Carr

(b) Come Thou Almighty King. By Timothy Wright

(c) (Come Let Us Worship the Lord) In the Beauty of Holiness. By Nettie L. Sawyer Lester

(d) Rejoice in the Lord. By Byron Cage

(e) Rejoice. By Kendall King

5. Liturgical Dance Music
(a) Praise Him. By Byron Cage

(b) Optimistic. By James Harris, III, Gary Hines, and Terry Lewis

(c) In the Midst of It All. By Kevin Bond

(d) Music Knows No Boundaries. Traditional African Song

(e) O2. By Tonex

6. Anthems
(a) O Clap Your Hands. By John Rutter

(b) Ascribe to the Lord. By Rosephanye Powell

(c) Rejoice, the Lord Is King. By Craig Courtney

(d) Rejoice in the Lord Always. By Clayton White

(e) Praise the Lord, All Ye Nations. By Alberto Randegger

7. Modern Songs (Songs Written after 1989)
(a) You Are My God and King. By Donnie McClurkin

(b) Trust His Name. By Ted Winn

(c) Lord, You Are the Music. By David Lantz, III

(d) Rejoice and Be Glad. By Israel Houghton and Aaron Lindsey

(e) Lord, We Rejoice. By Darwin Hobbs, Israel Houghton, and Aaron Lindsey

8. Offertory Song or Instrumental
(a) All the Glory. By Byron Cage

(b) Count It All Joy. By Byron Cage and Maurice Culpepper

(c) Zion Rejoice. By Judith Christie McAllister and David Redic

(d) Celebration. By Donald Lawrence

(e) Zion Rejoice. By Joseph Pace, II

(f) Garment of Praise. By Danny McCrimmon

9. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a) A Praying Spirit. By Elbernita “Twinkie” Clark

(b) Never Alone. Anonymous. Tune, (NEVER ALONE), arr. by Nolan Williams, Jr.

(c) That’s How Good God Is. By Phillip McIntyre

(d) I Will Praise Him, Still. By Fernando Ortega

(e) We Give You All the Praise. By Fred Hammond

10. Sermonic Selection
(a) Marvelous. By Walter Hawkins

(b) My Life Is in Your Hands. By Kirk Franklin

(c) Grace. By Mark Hayes

(d) Rejoice. By Kevin Davidson, Everett McBee, and Lucretia Sharp

(e) I Will Rejoice. By Jessie Rogers

11. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a) He Decided to Die. By Margaret Pleasant Douroux

(b) Joy. By Kirk Franklin

(c) Grateful. By Sean Brown

(d) NEWpraise. By Nolan Williams, Jr.

12. Benediction Song or Instrumental
(a) We Shall Walk through the Valley in Peace. By Undine Smith Moore

(b) Lord, You Are the Music. By David Lantz, III

(c) Rejoice. By Jacki Cordery and Steven Ford

Cites and Additional Information for Music and Material Listed

1. Call to Worship, Centering Prayer, and Litany. By Nolan Williams, Jr., and Kenneth Mosley

2. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a) Walking Up the King’s Highway. By Mary Gardner and Thomas A. Dorsey. Tune, (KING’S
HIGHWAY), arr. by Mary Gardner and Thomas A. Dorsey
Location: (b) Rejoice Ye Pure in Heart. Text by Edward Plumptre. Tune, (MARION), by Arthur Messiter
Location: (c) Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. By Robert Robinson. Tune, (NETTLETON), Wyeth’s
Repository of Sacred Music, Pt. II
Location:
(d) When in Our Music God Is Glorified. By Fred Pratt Green. Tune, (ENGELBERG), by
Charles Stanford
Location:
3. Spirituals or Traditional Songs
(a) Keep Me, Every Day/Lead Me, Guide Me. By Doris Akers. Arr. by Donald Vails
Location:
(b) Ride On King Jesus. By G. R. Woodward
Location:
(c) Heaven-Bound Soldier. By Glenn Jones
Location: (d) This Joy I Have (The World Didn’t Give It to Me). Traditional
Location:
4. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a) In the Sanctuary. By Kurt Carr
Location:
(b) Come Thou Almighty King. By Timothy Wright
Location:
(c) (Come Let Us Worship the Lord) In the Beauty of Holiness. By Nettie L. Sawyer Lester
Location:
(d) Rejoice in the Lord. By Byron Cage
Location:
(e) Rejoice. By Kendall King
Location:
5. Liturgical Dance Music
(a) Praise Him. By Byron Cage
Location:
(b) Optimistic. By James Harris, III, Gary Hines, and Terry Lewis
Location:
(c) In the Midst of It All. By Kevin Bond
Location:
(d) Music Knows No Boundaries. Traditional African Song
Location:
(e) O2. By Tonex
Location
6. Anthems
(a) O Clap Your Hands. By John Rutter
Location: (b) Ascribe to the Lord. By Rosephanye Powell
Location: (c) Rejoice, the Lord Is King. By Craig Courtney
Location: (d) Rejoice in the Lord Always. By Clayton White
Location:
(e) Praise the Lord, All Ye Nations. By Alberto Randegger
Location:
7. Modern Songs (Songs Written after 1989)
(a) You Are My God and King. By Donnie McClurkin
Location:
(b) Trust His Name. By Ted Winn
Location:
(c) Lord, You Are the Music. By David Lantz, III
Location:
(d) Rejoice and Be Glad. By Israel Houghton and Aaron Lindsey
Location:
(e) Lord, We Rejoice. By Darwin Hobbs, Israel Houghton, and Aaron Lindsey
Location:
8. Offertory Song or Instrumental
(a) All the Glory. By Byron Cage
Location:
(b) Count It All Joy. By Byron Cage and Maurice Culpepper
Location:
(c) Zion Rejoice. By Judith Christie McAllister and David Redic
Location:
(d) Celebration. By Donald Lawrence
Location:
(e) Zion Rejoice. By Joseph Pace, II
Location:
(f) Garment of Praise. By Danny McCrimmon
Location:
9. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a) A Praying Spirit. By Elbernita “Twinkie” Clark
Location: (b) Never Alone. Anonymous. Tune, (NEVER ALONE), arr. by Nolan Williams, Jr.
Location: (c) That’s How Good God Is. By Phillip McIntyre
Location:
(d) I Will Praise Him, Still. By Fernando Ortega
Location:
(e) We Give You All the Praise. By Fred Hammond
Location:
10. Sermonic Selection
(a) Marvelous. By Walter Hawkins
Location:
(b) My Life Is in Your Hands. By Kirk Franklin
Location:
(c) Grace. By Mark Hayes
Location:
(d) Rejoice. By Kevin Davidson, Everett McBee, and Lucretia Sharp
Location:
(e) I Will Rejoice. By Jessie Rogers
Location:
11. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a) He Decided to Die. By Margaret Pleasant Douroux
Location:
(b) Joy. By Kirk Franklin
Location:
(c) Grateful. By Sean Brown
Location:
(d) NEWpraise. By Nolan Williams, Jr.
Location: 12. Benediction Song or Instrumental
(a) We Shall Walk through the Valley in Peace. By Undine Smith Moore
Location:
(b) Lord, You Are the Music. By David Lantz, III
Location:
(c) Rejoice. By Jacki Cordery and Steven Ford
Location:

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