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WATCH NIGHT

MUSIC & WORSHIP RESOURCES

Monday, December 31, 2012

Marcus D. Smith, Guest Lectionary Liturgist
Minister of Music, Ark Church in Baltimore, Maryland

Worship Planning Notes

The following ideas were provided by this year’s Cultural Resource writer, Ralph Wheeler.

1. Consider holding a Watch Night Jobs Fair for the youth of the congregation and community to help reduce the high unemployment rate among youth ages 16–19.
   
   
2. As a Watch Night and New Year’s pledge, consider adopting a two-year moratorium on all non-essential church expenditures. Use the savings for tutors and scholarships for the children and youth of the church and community.
   
   
3. Consider conducting a Children and Youth Watch Night Crusade.

All of these are outstanding ideas. The point for the Worship and Arts Department is that they in concert with the Pastoral and lay leaders of their church must do something significant this year and every year during Watch Night Services. Do not allow your services to simply be about people coming together to sing and shout; couple them with actions that your congregation and community need. Then, and only then, will your Watch Night Service provide attendees worship that consist of more than “sound and fury which signifies nothing.”

1. Litany, Responsive Reading, Invocation, or Call to Worship
Responsive Reading

Prayer for Wisdom and Courage

Worship Leader:	Blessed be God, our Creator, who protects the children of God and never spurns their prayers. Let us humbly implore God:
Congregation:	Enlighten us, Lord.
Worship Leader:	We thank you, Lord for enlightening us through your Son. Fill us with his light throughout the year.
Congregation:	Enlighten us, Lord.
Worship Leader:	Let your wisdom lead us this year, Lord, That we may walk in the newness of life.
Congregation:	Enlighten us, Lord.
Worship Leader:	May we bear hardships with courage for your name’s sake and be generous in serving you
Congregation:	Enlighten us, Lord.
Worship Leader:	Direct our thoughts, feelings, and actions this year. Help us to follow your providential guidance.
Congregation:	Enlighten us, Lord.
All:	Our Father, who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the Glory forever. Amen.

2. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a) Standing on the Promises. By R. Kelso Carter

(b) In the Service of the King. By A. H. Ackley and B. D. Ackley

(c) Pass Me Not. By Fanny Crosby and William H. Doane

(d) Lead Me, Guide Me. By Doris Akers

3. Spirituals or Traditional Songs
(a) Prayer Changes Things. By Jesse Frazier

(b) This May Be My Last Time. Author Unknown

(c) How I Got Over. By Clara Ward

(d) Use Me Lord. Author Unknown

4. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a) I’ll Praise Your Name. By Myron Williams and Darrel Harris

(b) Happy. By Tasha Cobbs

(c) Praise Him Till Ya Satisfied. By Darius Brooks

(d) I Can Only Imagine. By Bart Millard

5. Liturgical Dance or Mime Ministry Music
(a) We Need the Lord. By Jonathan Butler

(b) Draw Me. By A. Lewis and James Fortune

(c) Faith. By Andraé Crouch

(d) Midnite. By Brent Jones

6. Anthems
(a) Prayer of the Children. By Brad Printz

(b) Cry Out. By Knut Nystedt

7. Modern Songs (Written between 2000–2011)
(a) Time and Time Again. By Ray J. Braswell and Tim Hawkins

(b) It’s Your Time. By Luther Barnes

(c) Chasing after You. By Devaughn Murphy

8. Offertory Song or Instrumental
(a) It’s about Time for a Miracle. By Samuel Butts

(b) You Must Be Born Again. By Patrick Lundy

(c) Let’s Celebrate. By Stephen Hurd

(d) Make Me Better. By Marva Hines and Lenox Kelvin Maurice

(e) I’ve Got a Testimony. By Anthony Tidwell

9. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a) My Soul Is Thirsty. By Jason Nelson

(b) Flow to You. By Lunn Deshazo

(c) Let Go, Let God. By Paul Morton

10. Sermonic Selection
(a) It Ain’t Over. By Maurette Brown Clark

(b) Angels. By Richard Smallwood

(c) Keep Your Loving Arms around Me. By Percy Bady

(d) What Would I Do Without You. By Myron Williams

(e) Perfect Peace. By Rudolph Stanford Jr.

(f) You’ve Been So Faithful. By Eddie James

(g) Restore the Years. By Donald Lawrence

11. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a) It’s Your Time. By Donald Lawrence

(b) Close to You. By J.J. Hairston

(c) Where Jesus Is. By Andraé Crouch

(d) He’s Been Just That Good. By Jerry Peters and Kirk Whalum

12. Benediction Song or Instrumental
(a) We’re Blessed. By Fred Hammond and Tommie Walker

(b) Till We Meet Again. By Kirk Franklin

(c) Lord Make Us More Holy. Arr. by Roland Carter

Cites and Additional Information for Music and Material Listed

1. Litany, Responsive Reading, or Invocation
Responsive Reading
Location:

2. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a) Standing on the Promises. By R. Kelso Carter
Location:

(b) In the Service of the King. A. H. Ackley and B. D. Ackley
Location:

(c) Pass Me Not. Fanny Crosby and William H. Doane
Location:

(d) Lead Me, Guide Me. By Doris Akers
Location:

3. Spirituals or Traditional Songs
(a) Prayer Changes Things. By Jesse Frazier
Location:

(b) This May Be My Last Time. Author Unknown
Location:

(c) How I Got Over. By Clara Ward
Location:

(d) Use Me Lord. Author Unknown
Location:

4. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a) I’ll Praise Your Name. By Myron Williams and Darrel Harris
Location:

(b) Happy. By Tasha Cobbs
Location:

(c) Praise Him Till Ya Satisfied. By Darius Brooks
Location:

(d) I Can Only Imagine. By Bart Millard
Location:

5. Liturgical Dance or Mime Ministry Music
(a) We Need the Lord. By Jonathan Butler
Location:

(b) Draw Me. By A. Lewis and James Fortune
Location:

(c) Faith. By Andraé Crouch
Location:

(d) Midnite. By Brent Jones
Location:

6. Anthems
(a) Prayer of the Children. By Brad Printz
Location:

(b) Cry Out. By Knut Nystedt
Location:

7. Modern Songs (Written between 2000–2011)
(a) Time and Time Again. By Ray J. Braswell and Tim Hawkins
Location:

(b) It’s Your Time. By Luther Barnes
Location:

(c) Chasing after You. By Devaughn Murphy
Location:

8. Offertory Song or Instrumental
(a) It’s about Time for a Miracle. By Samuel Butts
Location:

(b) You Must Be Born Again. By Patrick Lundy
Location:

(c) Let’s Celebrate. By Stephen Hurd
Location:

(d) Make Me Better. By Marva Hines and Lenox Kelvin Maurice
Location:

(e) I’ve Got a Testimony. By Anthony Tidwell
Location:

9. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a) My Soul Is Thirsty. By Jason Nelson
Location:

(b) Flow to You. By Lunn Deshazo
Location:

(c) Let Go, Let God. By Paul Morton
Location:

10. Sermonic Selection
(a) It Ain’t Over. By Maurette Brown Clark
Location:

(b) Angels. By Richard Smallwood
Location:

(c) Keep Your Loving Arms around Me. By Percy Bady
Location:

(d) What Would I Do Without You. By Myron Williams
Location:

(e) Perfect Peace. By Rudolph Stanfield Jr.
Location:

(f) You’ve Been So Faithful. By Eddie James
Location:

(g) Restore the Years. By Donald Lawrence
Location:

11. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a) It’s Your Time. By Donald Lawrence
Location:

(b) Close to You. By J. J. Hairston
Location:

(c) Where Jesus Is. By Andraé Crouch
Location:

(d) He’s Been Just That Good. By Jerry Peters and Kirk Whalum
Location:

12. Benediction Song or Instrumental
(a) We’re Blessed. By Fred Hammond and Tommie Walker
Location:

(b) Till We Meet Again. By Kirk Franklin
Location:

(c) Lord Make Us More Holy. Arr. by Roland Carter
Location:

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