The Season of Lent – Music – 60.1

Congregational Song in Lent

A change in liturgical seasons creates opportunities to use congregational responses unique to the season and to repeat liturgical responses set to new and different music.

Songs with refrains might be sung refrain only, or stanzas might be used week to week either sequentially or cumulatively.

Confession

• As the Deer GTG 626
• Change My Heart, O God GTG 695
• Come, Bring Your Burdens to God GTG 851
• Everyone Who Longs for the Boundless Love of God GTG 849
• Examíname, oh Dios / Search and Know Me, O My God SSS 510
• Forgive Us, Lord / Perdón, Señor GTG 431
• God, Be Merciful to Me / Dios, ten compasión de mí (stanza 1) SSS 509
• Here on Jesus Christ I Will Stand / Kwake Yesu Nasimama GTG 832
• Hoy perdóname / Mercy, Lord, We Pray SSS 512 
• Jesus Knows the Inmost Heart GTG 427
• Jesus, Savior, Lord, Now to You I Come / Saranam, saranam (refrain; stanzas varied) GTG 789 
• Just a Closer Walk with Thee (refrain; stanzas varied) GTG 835 
• My Soul Is at Rest GTG 843
• Search Me, O God GTG 426
• Yo tengo sed de Dios / My Soul Thirsts for God SSS 592 

Pardon

• I Will Trust in the Lord AAHH 391
• Mayenziwe AAHH 666
• Peace of God Be with You GTG 448 
• Son of God, Whose Heart Is Peace (stanza 1) GTG 425 

Prayer for Illumination 

• Over My Head AAHH 169
• Prepare Our Hearts, O God / Prepáranos, Señor SSS 560
• Thy Word Is a Lamp unto My Feet GTG 458
• To the Hills I Lift My Eyes GTG 845
• To You, O Lord / A ti, Señor SSS 575

Prayers of the People

• Come by Here, My Lord AAHH 438
• Fix Me, Jesus AAHH 436
• I Love the Lord, Who Heard My Cry GTG 799, AAHH 395
• In Silence My Soul Thirsts GTG 790
• Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying GTG 469, SSS 577
• Shepherd Me, O God GTG 473 
• We’ve Come This Far by Faith AAHH 412, GTG 656

Anthems for Children’s Choirs for Lent

• “God, You Hold Your Children Dear,” Andrew Bruhn, CGA, uni/2 pt, pno, opt vln (ME)
• “Prayer,” Natalie Sleeth, ed. Katie Houts, CGA, uni/2 pt, pno, opt C inst (ME)
• “God So Loved the World,” Bill Wolaver, CGA, uni, pno, opt vln (ME)
• “Guide Us, Lord,” Mark Patterson, CGA, uni/2 pt, pno, opt viola (M)
• “Hear Our Prayer (A Trilogy for Lent and Holy Week),” Mark Patterson, CGA, uni/2 pt, pno (ME)
• “Savior, King!” Katie Houts, CGA, uni, pno, opt hb/hc (E)
• * “Open the Gates,” Hal H. Hopson and Katie Houts, CGA, uni/2pt, pno, opt hb/hc/cong (ME)
• * “Hosanna! Blessed Is He!” Charlotte Judge and Katie Houts, CGA, uni/2 pt, pno, opt hb/hc/cong (E)
• * “Blessed Is He! (A Palm Sunday Partner Song),” Vivian Hare and Katie Houts, CGA, uni/2 pt, pno, opt hb/hc/perc/cong (E)

* These anthems contain flexible congregational refrains for use in palm processionals.

Ideas for Using the Suggested Anthems in Worship

These anthems contain short, memorable refrains that can be incorporated into the worship liturgy (seasonally or monthly). A children’s choir might introduce the refrain to the congregation, and the following weeks could be led by soloists, small groups, or other vocal ensembles from your congregation.

Palm Sunday and Easter: Two suggested anthems contain a choice of text for Palm Sunday and Easter, giving choirs the option to sing on either festival day—or on both. Take advantage of these flexible options for “Open the Gates” and “Savior, King!”

Anthems for Youth Choirs for Lent

• “What Does the Lord Require?” Mark Burrows, CGA, 2 pt, pno (E)
• Wait for the Lord, WAIT FOR THE LORD, GTG 90 (E)
• “You Are My All in All / Fairest Lord Jesus,” Larry Shackley, HOPE, SAB, pno (ME)
• Change My Heart, O God, CHANGE MY HEART, GTG 695 (ME)
• “I Want Jesus to Walk with Me,” David M. Cherwien, MSM, 2 pt, pno (M)
• “What Wondrous Love Is This?” Tim Sharp, FB, SAB, pno (M)
• “There Is a Balm in Gilead,” Robert Lau, HIN, SAB, keybd (M)
• O Lord, Hear My Prayer, HEAR MY PRAYER, GTG 471 (M)
• “Were You There?” John Leavitt, BFP, SATB, pno (M)

Handbell Music for Lent

• “Abide with Me,” EVENTIDE, arr. Valerie W. Stephenson, 3–5 oct, CGA, CGB547, Level 1+
• “I Know That Jesus Loves Me,” William E. Gross, 3–5 oct, GIA, G-11113, Level 1+
• “Before the Dawn,” Jason W. Krug, 3 oct, opt pno, GMH, GMH120061, Level 2
• “And He Never Said a Word,” PASSION CHORALE, SUFFERER, arr. Michael Ryan, 2–3 oct, LOR, 20/1564L, Level 2
• “Fantasy on ‘Land of Rest,’” LAND OF REST, arr. Kurt Meyer, 3–6 oct, 3 oct hc, opt inst, HOPE, 3064, Level 2+
• “Fantasy on Kingsfold,” KINGSFOLD, arr. H. Dean Wagner, 3–6 oct, opt 3 oct hc, HOPE, 2134, Level 2+
• “The Power of the Cross,” Keith Getty and Stuart Townend, arr. Peggy Bettcher, 3–5 oct, HOPE, 2513, Level 3-
• “Ride On, King Jesus,” Traditional Spiritual, arr. Anna Laura Page, 3–6 oct, BP, BH532, Level 3-
• “Ah, Holy Jesus,” HERZLIEBSTER JESU, arr. Cathy Moklebust, 3–5 oct, opt 2 oct hc, MSM, MSM-30-304, Level 3
• “The Old Rugged Cross,” RUGGED CROSS, arr. Jeffery A. Hall, 3 or 5 oct, opt hc, RW, RW8302, Level 3
• “Soliloquy on Hyfrydol,” HYFRYDOL, arr. Kurt Meyer, 3–6 oct, 3 oct hc, FTM, Cat. 20752, Level 3
• “I Want Jesus to Walk with Me,” Traditional Spiritual, arr. Julie Stitt, 3–6 oct, AGEHR, AG36031, Level 4

Piano Music for the Season of Lent and Holy Week

• “Ah, Holy Jesus!” HERZLIEBSTER JESU, He Leadeth Me, Gilbert M. Martin, LOR (MA)
• “All Glory, Laud, and Honor,” ST. THEODULPH, Palms and Passion Suite, Mark Hayes, LOR (A)
• “The God of Abraham Praise,” LEONI, Hymn Tunes A to Z, Lyndell Leatherman, LOR (MA)
• “Go to Dark Gethsemane,” REDHEAD 76, Sunday Morning Holiday Companion, Victor Labenske, ALF (M)
• “God So Loved the World,” STAINER, Symphonic Hymns for Piano, Phillip Keveren, HAL (M)
• “I Surrender All,” SURRENDER, Devotion and Reflection, Heather Sorenson, LOR (MA)
• “Jesus, Draw Me Ever Nearer / Nearer, My God, to Thee,” Medleys for Blended Worship: Complete Collection, Carol Tornquist, ALF (MA)
• “Jesus, Lover of My Soul,” ABERYSTWYTH, I Have Heard You Calling in the Night, Don Wyrtzen, HOPE (M)
• “Lift High the Cross,” CRUCIFER, Reflections for Worship 2, Mark Hayes, HOPE (A)
• “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded,” PASSION CHORALE, Seasonal Sunday Solos for Piano, Hans Leo Hassler, HAL (M)
• “Via Dolorosa,” Sunday Solos for Piano, HAL (MA)
• “What Wondrous Love Is This,” WONDROUS LOVE, Impressions of Grace, David Angerman, SHAW (MA)

Vocal Solos for the Season of Lent and Holy Week

• “I Wonder as I Wander,” John Jacob Niles, SMP (ME)
• “En Priere,” Gabriel Fauré: 50 Songs, Gabriel Fauré, HAL (MA)
• “The Crucifixion,” Hermit Songs, op. 24, Samuel Barber, GSH (MA)
• “Ingemiso,” Requiem, Andrew Lloyd Webber, HAL, tenor (A)
• Lamb of God, Twila Paris, GTG 518 (E)
• “Pie Jesu,” Oxford Solo Songs Sacred, John Rutter, OUP, sop (A)
• “Agnus Dei,” Mass in C Major K. 317 (Coronation), W. A. Mozart, BV, sop (MA)
• “Amplius lava me,” Sacred Songs for the Soloist, J. C. F. Bach, BH (M)
• “From Depths of Woe,” New Songs of Gladness: Vocal Solos for Worship, John Dowland, AF (M)
• “Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel?” The Story of the Spirituals, Edward Boatner, BMP (M)
• “Oh, Didn’t It Rain,” The Spirituals of Harry T. Burleigh, H. T. Burleigh, BMP (M)
• “Gethsemane,” Jesus Christ Superstar, Andrew Lloyd Webber, HAL, tenor (A)