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Hymns, songs & music

Related to the Bible readings

Click here for an article on choosing the opening hymn or song for worship.


Suggestions from Adult & All Ages

(Songs in italics are suitable for all ages.)

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me (MP, TS)
Bread is blessed and broken (LFB, WGWG)
Colours of day
Hallelu, hallelu, hallelu
(CHY,C&P, JP, RSJ)
He came down that we might have love
I will sing, I will sing
Jesus put this song into our hearts
Jesus, restore to us again (MP, TS)
Now thank we all our God
Praise him, praise him, praise him in the morning
The Lord restored us we were freed (PRA)
Through the night of doubt and sorrow
To God be the glory
To thee, O Lord, our hearts we raise
When the Lord brought us back
When Zion’s fortunes God restored


Suggestions from Children & Young People

A living song (Every word comes alive) C&P
Colours of day
Down by the riverside C&P
He came down that we might have love
I will bring to you C&P
I will sing, I will sing
I’m going to paint a perfect picture C&P, RSJ
Jesus put this song into our hearts
Life the for the poor was hard and tough CHY, RSJ
Lost and found C&P,RSJ
Peace is flowing like river C&P
Praise him, praise him, praise him in the morning
The vine and the fig tree C&P

Key to abbreviations


A song for this issue

For the fruits of all creation
Fred Pratt Green
The readings for both the autumn themes encourage us to consider God's gifts, and our response. It is also harvest time, and this hymn could easily be sung alongside the more traditional 'We plough the fields and scatter'. It takes the fact of God's generosity to us and develops it into how we live out our thanks: rewarding labour justly, helping our neighbour, caring for all. It ends with perhaps one of the best expressions of wonder and awe in God's presence in any song: '...for the wonders that astound us, for the truths that still confound us, most of all, the God has found us, thanks be to God'. Hymnbooks give the tune as ‘East Acklam’, but it also goes very well to the Welsh melody ‘Ar hyd ar nos’.


Short song suggestion

Calm me, Lord
Words by David Adam, music by Margaret Rizza
This is a good song to begin a time of reflective worship for either children or adults. For mixed groups, or for children, stillness is often more achievable than absolute silence – a period of calm when distractions are minimised. Here the singers address God directly, asking to be still and at peace. While 'tumult' may be an unfamiliar word at first, the sense of ideas and activities tumbling along, one on top of another, is very recognisable for both adults and children trying to sit quietly in God's presence. Repeated as a kind of mantra, in the same way as a Taizé chant, the words of the song gradually have their effect, creating the space for each person to be ‘enfolded’ in God's peace.

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