Music for worship

Different Voices

Different Voices is a quarterly magazine about church music in Scotland. It is for all those who sing in choirs, congregations and praise groups, play organs or other instruments, and all who plan, lead and choose music and hymns for worship.

This is our first ever completely free edition and we encourage you to forward the PDF or links to anyone with an interest in church music and worship.

Common Ground resources

A part-book containing a selection of 30 songs arranged for all instruments, priced £7.50, a large print edition, priced £8, and a braille edition, priced £5, all available through the Office for Worship. To order a copy please email wordoc@cofscotland.org.uk. Other Common Ground resources are available from Saint Andrews Press.

Music pamphlets

You can download this series of pamphlets on church music which is aimed at providing help and advice for musicians, primarily in parish churches.

Contact the Office for Worship and Doctrine for copies by email wordoc@cofscotland.org.uk, or telephone 0131 225 5722 .

The Royal School of Church Music (RSCM)

The RSCM is an ecumenical Christian charity which aims to encourage and inspire both the good use of music in worship and the development of our church musicians. You can visit their website at www.rscm.com.

Sing a new Hymn: Lord Jesus, You Wept for Jerusalem

(Presented as part of the World Mission Council's Invest in Peace resources.)

Lord Jesus, you wept for Jerusalem -
city that failed to live up to its name
you longed to hold its children in your arms
they turned their backs on all that makes for peace.

And still the walls of hate and fear divide
suspicion and mistrust on either side
so that both hope and justice are denied.
Lord, give us courage to invest in peace.

In love you chose to take the uphill way
confronting bitter hate and enmity
to draw together those once far away
till through your cross you paid the price of peace.

When we are tempted by the careless way
of hasty prejudice and bigotry,
awaken us from all complacency
and give us courage to invest in peace.

Iain D. Cunningham © 2011

The author suggests the following tunes, depending on the context in which it is being used. It is written in 10 10 10 10 metre so quite a few tunes fit. You can try CHILTON FOLIAT (497 in CH4) or other suitable tunes might be SURSUM CORDA (96 in CH4 for a more reflective, meditative setting); WOODLANDS (286 in CH4 for a more uplifting feel); the adventurous might like to try TAKE UP THE SONG (171 in CH4); another well-known tune is ELLERS (221 in CH4) more usually associated with 'Saviour, again to thy dear name we raise'; and finally, there is EVENTIDE (580 in CH4) better known as 'Abide with me'.

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