New Materials on the Website
Welcome to my website of free-use, no-licensing progressive religious hymns, worship songs, and rounds. Please feel free to use any material you like! No permission needed, but please consider contacting me if you use the materials so that I can request a recording or video if one is available.
Here's what's new on the website as of September 2023, and the subpage on which you can find it:
Blest are You, the Poor in Spirit: a hymn text based on Matthew's Beatitudes (text and recording; Other Worship Music #1)
The Church Where Love Lives: A celebration of inclusive Christianity (new choral arrangement on Choral Music page)
The Creatures We Love: a worship song for Blessing of the Animals services (two new recordings with slightly different lyrics, and two updated videos; Church Season Music)
God Abundant, God of Wonder: A Christian hymn text opposing Christian nationalism (text, recording, and video; Justice Music)
God is Known: Evolution Sunday/process theology hymn text (text and video; Church Season Music)
God Speaks Today (score, recording, video; Other Worship Music #1)
God, We Gather as Your People (score, video; Other Worship Music #1)
Holy Boldness, Move Our Spirits (alternate recording; Justice Music)
Holy Dreamer, Joyful Healer: A celebratory hymn text (score, recording, video; Other Worship Music #1)
Maker of All: A sung response to the Lord's Prayer (score, recording, and video; Other Worship Music #2)
The Manger is Stranger (new lullaby recording and video; Church Season Music)
Oh, My Shepherd (new recording and video; Justice Music)
Persistent Love, Enduring Hope: hymn text inspired by Philippians 3:11-14 (text, recording, and video; Other Worship Music #2)
Sing the World that God Imagines: traditional music (score, recording, and video; Other Worship Music #2)
Sing the World that God Imagines: original music (score, recording and wo different videos; Other Worship Music #2)
The Spirit Sends Us Out: A Pentecost sending song (score, recording, two different videos; Church Season Music)
We Will Go Out in Love: A progressive Christian sending-out song (lead sheet, recording, and video; Other Worship Music #2)
When We Are Afraid: A short piece in the Taize tradition (score, recording, video; Church Season Music (very appropriate for Holy Saturday))
Within God's Great Economy: a hymn text celebrating abundance and generosity, inspired by Matthew 14:13-21 and Acts 4:32-37 (score; Other Worship Music #2)
Here's a new idea for an existing worship song: consider using "From Our Abundance We Give" for the offertory. It's listed as a stewardship song but could work well in an offertory context.
I have updated the "African American Music" subpage substantially, including providing suggestions for where to send musical reparation donations if you use music that is inspired by African American musical traditions, and listing the pieces that fall into that category.
I have also added a "Choral Music" subpage, which highlights pieces either composed for choir or later arranged for choir (either by me or someone else).
Finally, I have completely reworked how videos are linked on all subpages. My earlier approach, I recently learned, might be difficult to navigate for people with certain kinds of visual challenges. Now, all videos are linked to the song title that begins a particular sentence in the top section of each subpage. In most cases where there are multiple videos available, visitors are directed to the YouTube videos page.