by Mary Beth Coudal

United Methodists love to sing and to celebrate that we are a global church. The amazing new music resource, For Everyone Born: Global Songs for an Emerging Church, features over twenty songs from sixteen countries that will touch the hearts and minds of people around the world.

The editors, Jorge Lockward and the Rev. Christopher Heckert, staff of the General Board of Global Ministries, chose the songs for their accessibility, immediacy, and capacity to cross-over between cultures and settings. Over half of the songs were recorded in the country of the song's origin.

"The criteria was that every song had to be easily teachable, have a solid theology in Methodism, and be catchy," Rev. Heckert said.

Songs Uplift and Inspire

The CD has all but one of the songs from the book.  Here is a sampler:

• "Shukuru" is a joyful song of thanksgiving from Sudan that "will uplift every congregation into praise," according to Mr. Lockward.
• "For Everyone Born a Place at the Table," by Brian Mann is based on a text by New Zealander Shirley Erena Murray.
• "Kanisa Litajengua," one of two Kenyan songs, became a favorite at the United Methodist Women's Assembly in 2006. Singers easily improvise on the refrain, "IYO-YO-YO."
• "Amor que por amor me amaste" had a circuitous journey to its current version. The song originated with the Portuguese missionary Henry Maxwell Wright's passion for the hymn, "O Love That Would Not Let Me Go." Later, "Amor" was set to music by Brazilian hymn writer, Jaci Maraschin; and then, the melody was transformed into a samba rhythm by Albert L. Peace.

Thirty-second sound clips of all of the songs from the CD are in Global Praise's online music resources catalog.

Songbook Includes Helpful Resources

Each song contains notes on the context, the song, and the prayer. There are inspiring and creative tips for worship and performance, including advice on how to include children in the music.

An in-depth index makes finding the music for worship easy.

Members of praise bands will especially find the songbook useful as each song is presented in a lead sheet format. Within this resource, one can find new music and revitalized music to create contemporary, lively, and alternative worship experiences. Music leaders in traditional services can follow the full piano/vocal score.

A Place at the Table for Everyone Born

Fittingly For Everyone Born: Global Songs for an Emerging Church will be used as a supplement to The United Methodist Hymnal when 1000 delegates from around the world gather for the General Conference in Fort Worth, Texas, on April 23-May 2, 2008. Each delegate will receive a free copy to take home and share with others.

This resource will renew and enrich congregational worship life of United Methodists as they sing one another's songs of faith and share in God's mission of to create a world that offers a place at the table for everyone born. 

Further Information

For more on the Global Praise program, visit http://globalpraise.org

For Everyone Born: Global Songs for an Emerging Church: Songbook, $12.95; CD, $12.95.

To order Global Praise Music
Call the Cokesbury Music Service (1-877-877-867)
Email your order to cms@cokesbury.com
Visit Cokesbury.com to place an order online
Call Cokesbury (1-800-672-1789) or contact your local Cokesbury store

Wholesale vendors can contact Global Praise by email at globalpraise@gbgm-umc.org.

	See Also... Topic: Christian love |  Evangelism |  Evangelization |  GBGM programs |  Music |  Prayers |  Geographic Region: World |  Source: Evangelization and Church Growth
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Date posted: Apr 18, 2008