2021 March

 

God Is Good

(tune: Duke Street UMH 158)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/1/21

 

God is good! God is great!

Alleluia! Amen!

Come let us celebrate!

Alleluia! Amen!

We give thanks to the Lord,

Who is to be adored,

And grace upon us poured.

Alleluia! Amen!

 

In worship praise and sing!

Alleluia! Amen!

God rules o’er everything!

Alleluia! Amen!

When our lives are a mess,

To God we do confess,

And God our souls does bless.

Alleluia! Amen!

 

God Reigns forevermore!

Alleluia! Amen!

Eternal life's in store!

Alleluia! Amen!

God rules from up on high,

We'll be there by and by,

Salvation when we die.

Alleluia! Amen!

 

We Follow Christ (John 2)

(tune: Crucifer UMH 159)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/2/21

 

Chorus:

We follow Christ wherever he may lead.

As followers we know he's Lord indeed.

 

Christ came to worship at the temple gate.

Amidst the sellers his zeal could not wait.

(Chorus)

 

Christ turned the tables on all who were there.

He called the temple the Lord's House of prayer.

(Chorus)

 

Some there objected to what Christ had done.

Wanting proof of his justification.

(Chorus)

 

If then the temple they'd completely raze,

He would rebuild it in just three more days.

(Chorus)

 

The first followers didn't know it then,

But they’d remember when the tomb’s open.

(Chorus)

 

Give Thanks and Praise to God

(tune: Marion UMH 160)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/3/21

 

Give thanks and praise to God,

For all that God has done,

Creating all humanity,

And loving everyone.

Give thanks, give thanks,

Give thanks and praise to God!

 

Give thanks and praise to God,

In Christ God's love is shown.

Beyond all strife, Christ gives new life.

We never are alone.

Give thanks, give thanks,

Give thanks and praise to God!

 

Give thanks and praise to God,

That we have been so blessed.

Things were forlorn, then Christ was born.

God sent the very best.

Give thanks, give thanks,

Give thanks and praise to God!

 

Jesus Christ Is Calling You

(tune: Hendon UMH 163)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/4/21

 

Long ago Jesus did call out,

To men fishing he did shout.

Others he called on the way,

As he met them day by day.

Jesus Christ is calling you!

 

Through the ages Jesus calls,

In the streets and sacred halls,

Coming to Christ as they’re healed.

Being sent out as they yield.

Jesus Christ is calling you!

 

Today people need to hear,

Jesus calling on their ear.

You can pass on the Good News,

If discipleship you choose.

Jesus Christ is calling you!

 

We’re in God’s Hands

(tune: Sine Nomine UMH 166)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/5/21

 

We’re in God's hands anytime anywhere.

No matter what, the Lord is always there.

We are connected through the grace of prayer.

Alleluia! Alleluia!

 

Alleluia! We sing unto the Lord,

Who made us and is worshipped and adored.

After our deaths, our lives will be restored.

Alleluia! Alleluia!

 

For all God's done we come and sing God's praise.

Living our faith throughout all of our days.

For God’s faithful forever and always.

Alleluia! Alleluia!

 

We Will Follow Jesus

(tune: O How I Love Jesus UMH 170)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/6/21

 

Jesus once spoke of a lost sheep.

It could be told of us.

Sometimes we wonder half asleep,

Wandering from Jesus.

We will follow Jesus.

We will follow Jesus.

We will follow Jesus.

He is our Good Shepherd.

 

The Shepherd left the ninety-nine,

In search of the last one.

Jesus will do that every time,

Until the job is done.

We will follow Jesus.

We will follow Jesus.

We will follow Jesus.

He is our Good Shepherd.

 

As followers we’re called to care,

Safely the flock to keep.

And to go and search everywhere,

To find all the lost sheep.

We will follow Jesus.

We will follow Jesus.

We will follow Jesus.

He is our Good Shepherd.

 

O Lord, Help Us Listen

(tune: Gordon UMH 172)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/8/21

 

O Lord, help us listen,

As to us you call.

In words of those scriptures,

You help us recall.

As you have called others,

In biblical times.

You call us as we read,

In between the lines.

 

We listen to elders,

Who've been round the block.

And also to children,

As they learn to talk.

Listening internally,

We feel in our gut.

Help us to follow you.

Once we know what's what.

 

We hear in our neighbor.

We read in the news.

We hear many stories,

With various views.

In all these messages,

How might we hear you?

Then help us help others,

To hear your voice, too.

 

For God So Loved All the World

(tune: Ratisbon UMH 173)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/9/21

 

For God so loved all the world,

That God sent to us Jesus.

Through him we would all be saved,

As he gave his life for us.

Crucified and hung in shame,

We come now to praise his name.

 

When we'd sinned and gone astray,

God sent us the very best.

Forgiveness brought a new day,

We are loved and we are blessed.

From all sin you've been relieved,

When in Jesus you've believed.

 

Celebrate this day of days,

When you've come to realize.

That Christ is for us always,

In Christ our salvation lies.

We come now to praise his name.

Our faith boldly we proclaim.

 

We Lift Our Prayers in Jesus’ Name

(tune: St. Agnes UMH 175)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/10/21

 

We lift our prayers in Jesus’ name,

For Jesus is our Lord.

His Majesty do we proclaim,

He's worshipped and adored.

 

Jesus taught us how to pray,

Giving us the Lord’s prayer.

That in God's presence day by day,

With God our lives we'd share.

 

When in our lives we’re filled with grief

And don't know what to pray.

God's faithful love brings us relief,

We need nothing to say.

 

When we are having the best days,

And everything is great.

Remember to give God the praise,

And with God celebrate.

 

We lift our prayers in Jesus’ name,

For Jesus is our Lord.

His Majesty do we proclaim,

He's worshipped and adored.

Inclusive God

(tune: Vicar UMH 178)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/11/21

 

Inclusive God, reflected in creation,

In people of each color, we see your face.

Jesus Christ came that all might have salvation,

For your love covers all the human race.

 

Mothering God, Christ once called you a hen,

Gathering chicks under her loving wings.

And now we feel protected once again,

When we gather the church joyfully sings

 

Fathering God, you model for us a role,

Passing on to us all your legacy.

To others may we your virtues extol,

And might we be like you for all to see.  

 

The Bible Tells of Jesus’ Call

(tune: Kingsfold UMH 179)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/12/21

 

The Bible tells of Jesus’ call,

To those who came to believe.

The invitation’s to us all,

But only some will receive.

Listen when Jesus calls your name,

Speaking to your very soul.

Responding you'll not be the same,

As you seek a heavenly goal.

 

Eternal life we now pursue,

God's Kingdom is our home.

Where we are now and what we do,

Help us follow not to roam.

Though our life may have been a mess,

We are now on solid ground.

When we come to God and confess,

A new life now is found.

 

Come and join us on this journey,

That will lead to life anew.

A new perspective you will see,

You will be a new you!

No longer focused on yourself,

And what's in it for you.

Put selfish desires on the shelf,

Seek to do what Christ would do.  

 

God Is Everywhere

(tune: Hanover UMH 181)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/13/21

 

God is everywhere,

So, just look around.

In each here and there,

There God can be found.

We know God is love,

And God's love is real.

What the world lacks of,

Is God's love that we feel.

 

So, wherever we look,

There God we can find.

Not just in the Good Book,

Just open your mind.

We know God is love,

And God's love is real.

What the world lacks of,

Is God's love that we feel.

 

As we have been blessed,

Bless others today.

This will be your test,

What you do and say!

We know God is love,

And God's love is real.

What the world lacks of,

Is God's love that we feel.

 

Opportunities are there,

To do the right thing.

Anytime, anywhere,

God's love let us bring.

We know God is love,

And God's love is real.

What the world lacks of,

Is God's love that we feel.

 

We Lift Our Voice and Sing

(tune: Laudes Domini UMH 185)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/15/21

 

We lift our voice and sing,

In Christ we’re rejoicing.

May Jesus Christ be praised.

Sing praises to the Lord,

The one to be adored.

May Jesus Christ be praised!

 

We lift our voice and sing,

In Christ we’re rejoicing.

We’ve wallowed in our sin.

We've wandered in dismay.

But Jesus is the way,

And now we’re forgiven.

 

We lift our voice and sing,

In Christ we’re rejoicing.

Even in troubling days,

When things are down and out,

And we're tempted to doubt,

There is much for us to praise.

 

We lift our voice and sing,

In Christ we’re rejoicing.

When we've come through the worst,

Jesus has seen us through.

Watch what Jesus can do.

We’ll praise like we did at first.

 

We Praise God’s Holy Name

(tune: Christe Sanctorum UMH 188)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/15/21

 

We praise God's holy name,

God who is Almighty,

And multifaceted,

One God as Trinity,

The everlasting Lord,

For all eternity.

Glory to God on high!

 

We celebrate the Lord,

Who became one of us,

To teach us how to live,

The Messiah, Jesus,

For us he gave himself,

We should live and love thus.

Glory to God on high!

 

On the day of Pentecost,

God came as the Spirit.

Breathing through disciples,

To all who would hear it,

Telling of God's great love,

New life to inherit.

Glory to God on high!

 

Sing Praises to the Lord

(tune: St. Elizabeth UMH 189)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/16/21

 

Sing praises to the Lord,

For all that God has done.

God is good let us celebrate,

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

All comes from God above.

We celebrate the Lord is great!

 

When we've been down and out,

Blinded by fear and doubt,

God's love has helped open our eyes.

We now see clearly,

That we’re loved dearly.

God's blessed truth sees through all lies.

 

We now will sing God's praise;

Glorify God always.

From now on and forevermore.

God we will imitate.

God we will celebrate.

With praise we’ll worship and adore.

 

Jesus Loves the Little Ones

(tune: Jesus Loves Me UMH 191)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/17/21

 

Jesus loves the little ones,

And people from all nations,

All sizes and colors, too,

Jesus loves us, me and you.

Yes, Jesus loves me,

Yes, Jesus loves you,

Yes, Jesus loves us,

The Bible tells us so.

 

Jesus shows us how to love.

Love is what we're all made of.

God of love created us,

And in love sent us Jesus.

Yes, Jesus loves me,

Yes, Jesus loves you,

Yes, Jesus loves us,

The Bible tells us so.

 

We’re to love God through and through,

By how we live and what we do.

Love with heart, and soul, and mind,

Love each other and be kind.

Yes, Jesus loves me,

Yes, Jesus loves you,

Yes, Jesus loves us,

The Bible tells us so.

 

There’s a Tale in the Good Book (John 12)

(tune: Orientus Partibus UMH 192)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/17/21

 

There's a tale in the Good Book,

Of Greeks who came to take a look.

Jesus they had come to see,

So, to Phillip they did plea.

 

Phillip knew not what to do,

So, he went to ask Andrew.

Together they went to the Lord,

To see if Greeks could come aboard.

 

Jesus added two and two.

Jesus now knew the Greeks knew.

Good News was spreading day by day.

Now he was at the cross way.

 

Jesus would be glorified,

And also be crucified.

Jesus would hang up on a cross,

New life begins with a great loss.

 

Did the Greeks ever get to see,

Jesus is a great mystery?

But through believers who would tell,

At Jesus’ feet the whole world fell.

 

Come upon this Lenten Journey

(tune: Hyfrydol UMH 196)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/18/21

 

Come upon this Lenten journey,

Where we follow for forty days.

Following Christ faithfully,

Both his teachings and his ways.

We celebrate all the blessings,

That we receive day by day.

As we follow, we give up things,

Christ is the truth, the life, the way.

 

Can you hear Jesus calling to you?

Come and join the journey today.

This is faithful work that we do,

Letting go to follow the way.

As our guide Jesus leads us,

Into places we've never been.

We are drawn closer to Jesus,

Who frees us from all our sin.

 

Holy ground lies before us,

As we journey to Holy Week.

We will walk there close to Jesus,

To be Christlike we humbly seek.

We are pilgrims on this journey,

Having faith is our only prep.

Where we've been is not where we'll be,

As Jesus guides us step-by-step.

 

In an Upper Room

(tune: Morning Song UMH 198)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/19/21

 

In an Upper Room all's prepared,

So, the disciples thought.

Since childhood this meal they had shared,

Jesus had another thought.

 

With no servant to wash their feet,

Jesus took on that role.

A simple task so they could eat,

Done with a towel and bowl.

 

Significance was in this act,

Jesus showed them how to serve.

And with others to interact,

No less does the world deserve.

 

What might you go and do today,

To serve another’s need?

Do it like Christ did it that day,

Do it like Christ indeed.

 

As People Gathered on the Road

(tune: Besancon UMH 202)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/20/21

 

As people gathered on the road,

Jesus on a donkey rode.

As he rode by people were cheering,

Authorities they were not fearing.

Raise up your palms and sing today,

Jesus Christ is on the way!

 

They cut the branches from palm trees,

Waving them high like a fresh breeze.

Something miraculous is here,

Holy Week is now drawing near.

Raise up your palms and sing today,

Jesus Christ is on the way!

 

Jerusalem was all a stir,

Something was about to occur.

“Hosanna!” people now were shouting,

Hailing Jesus as the new King.

Raise up your palms and sing today,

Jesus Christ is on the way!

 

As we gather to pray and sing,

Hope and faith in Jesus we bring.

As with the crowd so long ago,

Where Jesus leads us we shall go.

Raise up your palms and sing today,

Jesus Christ is on the way!

 

Before Us Lies the Journey

(tune: Ellacombe UMH 203)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/22/21

 

Before us lies the journey,

With faith in Christ we start.

Jesus calls us to follow,

And we must do our part.

Jesus always walks with us,

We never are alone.

We journey on in faith with,

The path to us unknown.

 

We journey with companions,

We meet along the way.

They help in difficulties,

By what they do and say.

Supporting one another,

Through what the hardships teach.

We celebrate the milestones,

And high points that we reach.

 

When We’ve Sinned and Fallen Away

(tune: Veni Emmanuel UMH 211)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/25/21

 

When we've sinned and fallen away,

God loves each of us anyway.

And offers us mercy and grace,

There's nothing with God we can't face.

We’re blessed! We’re blessed! By all God’s done,

Giving to us God's only Son.

 

In the midst of turmoil and strife,

We’re blessed with the hope of new life.

Even in the worst of our days,

We turn to God and offer praise.

We’re blessed! We’re blessed! By all God’s done,

Giving to us God's only Son.

 

Take heart and with faith daily pray,

For guidance each and every day.

God who calls you will see you through,

That you might do all you can do.

 We’re blessed! We’re blessed! By all God’s done,

Giving to us God's only Son.

 

We Come to Worship and to Praise

(tune: Truro UMH 213)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/25/21

 

We come to worship and to praise,

The Lord, the Ancient of all Days.

Who was and is and ever shall be,

God, we know as the Trinity.

 

From the beginning of it all,

Creation happened at God's call.

Though it was not, it came to be.

All came into reality.

 

And when God's timing was just right,

Jesus was born on Christmas night.

Angel choirs sang and shepherds came,

Nothing would ever be the same.

 

Jesus grew up to share God's love,

Baptized by John, blessed by a dove.

Taught disciples, with them broke bread,

Healed the sick and raised the dead.

 

And in the end denied, betrayed,

Crucified and in a tomb laid.

Death could not hold him, he arose,

And gives new life to all he chose.

 

He sent the Spirit from above,

To share with us God’s peace and love.

And dwell in us that we might be,

Disciples of the Trinity.

 

Jesus the Temple Entered

(tune: Es Ist Ein Ros UMH 216)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/29/21

 

Jesus the temple entered,

To worship and to pray.

But what there he encountered,

Caused his Spirit dismay.

Money changers were there,

It was a bizarre bazaar,

Distracting everywhere.

 

From chords he made a strong whip,

To drive the sellers out.

Tables of things he did flip,

A change to bring about.

Their practices were flawed,

Based on the sacrifices,

Rather than upon God.

 

“This is no temple of thieves,”

Jesus did then declare,

For Jesus fully believes,

This is God's House of Prayer.

Leaders were mortified,

And now plotted against him,

That he must be crucified.  

 

We Celebrate Jesus on This Holy Week

(tune: Away in a Manger UMH 217)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/29/21

 

We celebrate Jesus on this Holy Week,

To be faithful followers we humbly seek.

To be more like Jesus every day,

And be his disciples we humbly pray.

 

We shout our Hosannas we wave our palms high,

We celebrate Jesus as he passes by.

We enter the city with the growing crowd.

And join in the praising as we shout aloud.

 

Moneychangers are thrown out while others are healed,

To those who are open, Messiah's revealed.

And those who are threatened by who Jesus is,

Plot now to destroy him and all that is his.

 

He gathered disciples in an upper room,

Helping to prepare them for the coming doom.

As he broke the bread and offered them the cup,

He told of his death on the cross lifted up.

 

He prayed in the garden as disciples slept,

Praying that God's will be ultimately kept.

Jesus had been betrayed, deserted, denied,

And then was arrested, tried, and crucified.

 

Early on Easter Women Came (Mark 16)

(tune: Carol UMH 218)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/30/21

 

Early on Easter women came,

Back to the savior's tomb.

To finish wrapping up the body,

While filled with grief and gloom.

Behold the stone had been rolled away,

They saw in the early dawn.

Jesus had been raised from the dead,

His body was gone.

 

As angels had proclaimed his birth,

Another was at is grave.

To share the resurrection news,

That Jesus came to save.

The women should go and spread the word,

That Christ has been risen,

The role of being evangelists,

To them has been given.

 

Down through the ages it's been passed on,

To those of us today.

To share the good news of Jesus Christ,

By all we do and say.

How has Jesus challenged your whole life,

And helped you come this far?

He calls you now to share your faith,

Proclaiming whose you are!  

 

We Journey through this Holy Week

(tune: Greensleeves UMH 219)

                        Jeffrey B. Childs 3/31/21

 

We journey through this Holy Week,

As each event affects us.

These days are rough. More than enough.

Yet, we still follow Jesus.

This is a holy walk,

We walk the walk and talk the talk.

Each event affects us.

We are drawn closer to Jesus.

 

The upper room is now prepared,

Passover to be observed.

Before they eat. Christ washes feet.

The Masters the one who served,

As Jesus breaks the bread,

And serves the wine that all are fed.

When we share the bread and cup,

He is there to raise us up.

 

After a long night spent in prayer,

Before Pilate Christ is tried.

Give us Barabbas. Crucify Jesus!

Pilate feels his hands are tied.

The guards take Christ away,

And crucify him at midday.

The body is placed in a tomb,

The week ends with doom and gloom.