I am excited to say I have a new release that is out on Spotify and Apple Music along with YouTube
The song was written as part of the 12 Songs Challenge in October 2022 and focuses on the love of God and how it changes us. I love using the song in worship and use it a lot when I am out worshiping God in my local shopping centre on a Saturday morning.
So check out the song on your favourite streaming platform or watch the video below. And if you dont already follow/subscribe please do so on social media and all the other platforms.
For the April 2021 12 Song Challenge I wrote a song based on Luke 24:49
“I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high” and Acts chapter 1.
It’s one of those songs that has sat in a folder marked To Be Recorded, so I thought with Pentecost coming up, I would work on the song and make it ready for release. You can hear my thoughts on it and listen to the demo on YouTube.
This year’s 12 Song challenge is up and running, and I forgot to do a post about it at the start of January, so apologies for that.
The theme was gathering songs, in terms of gathering as the people of God and also gathering in the harvest of God’s kingdom. I went for the former and here is the result. You can listen to it here.
Come, Come as you are Richard Stringer 2024 A section: Come, come as you are Instead of your sorrow He’ll give you joy.
Come, come as you are Receive His forgiveness The price has been paid
B section: By the blood of Jesus, we can see him face-to-face To receive his mercy, to receive his grace. And as we draw near to God he’ll draw near to us So come, [A] Come as you are
A Section 2:
Come, come as you are, The weary and worn-out, Come rest in his arms. Come, come as you are, The world and its heartache, Were conquered by him.
A Section 3:
Come, come as you are You are invited His feast is prepared Come, come as you are Your table is waiting So come as you are.
A new year, a new month and so a new challenge and this month it is to write an Assembly Banger.
From my eldest daughter’s point of view, the last Assembly Banger was Shine Jesus, Shine. Having been around at the time when Graham Kendrick wrote the song and heard him lead it around the time it came out it’s hard to disagree with her.
So in honour of that and before I’ve had a chance to work on any ideas it only seems apt to share the song for everyone’s enjoyment
So the new subject for December is here and its on the global church
Its such a big subject but after a looking of work I settled on the idea of many peoples, tribes and tongues from
So the new subject for December is here and its on the global church
Its such a big subject but after a lot of work I settled on the idea of many peoples, tribes and tongues from Revelation 7: v9
“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.”
The initial words and tune came quite quickly, but I found myself straying into tunes that sounded familiar and it took about 4 or 5 tries to find one that I was happy with and I felt was my own work.
I submitted the song and got some good feedback and worked again on the lyrics. They probably need a bit more polish, but I don’t think they will change dramatically, so I felt safe making a demo and here it is.
All Around the World
Verse
We are a church of many nations Diffr’nt peoples, tribes, and tongues Some are local some have travelled To this place that we call home We have come in expectation. We have come to praise the Lord Like brothers our and our sisters all around the world.
Verse
In every land in every country Every corner of the world Saints are gathering, some in secret Some in prison, some are free They have come in expectation. They have come to praise you Lord Joining with God’s children, all around the world.
Verse
When at last we all will see Him In the new Jerusalem Pure and spotless without blemish The Bride of Christ will be revealed Blessed are those invited to the wedding of the Lamb They will come from every nation, every people, tribe, and tongue.
It’s been a long time since I posted and, like of people who do similar things I’m going to blame the busyness of life. There is lots going, most of it good.
I’m still active in the 12 Song Challenge hosted by Resound Worship and the reason for today’s post is to share the song I have submitted for November.
The challenge was to write a song based on Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. It took me a while to find a passage that really stirred me and I finally settled on Chapter 1 and verse 20.
“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.”
Yes and Amen
All the promises of God find their ”Yes” in Jesus Christ x2 So Ask, seek, knock and the door will be opened to you x2
God says Yes! Yes! Yes! He says Yes! x2 Give glory to God with a loud Amen! x3
Well, I have finally done it, I’ve written a song for all-age worship . I’ve been writing songs for use in church since 1985 and this is the very first song I’ve written with this in mind.
It came about because of the theme of this month’s subject on the 12 Song Challenge run by Resound Worship, we were challenged to write a song with more than one voice. Not harmonies but distinct voices and this was what I came up with.
Its based on the story of Jesus calming the storm as described in Matthew 8: 23-27 and Mark 4: 35-40 and is told from the perspective of the disciples who were Fishermen and used to the vagaries of the weather on the Sea of Galilee.
The The Boat With Jesus
Verse 1:
Our boat was on the water, A place that we knew well But soon as we had left the shore The sea began to swell. But we were sure We’d seen this before We’d see our journey through.
Chorus:
Voice one: So we’re not frightened Voice two: No! No! Voice one: Not of this wind Voice two: No! No! Voice one: Not of these waves Voice two: No! No! Voice one: Not on this sea Voice two: No! No! All: We might be wrong, but we are strong, we’ll see this journey through
Verse 2: But soon the waves were bigger And the wind began to howl Lightning flashed and thunder clapped Things were different now Not so sure we’d seen this before Could we see this journey through?
Chorus: Voice one: But where was Jesus? Voice two: Sleeping! Voice one: How could He be Voice two: Sleeping! Voice one: Wake up Jesus! Voice two: Please! Please! Voice one: Wake up Jesus! Voice two: Save me! All: This boat might sink, and we don’t think we’ll see this journey through.
Verse 3: But then He stood among us Awakened from His sleep Our lack of faith made us afraid While He had been at peace Who is this man the waves obey? Who silences the storm?
Chorus: Voice one: Who is this man? Voice two: Its Jesus! Voice one: What has He done? Voice two: He’s saved us! Voice one: Thank you Jesus! Voice two: Thank you! Voice one: Yes, Thank you Jesus! Voice two: Thank you! All: With You around we’re safe and sound we’ll see life’s journey through.
(C) Richard Stringer 2022 CCLI Song Number: 7190897
The theme for April’s songs was songs of solace and hope and I decided early on that I would write a tune that was bright and bubbly and that, for me at least, meant a song in the style of groups like The Beatles, The Hollies, Hermans Hermits etc.
The first part of the chorus was written a long time ago and was one of those scraps I keep hanging around just in case they can be built upon. At the start of the month I finished off the chorus and worked on the structure and some placeholder lyrics.
Last weekend I finalised the words and tune and then set to working on the demo. The biggest challenge was getting the guitar to sound vaguely like I wanted it too, but eventually it was finished in time for the deadline.
Hope you enjoy it and don’t forget to leave a comment.
When I’m With You
Verse 1: In troubled times 4 Its easy to forget 6 All the promises you’ve made to me But you’re not like me 5 And You will never change 6 All Your promises are just as true today 11
Pre- chorus Though the news is bad I won’t be sad or blue I will take my stand ‘cos I’ll be found in You
Chorus: You will never ever leave me Never will forsake me Never leave me on my own I will always have a brother Always have a sister Always have a place called home When I’m with You When I’m with You
Verse 2:
So even if I’m struggling to believe All the promises you’ve made to me For Your word is true And it will never change Lord I believe please help my unbelief
Pre- chorus
For You are my hope, My anchor in the storm I will cling to you for you’ll come through for me.
Lent hasn’t been a big thing for me since I was a member of an Anglican church more than twenty years ago. So I will have to get into this fairly quickly to get some ideas. One plus is that I won’t have any preconceived ideas about what it means.
On another note I’m hoping to post a version of my February song soon. We did a run through with the worship team at church yesterday and did a rough recording of it.
So I’ve submitted my song for this month to the group for this month’s challenge. It’s based around our church’s mission statement:
WCC is a Refuge for Righteousness, Restoration, Rejoicing, Revival, Reaping and Rest through our Lord Jesus Christ in Woolwich, The Royal Borough of Greenwich and the World. (Isaiah 61, Acts 1:8)
There are some things I’d like to improve before releasing it generally, especially some of the lyrics, so watch this space.
Richard Stringer Music 
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