Welcome to this page of free stuff! Here are downloadable and printable versions of the hymns and practices. (Some were released in my book, The Inn of God’s Forgiveness and Other Hymns for the Progressive Church; others may appear in a sequel.)  If you find these things useful, please support the work by buying my books. (And if you’ve already bought them, God bless you!)

Hymns from The Inn

Here are the hymns from the book. Except where noted below, these scores are formatted to fit onto the two halves of a sheet of legal-size paper, folded in the middle. In other words, they fit with reasonable margins onto pages 8.5 inches high and 7 inches wide. I hope this layout will be useful for copying, as for church-bulletin inserts. (Please note that some pdf readers will automatically attempt to enlarge these images for printing, so that they fill the paper being printed. Depending on your application, you may need to disable this.)

The music and lyrics are copyrighted, but they include a license for copying. This license is the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, which you can read about in detail here. Basically, it allows unlimited copying for non-commercial use.

From this page you can also access audio recordings of accompaniments for some of the hymns. I’m working on adding more of these.

“We Too Seek You”

“Often, Often, Often”

I sing and discuss this hymn in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“Follow You, My Jesus”

“Let the Spirit Shout”

“Dear God, In Your Garden”

I sing and discuss the hymn in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“The Inn of God’s Forgiveness”

“Welcome, Thomas, Doubts and All”

“Advent Canon”

Hot Off the Press

Here are some additional, newer hymns, which will be part of the still-unnamed sequel.

“That We May All Be One”

This new hymn is a reflection on Jesus’ prayer from the Farewell Discourses in the Gospel of John: “that they may all be one.” (John 17:21) That phrase is the motto of my denomination, the United Church of Christ, and I think there is a positive and generous way of understanding it. But unity is a challenging concept, especially for a denomination that prides itself on diversity!  I introduce and discuss this hymn in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“The Stars Sing Out Your Song of Joy”

I wrote this hymn for the 2015 Annual Meeting of the Michigan Conference of the United Church of Christ.  The theme of the meeting was “We Are Overjoyed!”  I used a well-known sea shanty as the melody, and included an instrumental refrain, scored for that most joyful of all instruments, the kazoo.  I introduce it and discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“Mother, Child, and Breath of Life”

This three-part trinitarian chant is still a work in progress.  I introduce it and discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“The Harmony of the Incredible Earth”

This is a jaunty, upbeat hymn that celebrates the earth.  I introduce it and discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“Compassion’s Sting”

This hymn laments the harm we do to the earth and to each other through our lack of compassion. I introduce it and discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“When I Hunger”

This hymn uses a range of images of physical desires and joys as metaphors for spiritual desires and joys. I introduce it and discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“Break Our Chains”

This is a hymn of liberation: asking God to break our chains, and resolving to help other people break their chains. I introduce it and discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“Turn to the Life”

This hymn was inspired by Mark 1:14-15.  It’s a metaphorical look at the good news, with a call to respond.  I introduce it and discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“We Prepare”

This is a not-quite-secular Advent carol. It’s a song about the fun of preparing for Christmas. I introduce it and discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“I Remember”

This is a song I wrote for Lent. It’s a remembrance of Jesus. I introduce it and discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

That third version is in a higher key, and with an accompaniment better suited to solo vocal performance; I discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“One Great Hour”

This is a song I wrote for the One Great Hour of Sharing. I introduce it and discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“Tune Her to Thee” and “Tune Us to Thee”

I wrote these words as a prayer for the healing of a sick child.  They fit the Welsh folk melody, Ar Hyd y Nos (All Through the Night).  I introduce the song and discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“Midwives of Hope”

I wrote this song to celebrate the work of midwives.  It’s inspired by the story of the birth of Moses.  (Note that the “hymn parts and piano” version is in D minor, while the others are in C minor.  That’s because I think the range of the C minor version is more comfortable for untrained singers.)  I introduce the song and discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“But Still I Tremble”

This is a song about the fear of God—not the anticipatory fear of God’s punishment, but the trembling response God’s mystery and grandeur.  I introduce the song and discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“Open Up”

This song is a prayer for God’s help in opening up our hearts. It’s an upbeat song with a catchy refrain; I’ve used it as a warm-up song at the start of a Sunday morning service. I introduce the song and discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“Viriditas”

This choral piece is for an SATB ensemble, accompanied by rhythm instruments.  (I’ve notated the rhythm instruments as Frog, because it looks nice played on wooden croaking frogs.  But it would probably sound better on guiro.)  A versatile quartet might be able to accompany themselves, which would look cool.  I introduce the song and discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“Come, O People”

This choral piece is a processional for cantor and three-part choir. The verse lyrics fit the six Sundays in Lent, particularly in Year C in the Revised Common Lectionary, but it could be used as a processional at any time.  I introduce the song and discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“Spirit Friend, Be With Us As We Pray”

This piece uses a melody from Sarum plainsong: the “Pange lingua.” It could be chanted a cappella, or sung with keyboard accompaniment. I introduce the song in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“Beyond This Journey’s Ending”

By the end of this four-part choral piece, it uses the old Welsh melody, Bugeilio’r Gwenith Gwyn. But that isn’t how it starts. I discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“As the Loaf Is Broken Open”

This is a classic eucharistic hymn with new words. I discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“God Send You Liberation”

New, liberating words to the melody of an old carol. I discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“Let Worries Go”

This hymn accompanies the teaching of Jesus (as in Matthew 6:25-34) that we shouldn’t worry. I discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“Don’t Let It Go to Your Heart”

This hymn accompanies the teachings of Jesus about money, as in Luke 19:1-10, Mark 10:17-25, John 12:3-5,7-8, and Matthew 6:24. I discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“We Are Called to Solve the Puzzle”

This hymn accompanies the teachings of Jesus about nonviolence, as in Luke 13:31-34, Matthew 5:39-41, Luke 6:27-28, and Luke 22:47-53. I discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“We Built a Clubhouse, Snug and Tight”

This hymn accompanies the teachings of Jesus about universal solidarity; he didn’t often talk about this, but he often demonstrated it. I discuss this teaching in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“Truth”

This hymn accompanies the teachings of Jesus about truth and honesty. I discuss this teaching in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“Live Lovingly”

This long, slow hymn was the capstone of my seven-week series on the practical teachings of Jesus. I discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“Marvel and Let Be”

This hymn was inspired by a passage from Julian of Norwich. I discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“Transfiguration Shows the Flame”

I wrote this hymn for Transfiguration Sunday, and I discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“I Claim This Calm and Quiet Space”

I wrote this hymn about rest, and I discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“O Mother of Music”

I wrote this hymn using the melody Ebenezer. I discuss it and sing it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“Surely You Know the Change I Need”

I wrote this hymn for the first Sunday in Lent; it’s about change. I discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“You Loved Your Life, and You Let It Go”

I wrote this hymn for the second Sunday Lent; it’s about Jesus, of course. I discuss it in this issue of The Merry Mystic.

“Be Born in Us Tonight”

This is the first of five new hymns/songs/carols for Advent and Christmas. The “full” version includes a keyboard accompaniment; the “voice” version includes hymn parts only, and is laid out for a US legal sheet, to print and fold.

“Star-Struck by the Stable Gate”

This is the second of my five new hymns/songs/carols for Advent and Christmas. It’s a different angle on the old story of the Animals’ Christmas.

“Rejoice! Rejoice!”

This is the third of my five new hymns/songs/carols for Advent and Christmas. This one (which I used on Gaudete Sunday) is a Christmas celebration—sort of like “Joy to the World!” only actually about Christmas. The “full” version includes a keyboard accompaniment; the “voice” version includes hymn parts only, and is laid out for a US legal sheet, to print and fold.

“Beacon of Bethlehem”

This is the fourth of my five new hymns/songs/carols for Advent and Christmas. It’s about the way God leads us, starting (but not ending) with the Star of Bethlehem.

“All Shall Be Well, Noël”

This is the fifth of my five new hymns/songs/carols for Advent and Christmas. It draws on something from the Showings of Julian of Norwich. The “full” version includes a keyboard accompaniment; the “voice” version includes hymn parts only, and is laid out for a US legal sheet, to print and fold.

“Slow Me Down”

I wrote this hymn to go with my sermon, “Kairos Bathing.” It asks for God’s help to free us from our enslavement to chronos time—the clock and the calendar.

“The Dark Night”

This is not a hymn, but a solo song with piano accompaniment. It’s a reflection on the dark night of the soul, and goes with my sermon, “The Dark Night.”

“Not So Wise Are We”

I wrote this hymn to go with my sermon, “Not So Wise Are We.” It’s about the mysterious visitors who visit the Christ child in the Gospel of Matthew’s nativity story—the “wise men” who act so foolishly.

Practices from The Inn

Here are printable versions of the prayer practices introduced in my book, The Inn of God’s Forgiveness and Other Hymns for the Progressive Church. I hope these will be useful for spiritual formation, for groups and individuals.

These texts are copyrighted, but they include a license for copying. This license is the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, which you can read about in detail here. Basically, it allows unlimited copying for non-commercial use.

Other Practices

“Healer of the World, I Hunger for You” is an audio guided meditation related to fasting.

“Stilling Chant” is an audio guided meditation using a repeated chant that grows shorter and shorter.  Sheet music for the chant  (page 1, page 2) may be useful for those wanting to lead this practice for a group.