Alternative words to well-known songs

Think of a world where carbon dioxide

Advent candles

Sleep my baby

Wake up sleeper

Though I may speak with bravest fire

The Big Parade (Palm Sunday)

Somewhere under the rainbow

Mothers of Salem

Think of a world without any thank-yous

As the deer (Psalm 42)

Think of a world where carbon dioxide
Fills up our skies and traps the solar heat.
Think of a world addicted to petrol,
Craving the cars that crowd our city streets.
The way we live abuses your Creation:
Forgive us, Lord, we shame your holy name.

Think of a world where storms are increasing,
Sweeping unchecked through tropical seas.
Think of a world of unrelenting rainfall,
floods so torrential they pull up trunks of trees.
The way we live increases nature’s fury:
Forgive us, Lord, we shame your holy name.

Think of a world where glaciers are melting,
Think of a world where dust storms rage.
Think of an atmosphere that’s choked with carbon
Think of a world it ’s far too late to save.
The way we live seems bent on self-destruction:
Forgive us, Lord, we shame your holy name.
© 2007 Tom Arthur, with apologies to Bunty Newport

New verses written to the candle-lighting song in the Seasons of the Spirit curriculum:

Advent! Advent! A candle burns.
Advent! Advent! A candle burns.

Wake up, you sleepers in the night
to greet the Lord who is your light. Advent...

Come, listen to the prophet's voice.
Be filled with gladness and rejoice. Advent....

Our Lord will come and make things new,
his word is sure, his promise true. Advent....

His love will bring us victory;
his advent sets the people free. Advent....

How glad we sing this shining morn
that Jesus Christ, our Lord is born.
verses © 2005 Tom Arthur

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1 Wake up, sleepers, hear the song
sung by angel voices:
Glory to our God on high,
all the world rejoices.
Peace on earth, good will to all—
long-awaited gladness—
God has turned our longing hearts
into joy from sadness.

2 Rise, you weary, join the song,
chase off disbelieving.
Sing this song and be made strong,
Christmas joy receiving.
Christ is born in Bethlehem ,
come to resurrect us.
As we rise to follow him,
so our God is with us.

3 Come to welcome Christ today,
Christ our new-born nature.
Come, stand up, prepare the way
for a new adenture!
Greet him, sleeping in the hay,
greet God’s revelation,
as with joy we greet the day
of our re-creation.

4 See this child of humble birth
come on earth a stranger;
he will guide us in his way,
safe, and free from danger.
Have no fear for he is near,
like a sister, brother:
God is with us, God is here,
when we love each other.
© 2003 Tom Arthur; tune: Ave Virgo Virginum

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Though I may speak with bravest fire,
and have the gift to all inspire,
and have not love, my words are vain;
as sounding brass, and hopeless gain.

Love does not seek to get its way,
whine, or manipulate, or sway.
True love is patient, love is kind,
not rude or arrogant of mind.

Though I may give all I possess,
and mountain-moving faith profess,
my gifts are worthless from the start
if love has failed to grasp my heart.

The things I boast of fade away
like dew before the heat of day,
but faith and hope and love will last:
these three remain when all has passed.
Verse 1Hal H. Hopson l972; verses 2-4 © 2004 T.A.; tune: O Waly Waly

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Jesus rode into town on a donkey’s back
with a crowd full of girls and boys waving palms.
They were gleefully shouting cheers that were far too loud for ears,
and the boys were singing rowdy psalms!

Jesus rode into town in a big parade—
with a hundred and ten “Hoorays!” full of praise,
singing blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord—
how they roared and roared and roared and roared!

And the donkey felt so proud to carry such a load
as this one, God’s dear Son—listen to her bray!
trotting through the main streets of Jerusalem,
in the sun, having her biggest day!

There were Pharisees who didn't like such raucous noise.
Please, they said, save our heads, calm the rowdy crowd.
Jesus said they’d riot if he tried to keep them quiet,
then you’d hear how the stones would shout aloud!

Jesus rode into town on a donkey’s back—
and the crowd threw their jackets down on the ground;
they were shouting “Hosanna!” joy for the top banana boy:
How they made a cheerful joyful sound!

Jesus rode into town in a big parade,
with a crowd full of girls and boys waving palms.
They were cheerfully shouting glees far too loud for Pharisees,
and the boys were singing rowdy psalms,
singing raucous, rowdy psalms!
© 2004 Tom Arthur, to the tune of 76 Trombones
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Somewhere under the rainbow, here below
There’s a love for creation,
care for all things that grow.
Somewhere under the rainbow fields are green
and the life that you long to live
really can be seen!

Today let’s pray a simple prayer
And wake up to a world that’s fair around us
where others’ pain becomes our own
nor strangers find themselves alone
because they’ll find us…

Somewhere under the rainbow where God lives
in the blessings we offer
and in the heart that gives.
Here God has blessed all living things
beneath the rainbow
See—God’s blessing lives!
© 2002 Tom Arthur, with apologies to E. Y. Harburg
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When Mothers of Salem
Their children brought to Jesus
The stern disciples drove them back
And bade them depart;
But Jesus saw them ere they fled,
And sweetly smiled, and kindly said,
Suffer the children to come unto me.

How kind was our Saviour,
To bid those children welcome
Who interrupt irreverently
Words solemn and grave;
How Jesus laughed as if to say
That stern disciples learn to pray:
Suffer the children to come unto me!

As God our dear Mother,
So busy with Creation,
Can interrupt important work
To listen to us,
Let us attend to children’s glee
With joyful spontaneity:
Suffer the children to come unto me!

When fathers and mothers
Their children bring to Jesus
The Spirit has a chance to play
In hearts grown too stiff;
So melt this cold and stony place,
That we may say, with equal grace,
Suffer the children to come unto me.
© 1989 Tom Arthur, with apologies to William Medlen Hastings (1827-1876)
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Think of a world without any thank-yous,
think of a world without any please,
think of a world where no one remembers,
think of a world where kind words cease,
where people grab, and turn their backs on others,
where people think that all the world is theirs.

Think of a world where givers are forgotten,
think of a world of self-centred ways.
Think of a world without any neighbours,
no-one to thank and no-one to praise,
where people grab, and turn their backs on others,
where people think that all the world is theirs.

Think of a world without any worship,
think of a church that bars its doors,
think of a loaf that’s not meant for sharing,
think of a prayer that only asks for more,
where people grab, and turn their backs on others,
where people think that all the world is theirs.
© 2003 Tom Arthur, with apologies to Bunty Newport
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[As the deer pants for the water,
so my soul longs after you.
You alone are my heart’s desire
And I long to worship you.

You alone are my strength, my shield,
to you alone may my spirit yield.
You alone are my heart’s desire
and I long to worship you.]

Through the night hours I lie here crying
and my tears have filled my day.
Friends feel free to tease me, taunting,
“Where’s that God to whom you pray?” You alone…

I remember how we worshipped
with the temple filled with praise.
Now our world seems so cold and empty:
fear of violence fills our days. You alone…

Why, my soul, are you sunk in sorrow?
Come, recall God’s faithful ways.
Lord, by day I shall be your servant
and by night I’ll sing your praise. You alone…

Others mock while my heart is breaking;
Lord, will you forget me, too?
“Where is your God?” they taunt me, laughing,
yet my prayer still turns to you. You alone…
Verse 1 and refrain: Martin J. Nystrom @ 1984 Restoration Music Ltd.
Other verses © 1999 Tom Arthur
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