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Great God, Great Praise

Kurt Carr

We bring great praise;

Great God, You are so deserving.

Great, You are greatly to be praised!

We bring you grateful hearts,

For the love and joy overflowing.

Great, You are greatly to be praised!

Glory, hallelujah, glory, hallelujah,

Glory, hallelujah, glory, halle-lu-jah,

You deserve it... You deserve it...

You deserve it... You deserve great praise.

We bring great praise;

Great God, You are so deserving.

Great, You are greatly to be praised!

We bring you grateful hearts,

For the love and joy overflowing.

Great, You are greatly to be praised!

Glory, hallelujah, glory, hallelujah,

Glory, hallelujah, glory, halle-lu-jah,

You deserve it... You deserve it...

You deserve it... You deserve great praise.

Oh what a privilege and honor,

What a privilege and honor,

What a privilege and honor to sing your praise.

Oh what a privilege and honor,

What a privilege and honor,

What a privilege and honor to sing your praise.

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, praise...

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, praise...

Hallelujah, You deserve it,

A great God, a great praise!

Hallelujah, You deserve it,

A great God, a great praise!

Hallelujah, You deserve it,

A great God, a great praise!

Hallelujah, You deserve it,

A great God, a great praise,

Great God... a great praise. You deserve it!

You deserve it! You deserve great praise.

Hallelujah!

You deserve it! Great God, a great praise.

Great God, a great praise!

Soon Ah Will Be Done

African American Spiritual

Arranged by William L. Dawson

Chorus

Soon I will be done,
A-with the troubles of the world,

Troubles of the world,
The troubles of the world.
Soon a will be done,
A-with the troubles of the world,
Goin' home to live with God.

No more weeping and a wailing,
No more weeping and a wailing,
No more weeping and a wailing,
I'm goin' t'live wid God.

I want to meet my mother,
I want to meet my mother,
I want to meet my mother,
I'm going to live with God.

I want to meet my Jesus,
I want to meet my Jesus,
I want to meet my Jesus,
I'm going to live with God.

My Father Watches Over Me

William C. Martin & Charles H. Gabriel

Arranged by John Leon Lewis

Verse

I trust in God wherever I may be,

Upon the land or on the rolling sea;

For come what may, from day to day,

My heavenly Father watches over me.

Verse

He makes the rose an object of his care,

He guides the eagle through the pathless air;

And surely He remembers me,

My heavenly Father watches over me.

Chorus

I trust in God, I know He cares for me,

On mountain bleak or on the stormy sea;

Though billows roll, He keeps my soul,

My heavenly Father watches over me.

Solo

The valley may be dark, the shadows deep,

But oh, the shepherd guards His lonely sheep;

And through the gloom, He'll lead me home,

My heavenly Father watches over me.

Chorus

I trust in God, I know He cares for me,

On mountain bleak or on the stormy sea;

Though billows roll, He keeps my soul,

My heavenly Father watches over me.

In My Father’s House

James Cleveland

Arranged by Ralph Alan Herndon

Chorus

In my Father's house;

In my Father's house;

In my Father's house;

In my Father's house;

There is joy, joy, joy!

There is joy, joy, joy!

Verse

Don't you wanna go...

To My Father's house!

To my Father's house!

To my Father's house!

Don't you wanna go, yes...

To my Father's house…               

Bridge

Gates of pearl, streets of gold,

Greatest story ever been told.

Get right, wanna go right,

When we get Heaven, it'll be…

Alright!

Alright!

Alright!

Alright!

In my Father's house, it's alright!  

We'll go walking… walking!

Talking...talking!

Singing...singing!

Shouting...shouting!

No room…no room!

For doubting...doubting!
Get right...get right!

Alright...alright!

In my Father’s house, it’s alright!

In my Father’s house, it’s alright!

In my Father’s house, it’s alright!

In my Father’s house, it’s alright!

Stardust

Music by B. E. Boykin

Poem by Brittny Ray Crowell

If we are only stardust,

Let your names reach to the sky above us,

Like petals wafting on a breeze,

We lift you up beyond our reach.

“Kum Buba Yali, Kum Buba Tambe”

Amen, Amen.

“Kum Buba Yali, Kum Buba Tambe”

We say your names.

If we are only stardust,

May your blood never be in vain,

Like petals wafting on a breeze,

We lift you up beyond our reach.

“Kum Buba Yali, Kum Buba Tambe”

Amen, Amen.

“Kum Buba Yali, Kum Buba Tambe”

We say your names.

Each day we grieve another face,

Maybe all this stardust,

Will carry us home one day,

To a home where we can run,

A home where we can pray,

A home where we can breathe,

To sleep and dream without fear,

Is justice this far away?

We cry your names,

For the strength to keep on fighting,

With the hope that you are flying,

“Kum Buba Yali, Kum Buba Tambe”

Stardust.

Birmingham Letter

Nolan Williams Jr.

See the man who is homeless, though destitute he is no less;

Hoping for a fair chance to get on his feet.

A single mother is striving to raise her kids while surviving;

Unequal pay and unfairness;

How can this be?

So we sing.

Children living impoverished;

Deprived of chances and knowledge;

Will someone give them the tools so they can succeed?

And seniors living on pensions, still struggling, not to mention,

Prescription drugs cost them more than the funds they receive,

So we sing.

Injustice anywhere threatens justice everywhere.

Injustice anywhere summons action everywhere.

Hand in hand we understand;

We are one family;

Bound by love.

Everywhere;

Oh – Oh – Oh – Bound by love.

For the young and the old,

For the meek and the bold,

For the gay and the straight immigrant or enslaved,

For the black, white, or brown,

For the poor and those cast down,

We fight for human rights.

For the Christian, Muslim, and Jew,

Buddhist, Hindu, and Atheist, too.

For the deaf, mute, or blind,

Or the abled of all kinds,

From Washington to L.A.

From Syria to Bombay,

We fight, we fight for human rights!

So we fight for human rights;

Till everybody sees the light!

When oppressed;

We demand;

We demand!

Freedom rarely is offered;

We must demand!

The time for freedom is always, always at hand;

It’s at hand;

Take a stand!

The time for freedom is always;

Always at hand;

Take a stand!

Injustice anywhere threatens justice everywhere!

Injustice anywhere summons action everywhere!

Solo

Hand in hand we understand;

We are one family;

Yes, we’re bound by love!

Hand in hand we understand;

We are one family;

Bound by love!

Oh – Oh – Oh – Bound by love!

We fight for human rights!

We fight for human rights!

We fight for human rights!

So we fight for human rights;

Till everybody sees the light!

Till everybody sees the light!

Precious Lord

Thomas A. Dorsey

Arranged by Nathan Carter

Precious Lord, take my hand,

Lead me on, help me stand,

I am tired, I am weak, I am worn,

Through the storm, through the night,

Lead me on to the light,

Take my hand, Precious Lord,

Lead me home.

When my way grows drear,

Precious Lord, linger near,

When my life is almost gone,

Hear my cry, hear my call,

Hold my hand, lest I fall,

Take my hand, Precious Lord,

Lead me home, Precious Lord.

When the darkness appears,

And the night draws near, 

And the day is past and gone,

At the river I stand,

Guide my feet, hold my hand,

Take my hand, Precious Lord,

Lead me home, Precious Lord.

Lift Every Voice and Sing

Music by John Rosamond Johnson

Poem by James Weldon Johnson

Arranged by Roland Carter

Lift every voice and sing,

Till earth and heaven ring,

Ring with the harmonies of Liberty.
Let our rejoicing rise,
High as the list'ning skies, let it resound loud as the rolling sea.

Sing a song full of faith that the dark past has taught us.
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us.

Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,

Let us march on till victory is won.

Stony the road we trod,
Bitter the chast'ning rod,
Felt in the day that hope unborn had died.
Yet with a steady beat,
Have not our weary feet,
Come to the place on witch our fathers sighed?
We have come over a way that with tears has been watered.
We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered.

Out from the gloomy past, till now we stand at last,
Where the white gleam of our star is cast.

God of our weary years,

God of our silent tears,
Thou who has brought us thus far on the way,
Thou who has by thy might,
Led us into the light…

Keep us forever in the path, we pray,
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met thee,
Least our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget thee,
Shadowed beneath the hand,
May we forever stand,
True to our God,
True to our native land.

No Turning Back

Israel Houghton

Verse

I almost gave up;

Thought I'd had enough;

Got right to the edge,

You talked me out of it.

Got lost in the dark;

Got tossed in the storm;

Spoke to the wind,

And brought me out of it.

Tag

I'm not forsaken;

You're never leaving;

And I'll keep on moving,

Forward with You.

Chorus

Let's go!

Let’s go!

Let’s go!

Wherever You lead, I'll follow.

Wherever You lead, I’ll follow.

Wherever You lead, I’ll follow.

With you the future's beautiful.

Let's go!

Let’s go!

Wherever You lead, I'll follow.

Wherever You lead, I’ll follow.

Wherever You lead, I’ll follow.

Oh, Oh,

No turning back.

Verse

Had tears in my eyes;

Had doubt in my mind;

Nevertheless, nevertheless,

You talked me out of it.

I thought I was trapped;

Was sinking so fast;

Your unfailing love,

Lifted me out of it.

Tag

Chorus

Bridge

I've come into the Kingdom;

For such a time as this

You have a plan and purpose

That I don't wanna miss

My destiny is certain

My future's in your hands

Jesus I will follow you

No turning back.

No turning back.

Chorus

Bridge

I have decided

To follow Jesus

No turning back

Oh, oh, no turning back.

(repeat)

Though none go with me

Still I will follow

No turning back

Oh, oh, no turning back.

(repeat)

The cross before me

The world behind me

No turning back

Oh, oh, no turning back

(repeat)

This cross I'll carry

Till I see Jesus

(repeat 5x)

No turning back

Oh, oh, no turning back!

Freedom in the Midst of Bondage

Spoken Word

Text by Children of the Gospel Choir

Forever and always we will sing that

Our ancestors planted the seeds              

That in time would grow into trees; 

Those who came before us fought hard for liberty            

So that we could harvest our destiny

We’ve made pivotal contributions to one of the most powerful countries ever    

Yet America takes every chance it gets to slash and to sever                        

What it means to be black and brown in this country, though it finds it convenient to take             

Our strength, beauty, even pain, molding us in its wake                 

Black by popular demand.           

We created culture with flair.

From the music, to the style of our hair.               

And when the oppressors realized how great our culture was,                    

They started to care.

Seeing our prosperity, they copied our creativity,              

and took credit for our originality.            

Black and brown artists generated ideas that others could only dream to replicate,           

Yet still there is hate.

Black by popular demand.

It seems like the world is shaking our sanity,

When it discriminates against all people, diminishing humanity,                 

Passionate people all rally to advocate for peace and to fight,                     

For voting rights, medical rights, civil rights, but still the world is not right.            

Government officials, Dictators, and other powerful people all try,

To make it seem as if they are the good guys;                    

Politicians will make claims about the aid they plan to provide us, 

But when things go awry, and the days pass by, all they do is sit by,

And watch children experiencing homelessness, sick people, and the innocent, sigh, cry, die,                       

As we watch the world’s tragedies unfold, all we can do is feel mortified.              

Justice By Popular Demand.       

Even grocery stores are set up in such a way that,             

People with low incomes end up in hospitals someday as,             

They can only afford to pay for foods that bring diseases,             

Like cancer, heart disease, strokes, and diabetes.             

The workers can be as nice as anyone might seem, 

But, at the end of the day, the corporations only want our money.

And what’s worse is the medical system that’s supposed to support all,                 

Only cares about your cash, your credit card, your debt - that’s all;

Then they recommend diets that send you right back,                    

To the grocery stores and restaurants that hospitalized you with a surprise heart attack.

Humane by popular demand.                    

I’m tired of oppression, and I’m sure you all are too,

So let’s stand together and end this ongoing feud.           

There may be casualties, lost hope, but know that together, we cannot lose,        

And to “obstacle,” We say “We’ve already conquered you.”

We push on, move on, run to our separating line,             

That divides injustice and freedom; yes, we’ll keep on trying.                      

Discrimination and murder, price inflation and hate,                      

But there’s a line that separates evil from a land wherein freedom is our fate.     

Freedom from communities where we’re kept in financial ruin,                  

Freedom from a world in which simply being Black, Indian, Asian, or Hispanic leads to a shooting;

Freedom from hospitals and nursing homes that believe the elderly do not deserve care,

Freedom from a country in which kneeling to support Black lives is too much to bear.

Freedom from a world wherein people endure centuries of struggle just for one month of homage,

Freedom from a land that claims it’s the “Land of the Free” while we’re still in bondage.

Whether you be Stacey Abrams, Corey Booker, Malala Yousafzai, or just another human,              

We’re all special people worthy of good lives, not persecution;                  

We’re already making progress as more people are coming to see

That our lives matter, our voices matter, so let’s stand up in unity!         

And one day, after we’ve fought the good fight and persevered, we’ll stop seeing injustices glorified on TV,         

When that time comes, we won’t have Freedom in the Midst of Bondage; we’ll just be free.

Jehovah Sabaoth (God of Angel Armies)

Donald Lawrence

I shall not fear the arrow by day

Nor shall I fear the terror by night

The God who governs angel armies

Has set encampments around me

Whom shall I fear?

I shall not fear the arrow by day

Nor shall I fear the terror by night

The God who governs angel armies

Has set encampments around me

Whom shall I fear?

Whom shall I fear?

Whom shall I fear?

Whom shall I fear?

Whom shall I fear?

The God who governs angel armies

Has set encampments around me

Encampments around me

Whom shall I fear?

I'm not afraid

All is well

All is well

I'm not afraid

All is well

All is well

Searching

Dorothy Norwood

Arranged by Ralph Alan Herndon

Searching, searching,

Kept on searching till I found Him.

Searching, searching,

Kept on searching till I found Him.

Change my feet so I can walk right.

Change my tongue so I can talk right.

Change my mind so I can think right.

Change my heart so I can love right.

Yes, Yes,

Kept on searching till I found the King of Kings.

No Color

Stacey V. Gibbs & Shawn Kirchner

No color can come between us,

No shade to be thrown,

No tone be taken to demean us,

No hue of hate to be shown,

No color, no shade, no tone;

Let me be transparent with you.

Whose history is whose?

Who’s walking in whose shoes?

Who’s making whose rules?

Who’s learning in whose schools?

Whose history, whose shoes, whose rules?

Let me be transparent with you.

More love is our intention,

Stop—did we forget to mention that,

We are more alike than we are different?

United we take a stand,

Ignited with hand in hand,

To build a band of harmony.

No time to wait, don’t hesitate!

Within me there’s a love so strong,

Within me there’s a hope to belong,

Within me there’s a fire to right all wrongs.

Within me there’s a love to share,

Within me there’s a need to care,

Within my heart is a risk to dare.

Brown from Black Metropolis: Improvisations on Paint Factory

Darin Atwater

Oooh
Oooh

 Black nor White,
 The world is a Brownin’ now.

 Black nor White,
 The world is a Brownin’ now,

 From north to south,
 Gon’ tear down the color wall.

 From east to west,
 Shout freedom for one and all.

 Black nor White,
 The world is a Brownin’ now.

 Black nor White,
 The world is a Brownin’ now.

 Oooh
 Oooh

The Promised Land

Ken Burton

Lyrics by Paul Laurence Dunbar, Thomas Day, & John Bicknell

We smile, but O great Christ, our cries,

To Thee from troubled souls arise,

We sing, but oh the clay is vile,

Beneath our feet, and long the mile.

Lead me to that spot, that sacred shore,

Where souls are free and men oppress no more.

I’ve been to the mountain top,

I looked over, and I see the promised land,

For when our souls have learn’d the heat to bear,

The cloud will vanish; we shall hear his voice,

Saying, “Come out from the grove, my love and care,

And round my golden tent, like lambs, rejoice!”

If I Can Help Somebody

Alma Bazel Androzzo

Arranged by Stanley Thurston

If I can help somebody, as I travel along,
If I can help somebody, with a word or song,
If I can help somebody, from doing wrong,
No, my living shall not be in vain.

No, my living shall not be in vain.
No, my living shall not be in vain.
If I can help somebody, as I'm singing the song,
You know, my living shall not be in vain.