If in your heart is one of the most popular tunes off An Unexpected Christmas, Ana's 2010 collaboration with The Virginia Girls Choir, directed by Dan Moriarty. It can be done with equal voices, or if you have an adventurous group, with much improvisation. 

Singer/Songwriter David LaMotte is a soulful lyricist and artist who has spent many years in contemporary folk music circles.  This very singable and easy to learn song with a great groove is from David's brand new release, "It's The Other Way Around."  This tune will bring new life and energy to many congregations as they celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion.

Brian McLaren is known widely for his many books and his signficant role as one of the pioneers and theological framers of the "Emerging Church" movement.  But music and songwriting in particular has also been a passion of Brian's for many years.  Brian took a travel sabbatical for the first part of 2016 during which he composed a number of new songs for worship.  Many of these new songs of his will soon be available primarily if not exclusively through CMP!

No one is more humble and self-deprecating when it comes to his own playing and singing than Brian, so cut him some slack if his "Garage Band" demos aren't flawless.  We or others may redo some of these songs in a more studio polished format, but we want to begin sharing his new songs with the Church right away.  Few songwriters hit the lyrical heart and essence of what CMP is all about any more deeply and consistently than Brian.

"Spirit Running" is a fun, joyful, upbeat song proclaiming the call to do justice and to care for and honor the earth.  Enjoy!

A gentle and soulful prayer to be open and receptive.  A simple and repetitive lyric, close to a chant, with a hauntingly beautiful melody and a lovely descant.

This beautiful poem by Richard Wilbur is quite flexible and may be used as a solo with guitar or piano, and also as a hymn with the entire congregation. 
Stay blessed.

This song is vintage Christopher Grundy and really deserves to be used more widely.  Great invitation, call to worship, prayer, or "short song or response" based on Jesus' invitation to come and find rest in Matthew 11:28.

This mid-tempo anthem-style song focuses on the river or prayer that is going on 24/7/365 around the world. It's great for World Communion Sunday, or Pentecost, or any time you want to invite people to step into worship. Verses can be sung by a soloist, with the congregation joining on the refrain. Suitable for a band or a single instrument. Rev. Dr. Christopher Grundy is Professor of Worship and Preaching and Dean of the Chapel at Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis. He's also an exceptionally gifted singer/songwriter and liturgical musician. "Stepping In" is the title track of his collection of over 20 songs for worship. One License #CGSi2004 Learn More

The popular youth event duo "Lost And Found" (Michael Bridges and George Baum) sometimes refer to their music as "speed wood" music.  High energy, great sense of humor, and yet some really nice content.   Usually they perform with just acoustic guitar and electric piano, and they are always lots of fun.  This one may not make it into Sunday morning worship in a lot of congregations, but then again who knows!  Teens and kids love these guys! 

No sheet music yet for this one...

Sherry Cothran is an ordained United Methodist Pastor and singer/songwriter who enjoyed critical success a while back with a band called The Envirudes.   This one's less for group singing and more just for reflection and inspiration.  Enjoy her beautiful vocals and the lovely imagery of her lyrics...

Another brand new Ken Medema song focusing on Holy Communion.  A beautiful invitation to the Table and to the Extravagant Welcome at the heart of the Gospel.  This one will also work well as a choral anthem in addition to a congregational song.

Amahoro” is a word from the Kirundi language, spoken in Burundi as well as adjacent parts of Tanzania, Uganda and the D.R. Congo. It is a common greeting meaning “peace” and is used in this song as a prayer and blessing that could be translated, “Let peace flow between us!”  Composer Tracy Howe Wispelwey is committed to composing songs that honor and draw from cultural traditions and communities that have been historically marginalized.  Congregations that love to sing songs like "We Are Marching In The Light of God"  (Siyaham' ekukhanyen' kwenkhos') will jump right on this one!

An upbeat rocking song with a catchy hook based on Psalm 58 that names systemic injustice and oppression.  This song has some guts and is a strong call for introspection and "uprooting corruption even when it serves us." 

• Lyric sheet is also a chord chart.
• Congregational melody line and songleader's guide is bundled in the "lead sheet" product.
• Piano score coming soon.
• This song is licensed via OneLicense.net, CCLI or Worldmaking.net. 
• This song is part of richard Bruxvoort Colligan's "Branching Out" camp song album

Groovy easy-to-learn pop-folk song centered on Jesus' stack of metaphors for active faith in Matthew 5.14: you're like light shining on the planet, a city on a hill. Great for a moment of sending, commissioning, baptism, affirmation of faith or campfire.

This is a brand new song for Advent 2016 from The Many.  We're really excited about this one!  So timely in light of all that's going on in the world right now.  This beautiful, singable, easily accessible song could work as an anthem, a congregational song, or a solo.  It taps into the Advent themes of waiting and longing for God to come, act, and bring about Divine justice.  And yet it is also a call to action, love, service, and hope while we wait. 

Thanks for another GREAT song Gary, Lenora, and Hannah Rand!

Lenora, Gary, and Hannah Rand of "The Many" have just written and recorded this beautiful song as part of the "We Stand With Love" campaign.  "We Stand With Love" has a great website with instructions on how to get involved with this campaign to help congregations focus on God's Love and Grace this Fall in particular as the presidential election approaches.  There are some great resources and instructions on how to participate and who is involved at www.westandwithlove.org

Please see the entire free bunch of liturgical resources on the CMP site to go along with this campaign also.  Among other prayers and written liturgical resources you will find an entire worship service and a sermon written by Lenora Rand that can be used in worship.

Thanks SO MUCH to The Many for creating these special  "We Stand With Love" resources!

There is no sheet music available yet for this song, but we'll post it as soon as there is. 

"We Stand With Love" Campaign Written Resources and Music Suggestions!   www.westandwithlove.org for more details!

This "Product" is Different!!  Contains a FREE download of an entire worship service (select the "Lyrics" item to download the entire liturgy and sermon by Gary and Lenora Rand.

Also contains FREE download of prayers, creative worship suggestions, song suggestions, and other written worship materials (select the "Lead Sheet" item to download all of these additional Resources.

The Audio File for this "product" features A FREE DOWNLOAD of a brief liturgical musical line by Andra Moran to go along with a responsive prayer written by Andra and Suzanne Castle.

CMP is thrilled to have Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III, Musical Director Bryan Johnson, and songwriter Kevon Carter at the heart of our attempts to bring new music to congregations!  We'll soon be featuring some interviews with Rev. Moss and the music team of Trinity and look forward to their insights on how to use music in the context of transforming and vital worship.

This "Stay Connected" piece based on Jesus' words in John 15 is just the first of what will be many original songs from Trinity's Kevon Carter.  Piano arrangements and lead sheets will be coming soon!

Steve Schallert lives in Hawaii and works often with Youth With a Mission.  He is a soulful and passionate songwriter and artist who writes beautiful songs of longing, lament, and the call for biblical justice.  This simple but powerful "Song of Lamentation" will touch the hearts of many and give us all a deeply needed way to sing our prayers for healing and wholeness.

A common critique of "contemporary praise and worship music" is that it does not touch the brokenness of the world enough and that there are too many "happy clappy" songs and very few songs of lament.  Lament is a crucial step in response to the pain of the world and the processes of grieving, healing, and regrouping we all need both in our individual lives and in our communities of faith.  CMP is grateful and proud to have songs like this on our site and to point you toward the work of Steve Schallert.

This brand new song by gifted composer and musicologist Mark Miller was written just before Mark underwent surgery to remove a tumor on his brain.  He was told that the surgery could wind up leaving him deaf, especially in one ear--no small matter for anyone--but especially huge for one who is called to teach and create and perform music.  Thankfully, the surgery went well, the tumor was benign, and Mark hears perfectly.  And we all received the gift of this beautiful song in and through the process!  This one will minister deeply to anyone facing uncertainty and risk and who needs to be reminded that God and the community of faith will always "surround us with love."

If and when Mark does a more produced version of this song in the studio we will make that available, but for now this simple demo is the only recording of this brand new song that exists.  Thanks so much for sharing it with us Mark, and we have a feeling this song is going to be widely used!

A moving song about sharing each other's burdens and loving and accepting each other as we are.  Beautiful production and artistry.  David Lunsford and the musicians at Eastlake Community Church in Washington state are creating some amazingly beautiful music that should be on the radio, but their lyrics are a bit too progressive and real for most CCM radio formats.