From Brian McLaren:  "I've spent quite a bit of time in Africa over the last decade or so, and one of the beautiful words I picked up there was amahoro," an East African word for peace.  Some of my Native American friends taught me the beautiful words "elohe" and wolakota," and I wondered if I could weve these words into a song that congregations could sing as a benediction--a parting song of peace.  I integrated these words with an adaptation of the classic Hebrew blessing.  Someday, I'd love to hear a children's choir sing this song."

From CMP: Brian McLaren was on a road Sabbatical for the first 8 months of 2016.  During this time away from the grind of constant travel and preparation for live events Brian wrote, rewrote, compiled, and recorded demos (not finished studio recordings) of 21 songs.  9 of these demos are currently available here on the CMP site, and we are in the process of creating lead sheets and piano arrangements for them.  If you would like to purchase this entire collection of Brian's demo's, lyrics, and some notes he wrote about each song (21 songs for $18), please email Bryan Sirchio, CMP Lead Designer, and he will send you a link you can use to purchase Brian's entire collection.

From the Composer Sherri Hansen... A fresh, inclusive take on the beloved Prayer of St. Francis. Suitable for solo or congregational singing with an optional vocal or instrumental obligato. Learn More

From Gary Rand of "The Many..." "Forgive Us is a song of lament and confession. It’s a song to sing when the words don’t come; when our efforts to help, or do right, or even pray seem to come up empty. The songs says, “we don’t know how to pray here, stay here. All we hope is that you’re here.” It’s a song that resonates with Romans 8:26-27, where Paul speaks of the Spirit interceding for us when we don’t have the words." Learn More

This gentle, sung prayer of intercession invites us to pray for others while breaking down the sense of “us” and “them” that is often the pattern of such prayers. The congregation can sing just the refrain (especially at first while they are learning it) or the whole song. “Leaning In” also moves us toward a prayer of intention, focusing on our intention to join in God’s ways of healing, justice and love that are already at work in the world. Rather than emphasizing petition, assuming that our prayers will cause God to act, this song invites us to join in the work that God is already doing. Congregations often find this song to be both moving and a refreshing change in perspective. One License #CGLI2013 Learn More