"As We Gather, Draw Us Nearer" marries the traditional hymn melody Beach Spring with vibrant images of nature, family, communion and belonging. This text explains holiness in a fresh, new way. It's a CMP staff favorite! Lyric video for this is coming soon! Learn More

"God of the Movements and Martyrs" was written in honor of the 85th anniversary of the North Carolina Council of Churches. the Council was formed in 1935 to address racial injustice, and continues to work for peace, justice, equity, and inclusion. The hymn honors Christians who have been working for a better world for generations, because of their faith, and invites all of us to join in that sacred work. Note: There are several different versions of this song on the CMP site. Each version has it's own product page and related downloads available. It is the same song done in several different styles by several different artists. Learn More

"All my Life" is a contemporary setting of Psalm 73 and offers a little bit of everything! Ken Medema uses funky rhythmic music for us to sing about the frustration of walking in God's ways while watching evil flourish, and he pairs that with contemplative music as we sing a prayer of gratitude for our salvation and for God's abiding presence. This song is best suited for a vocal solo but the opening verses also allow congregational participation. "All my Life" can be performed with piano and additional rhythm section instruments (guitar and drums). Look for these additional titles in this series of Psalm settings by Ken: "God, I am Beaten, Battered, and Bruised (Psalm 56)," "It's Good to Give Thanks (Psalm 92)," and "We Will Raise Our Eyes (Psalm 121)." Learn More

"Come As You Are” is from the album, Love > Fear, from The Many. It's a reflection on the words of Jesus in Matthew 11:28: "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” The song is an invitation to all of us into God's loving embrace. We can come with our faith and with our doubt; we are welcomed with hopes and with fears. We can come deeply weary and wounded and carrying loads of baggage and God promises to never turn us away. We come as we are and are loved as we are. No small print. No exceptions. Learn More

This beautiful contemporary hymn seems destined to be a powerful and joyful anthem for congregations committed to honoring the diversity, promise, and Extravagant Welcome that is at the heart of the Gospel. This song makes powerful use of the biblical symbol of the rainbow as a sign of God's sustaining Love and a call for the church to be a diverse people of the full range of Divine Love and Light. CMP is convinced that Canadian composer David Kai has hit a home run with this song, and that this song will be a joyful gift to open and affirming congregations in particular. Learn More

Ken Medema encourages us to be thankful for the adventure ahead of us, the tough pathways behind us, and the opportunity to serve others beyond the church walls, guided all the way by God's Spirit. In the middle of this lively song, Ken gives us a new text to the well-known hymn tune, Wye Valley. The new text is a prayer for God's Spirit to guide the "living out" of our faith each day, knowing that the testament of our lives proves God's grace. This piece can be accompanied by piano alone but can also have guitar, synthesizer, drums, and organ added. It is suitable for topics related to our witness in the world and the way in which God's Spirit guides our steps. The hymn inserted in this song can be performed as a separate congregational hymn and is entitled, "Holy Spirit, Guide Us" (separate catalog item). Learn More

This sunny, singable song is a great match for any congregation seeking a song of praise that includes nature imagery. Creation care is our responsibility as people of faith. This song describes the big, bright beautiful world as the dream of God, which is ours to guard and protect. Fresh language captures the imagination and delights the senses. If you're looking for a song that rhymes "birch" and "church," this is the one! Learn More

“We Remember Her” is a song celebrating the so-called "woman with the alabaster jar" in Mark 14:3-9, Matthew 26:6-13, Luke 7:36-50 and John 12:1-3. In singing, we honor this nameless disciple and her courageous act of kindness that was so important to the gospel writers. The story of the "woman with the alabaster jar" is told with varying details in all four gospels. A few days before Jesus' death, into a room full of men she came and anointed Jesus with expensive ointment. In Mark and Matthew's accounts, the scene has Jesus recognizing the woman as one of the most important in his ministry. "Wherever the gospel is proclaimed in all the world, what this woman has done will be told in remembrance of her." The moment happened early in holy week, and according to the gospels, Jesus wouldn't have bathed before he was arrested. Could it be the aroma of the perfume was with him on Friday? Could it be that the scent, so tenderly offered to Jesus, sustained him with hope as he was dying on the cross? Learn More

"We will seek the shalom of the city. We will work with each other, hand in hand. We will build, we will plant, we will pray, we will dream. Come, Shalom, to our cities, to our land." Ken Medema creates a poignant musical setting for this cry for all believers to join together to seek shalom--true peace--for our time. In these days when the world around us feels fractured and irreparably hateful, and many of us feel disillusioned, this song calls us to do the work of God in the world around us with great hope, knowing that we are joined in a holy endeavor that will one day bring peace to the land. This song is suitable for solo performance of congregational singing and can be used to complement a variety of worship topics, including community building, missions, outreach, hope, and faithful service. Learn More