This empowering song shows the incarnation not as God stooping down into a sinful world, but rather becoming one of us as an affirmation of our bodies and experience. Great for Advent and Epiphany. CCLI #7236608 Learn More

A beautiful song for Lent by popular worship band The Many that uses the powerful image "Lamb of God" WITHOUT getting into penal substitutionary atonement issues! A moving and accessible congregational song that will also work well for choirs as an anthem. This song has been on the CMP site for a while, but the files were all just updated with new recordings, arrangements, and video. Special Note: A gorgeous 4 part vocal arrangement is available for this song!!!! Learn More

From Brian McLaren:  "As Richard Rohr (in Falling Upward) and I (in Naked Spirituality) have both written, many of us inherit a childish, naive, or adolescent faith that we're never given permission to outgrow in the second half of life.  A more mature congregational hymnody would give us encouragement (far more than permission) to "leave childish things behind" and move on in a lifelong migration of spiritual growth.  That's why I wanted to include 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.

Many of us struggle with how to name God. So many of our old names and metaphors feel used up, small, and polluted with toxic associations. Yet if we give up on speaking to and about God, there are other terrible losses. This song grew out of that struggle and is an attempt to maintain a heart of hungry, thirsty openness to the Mystery who transcends all of our words and concepts. The song was written by Brian McLaren (brianmclaren.net) and this recording is by Fran McKendree, a gifted singer/songwriter you can learn more about here: https://franmckendree.com/ Learn More

Brian McLaren's gift for finding fresh language and images with which to refer to and praise the Divine comes through powerfully in this song. This is another song from the "Songs For A Revolution of Hope" collection that Brian released with the musical aid of Tracy Howe Wispelwey. Learn More

An upbeat worship song about how God delights in all of creation — even us! Based on the theology of St. Julian of Norwich. Great for the beginning of a worship service. CCLI #7236607 Learn More

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.

A new CHORAL OFFERING by Ken Medema! On this journey in life, we travel fraught paths. We endure unspeakable wounds, relentless threats, and deep sadness. But if we look closely, we see that God is with us through these untrodden paths as the Light that does not surrender and the Song that does not cease. God is always granting us a next verse and is always wrapping us up in encircling love. In this space, we are unbound, freed souls. This S.A.T.B. piece is a prayer of gratitude to God for that healing, redemptive space and steadfast presence in this life. It features original music by Ken Medema and text by Cathy Chamblee, arranged for choir by Ken and Cathy with piano accompaniment and optional cello. Because it was composed during the pandemic, there is no performance recording available, but you may enjoy a free MIDI-generated mp3 to acquaint yourselves with the anthem. This piece can be used in a variety of worship settings and is a MUST HAVE for its highly accessible choral writing and its compelling, lovely musical message. Learn More

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!

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...

A wonderful new song based on the "Taste and See" text from Psalm 34.  This is widely used as an invitation to the Table and a song to sing during Holy Communion.
 

A song exploring the mystery of prayer- prayer beyond words. Learn More

The lyric sheet product is a chord chart with lyrics and chords. The lead sheet product bundles lead sheet, congregational melody line and songleader's guide. This song is licensed via OneLicense.net, CCLI and Worldmaking.net. This song is part of Richard Bruxvoort Colligan's intergenerational camp song album, "Branching Out: Neo Camp Songs." This song is designed for campfire or candle-lighting worship. It's a chant that is fun to do with hand drums or, at a faster tempo, with claps, knee slaps and finger snapping. Once learned, try it in canon. This song could also function as a prayer response sung amid petitions. Learn More

Picture her sputtering in awe when you imagine Saint Angela of Foligno singing, "This world is pregnant with God." It's a powerful feminine metaphor for change. Sing it in Springtime, either Lent or Eastertide, on Earth Day, or any moment to remember humankind's interconnection with creation. The simple refrain deepens in meaning as the verses suggest dimensions of the metaphor: if creation is a pregnant witness of Christ incarnate in the world, then every living thing is kin (verses 1-2). For verse 3, I was thinking about the parable of the treasure in the field, and of my family's roots in farming. John 16, Mark 13, and Romans 8 refer to labor pain as a metaphor for the pain of transformation and renewal (verse 4). Teach the community the single-phrase refrain, and your music leader or choir sings the verses. Learn More

From Brian McLaren:  "The Great Spiritual Migration, like all of my books, suggests that we are at the end of a dying ear and at the beginning of something new.  A kind of vital spiritual receptivity is required in liminal times like these, and this song seeks to help us experiene that receptivity.  These lyrics emerged over several years, and they're among the favorite lyrics I've written."

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 21songs.  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.

• The lead sheet product includes lead sheet plus songleader's guide and congregational melody line. 
• The lyric sheet product is a chord chart.
• Choral arrangement available at Worldmaking.net.

This piece can function in 3 ways: the refrain can stand alone as a Gloria, fit for that celebratory moment in worship; the verses can stand alone as a hymn form; all together the song can serve both/either. This song works well with organ, piano or band ensemble.

This song is licensed via OneLicense.net, CCLI and Worldmaking.net.

A song for Advent wreath lighting. Each verse draws attention to one of the candle themes: peace, hope, joy, and love. Learn More