This song was written to go with the "Day 3" Scriptures and Themes of the 2018 "Beyond Belief" Outdoor Ministries Camp curriculum published by Chalice Press. The theme for the day is "What If We Hope?," and the Scripture is the story of a man's friends bringing a sick friend to Jesus for healing and cutting a hole in the roof in order to get through the crowd." This song is simple, accessible, but layered with meaning and will be useful in many different contexts, from Church camps and retreats to Sunday morning worship. Learn More

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!

Ken Medema borrows the chorus from this well-known African-American spiritual and adds contemporary lyrics in this poignant plea for racial justice and personal repentance. He adds jazzy pianistic flourishes, light percussion, and an improvised solo vocal line over the traditional chorus, which is sung by the choir of the St. John United Church of Christ in Kankakee, Illinois. This piece is suitable for multiple types of gatherings and worship services. Learn More

A brand new song released for Advent 2020! No artists are helping individuals and faith communities these days to both lament and hold on to the hope for Divine Transformation more effectively than The Many. This song helps to name the pain and longing that so many are experiencing at this point in history, but it also invites us to dream new dreams and reminds us that God uses those who dream to change the world. Learn More

This a cappella song of resistance combines Epiphany themes of the magi avoiding Herod and going home by another way, alongside images from the song of Mary about the powerful being thrown down and the hungry being filled. An easy, catchy refrain with a Celtic feel is easy for groups to learn. The verses can be sung by a soloist or the group. Learn More

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 song about about using your voice, taking a risk when the moment comes. There's a time to be quiet and a time to Speak Up! Consider the moment when you witness bullying, injustice, someone in need or a time to simply be honest about your situation. Resonates with Day 5 of the "Beyond Belief" Inside Out curriculum. Learn More

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.

A beautiful acoustic guitar driven invitation to the Communion Table by "Dakota Road" (Larry Olson and Hans Peterson). Easy to play and sing and teach to the congregation. Lots of great inclusive and healing themes throughout... Learn More

Can we be honest? Sometimes we wonder where God is and what God does. When horrible things happen in our personal lives and in our world we may not always say it out loud, but we think it...where were you God? Why don't you do something about this? We cry out like the Psalmists did in Psalm 10 "Lord, why are you so far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?" Or lament like the writer of Psalm 42: "My tears have been my food day and night, as people constantly question me, 'Where’s your God now?'" This song is about that - remembering some of the recent events that have left us in tears, left us heartbroken and undone. Where was God when children are put in cages on the U.S. border? Where was God when Laquan McDonald was killed or Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor or George Floyd? Where was God when the child is sent to conversion therapy or when we lose thousands and thousands of people in a pandemic? The answers don't come easy in this song...but as we cry out and ask God, "Why didn't you send help?" we sometimes hear God's still, small voice saying, "I did. I sent you." This song is on The Many's 2019 album "Love Greater Than Fear" which is available on iTunes and Spotify. You can learn more about The Many at: https://www.themanyarehere.com CCLI#: 7140930 Learn More

From singer/songwriter Tracy Howe: "This song reminds us the peace, hope, and love we are longing for to move in our world is also inside of us." Learn More

From Brian McLaren:  "In The Great Spiritual Migration, I propose that we imagine the local congregation as a school of love.  It's quite surprising how few songs we have that deepen our understanding of and commitment to the primacy of love;  I hope this song can help in this regard.  I also felt (aided by the strange and horrible 2016 election cycle) that we need to name greed, hate, and fear as deadly diseases of which love is the cure.  People constantly sell products and win elections using the currency of greed, hated and fear;  we need to expose that as a counterfeit currency and celebrate the power of love instead."

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.

• The lead sheet product includes lead sheet plus songleader's guide and congregational melody line. 
• The lyric sheet product is a chord chart.

This song is a reflection on Psalm 109, one of the most angry psalms. The song "Move" invites focused commitment to be active in the work of protest, healing and justice. It also names anger as a natural response to oppression, perhaps a good fuel for change.

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

A short sung prayer asking for openness of heart and mind in preparation for difficult but necessary conversations concerning how to better love all of our neighbors. Note: The audio file is just the melody and guitar, and the video features a fuller production with vocal harmonies and trumpets all played and sang by Christian. Learn More

Climate change is a reality. It is not a vague notion of a possible future anymore. It is fires and floods and storms at our doorsteps. How will we be the Church in these difficult, uncertain times? We are struggling with all of you to find those answers. But we know that at times like these, we will need songs to sing. Songs to give us courage. To remind us that we are not alone. To remind us that we are loved, by God, by our neighbors and by strangers and by this incredible nourishing earth. So here’s a song that might help. Written by Hannah and Lenora Rand and recorded by The Many, “Is This How The World Ends” is an expressive, emotional song, that we hope will help us pray and lament and ask for help in these tough times. It is a song for listening, for meditation, for singing together. There are some solo sections and a moving chant at the end for all to join together in praying to God, “Help us love the way you do.” This is the first release from an upcoming EP of songs of lament for the devastation of climate change written by The Many in a year long collaboration with the BTS Center in Maine. CCLI # 7185191 Learn More

Ken Medema’s CHORAL SETTING of this original text lets singers give voice to disappointments we all face in this life. If we could make our dreams come true, our world would have no pain, no injustice against the land or any living thing, and no war. How do we face the evils and injuries around us? This anthem encourages us to take up the call of charity, of courage, of shouting down the darkness—all possible when we call on God’s Spirit to infuse our journeys. Our dream world is our walk with God’s presence through this life. With music and lyrics by Ken Medema and the choral arrangement by Ken Medema and Cathy Chamblee, this very accessible S.S.A.T.T.B. anthem is supported by a lyrical flowing piano accompaniment. Useful in many different worship settings, your choir will enjoy challenging your congregation to take up the call of the Spirit in their lives. Because this anthem was composed during the pandemic, a performance recording is unavailable, but you may get to know this anthem through the free MIDI-generated recording available on this website. Learn More

A song of hopeful lament that reflects on the need for relationship and togetherness both during and after communal suffering and loss. Learn More

“Healing of the Heart” is an earnest prayer of confession and hope for healing of the heart and soul. It captures the deep, hard-to-ignore wounds to our souls delivered long ago, wondering how we begin the journey on the road to forgiveness with those who have hurt us. Is God with us in this struggle? Ken’s lyrics confront this question and the very difficult task of healing these painful wounds. The personal nature of this song makes it suitable for solo singing accompanied by either piano alone or by a rhythm section. It is highly appropriate when worship topics center on forgiveness, personal struggle, resolution of conflict, and God’s presence when we take up the challenge to walk these difficult paths. Learn More

This song was written specifically for Maundy Thursday, the last night of Jesus's life, and yet it is useful for any time people feel "up against it." One of the Gospels says that after the Last Supper and the foot washing, and after Judas left the table to betray him, Jesus and his disciples sang a hymn together before they left for the garden of Gethsemane. A song that would give Jesus strength to face what he knew the next day was going to mean for him. It is our hope that this song will be a source of strength and courage for those facing a difficult tomorrow. 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. Learn More

Ken Medema captures the anguishing prayer of the servant who longs for God's justice in frustrating times and who trusts in God against despair and fear. The song concludes with a comforting reminder that we belong to God. This bluesy song is a setting of Psalm 56 and is best suited to be performed as a vocal solo with piano accompaniment. Look for these additional psalm settings in this series by Ken: "All My Life (Psalm 73)," "It's Good to Give Thanks (Psalm 92)," "We Will Raise Our Eyes (Psalm 121)." Learn More

Another gorgeous and soulful song of lament and longing by the Many. The lyrics were written by The Many's primary lyricist Lenora Rand, and the music by Lenora's husband Gary and daughter Hannah. This amazing family of co-writers and artists is blessing CMP and the Church with some of the best new worship music to be found. Taking it's cue from Jesus' cry on the cross from Psalm 22, this song taps into our experience of God's seeming absence in times of great struggle and pain, yet leans toward hope and faith and healing. Perfect for Lent and Holy week of course, but these themes are with us always and this song should and will be used throughout the year to help us express these deep and real longings of the human spirit for God to break in and break through. Learn More

"All Belong Here" is a new kind of call to communion, a call to remember who we are, and how much we are loved. It is a song that sees the Lord's Table as a place where we all belong. It reminds us that the whole world is God's table, where we can eat and be filled, where we can drink in the grace. Learn More