when i preached at "the corner" UC the other sunday, the music leader mentioned that their congregation sang "this is our story", a song that tim beale and i wrote for ncyc 1999. i think its the first church that i've heard of that actually sings the song! anyway, i told them that the ncyc songbook had some words missing. so for posterity's sake, here are all of the lyrics. btw the ncyc theme was "it all depends". thank you U2 for the bridge...
this is our story
this is our story, this is our song
this is the dream that we depend up
written on pages, carved in stone
rebel people become God's own
freed from oppression, captured by grace
shake off your boots, it's a holy place!
now living in exile, alien land
got a strange way, strange hope, strange plan
gather us into your history
gather us into your song
take us along on your journey
Yahweh, with you we belong
you are our story, you are our song
you are the one we depend upon
God of the cosmos, walking the earth
Jesus you came, giving hope new birth
woman and children, beggars they came
those on the edge, you called their names
voice of forgiveness, healing, release
crying for mercy, singing for peace
gather us into your story
gather us into your song
take us along on your journey
Jesus, with you we belong
(bridge)
red moon, red blood, red sky
joshua tree standing oh so high
poured out Spirit, cyclone fire
sons and daughters, prophesy!
we are your story, we are your song
we are the ones you depend upon
breaking the claim of the gods of our age
money and power, fashion and fame
dangerous message, whispering word
reckless compassion washing your world
called to walk in a costly way
welcome God's future into today
gather us into your future
gather us into your song
take us along on your journey
Spirit, to you we belong
gather us in, take us along
gather us in
your story, your song
gather us in, take us along
gather us in
with you we belong
gather us in
lyrics by craig mitchell, music by tim beale
(c) 1989.May be copied for non-commercial church use.
i might post the sheet music tomorrow. mind you, i thought at the time that the word/melody combination needed a bit more work due to the changing metre of the verses (my fault, not tim's!).