God so loved the world

[gwyn]

John Stainer's "God so loved the world" (The Crucifixion) is sung lots during Lent and Holy Week, and that's a jolly good thing. Text-wise however, there's nothing that would prevent it being sung at any other time of the liturgical year.

There's many a trapped hymn that could do with liberating. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness springs to mind; although invariably constrained to the "Epiphany" section of hymnals, it is surely suitable for any time of the year.

[Becky]

Agreed. We used O Worship the Lord on Lent 2, Transfiguration, and it fitted nicely. It was sung at the Offertory so, even though there were no magi about, the incense of lowliness was in evidence before the end!

[VML]

The Stainer was sung during R4 morning worship from a Methodist church in Neath yesterday. I thought what a fortunate church to have such a choir, till the credits revealed it was Swansea Bach Choir...

[alan29]

Its a lovely thing, I agree.
Are there any settings of that text for congregational use, I wonder.

[quaeritor]

I used it one year to close an Advent carol service - sung with a strong ending resounding with optimism it was well received.

Q

[justMary]

Its a lovely thing, I agree.
Are there any settings of that text for congregational use, I wonder.

http://www.hymnary.org/text/god_so_loved_the_world_god_so_loved_the has a few entries for it - all have a 4-part score but all words are unison. I'd hazard a guess that the tune from any of them would work for a congregation.

[alan29]

Its a lovely thing, I agree.
Are there any settings of that text for congregational use, I wonder.

http://www.hymnary.org/text/god_so_loved_the_world_god_so_loved_the has a few entries for it - all have a 4-part score but all words are unison. I'd hazard a guess that the tune from any of them would work for a congregation.

Thanks for that.
I should have phrased my question differently.
I wonder if other composers have set that text in a way that is suitable for congregational singing.

[Ephrem Feeley]

Its a lovely thing, I agree.
Are there any settings of that text for congregational use, I wonder.

There are a couple of congregational settings that use the quote from John 3:16. These are the ones that come to mind, and the weblinks:
For God so Loved the World, by Marty Haugen (http://www.giamusic.com/search_details. ... le_id=5068)
God so Loved the World, by Gerard Chiusano (https://ocp.org/en-us/songs/31180/god-s ... -the-world)
For God so Loved the World, by Kevin Keil (https://ocp.org/en-us/songs/51257/for-g ... -the-world)

I built this text into a piece called "God's Love for Us" (http://www.cherrybrookmusic.com/store/p ... or_Us.html).

It's a great text, and suitable not just for Passiontide, but also throughout the year, and for Christmas too, with the emphasis on incarnation. I don't think that the Stainer, despite its appeal, would work well for congregation, even though it may be in a few hymnbooks...

[alan29]

Thank you for your spade work there.

[gwyn]

Abso. Inspiring and informative responses.