FALL 2025
A More Beautiful World – Heather Houston (tracks recorded by and used with permission of HH)
We are standing on the edge
Of a more beautiful world
That our hearts know is possible
Parts are displayed in the order that they enter:
All Parts
1st time: Alto 1 (melody) (all altos)
2nd time: Soprano 2 (all sopranos)
3rd time: Alto 2 (all tenor women)
4th time: Tenor 1 (higher)
5th time: Tenor 2 (all tenor men)
6th time: Soprano 1 (higher)
Keep the Flame Alive – Elizabeth Melvin
Part 1:
Sunlight
Soul light
Spirit light, burning
Part 2:
Keep the flame alive
Keep the flame alive
Part 3:
What makes you burn inside
What makes you come alive
All Parts
Lantern – Heather Houston
(tracks recorded by and used with permission of HH)
I see your lantern, I see your lantern
I see your lantern burning bright
Lighting up the sky
Reminding me to shine my light
Into the darkness of these times
Ahh…
Tú eres la luz mi hermana
Tú eres la luz
Brillas como el sol
Y la luna
Brillante
All Parts
Lantern melody (all sopranos)
Alto 1 (altos in Thursday choir & all tenor women in both choirs, starts at :23)
Alto 2 (altos in Wednesday choir, starts at :23)
Soprano 2
Soprano 1 (higher)
Tenor (all male tenors in both choirs, starts at 1:10)
Only One Love (Lea Morris, tracks recorded by and used with permission of LM)
Lead:
(It’s time to)
Lay down your sword and shield
Put down your stone
Bring down your fighter planes
Retire your drones
It’s time to show the world
What we’ve always known
All:
We are one,we are one,we are one
(Choir responds to solo lead)
We are all one people (We are all one people)
We are all one blood (We are all one blood)
We are all earth’s children (We are all earth’s children)
All:
There is – only one love
There is – only one love
Lead:
(It’s time to)
Decrease your anger
Release your fear
Uncurl your fists beloved
Our time is here
We’re going to show the world
How much we’ve grown
All:
We are one, we are one, we are one
(Choir responds to solo lead)
We are all one people (We are all one people)
We are all one blood (We are all one blood)
We are all earth’s children (We are all earth’s children)
All:
There is – only one love
There is – only one love
There is one great wisdom (There is one great wisdom)
Shining on us from above (Shines from above)
Let the sun convince us (Let the sun convince us)
All:
There is – only one love
There is – only one love
There is one great spirit (There is one great spirit)
And there truly is enough (There is enough)
We are all earth’s children (We are all earth’s children)
All:
There is – only one love
There is – only one love
All Parts
Lead Solo
Soprano
Alto & Tenor women
Tenor men
Present Moment, Sacred Moment – Steph Drouin
1st part, sopranos:
Present moment (cha cha)
Sacred moment
Ah – ah ah
Ah OH ah
2nd part, tenors:
Present moment
Only moment
Sacred moment
This mome-nt
Ah-ah
Ah OH ah
3rd part, altos:
We are living in a
sacred moment
Ah-ah ah
Ah OH ah
All Parts
Soprano
Tenor
Alto
Weave a Prayer – Helen Yeomans (tracks recorded by and used with permission of HY)
Early in the morning, when the sun has arisen (2x)
I – say a prayer (2x)
Bridge:
A song of love
Of hopes and dreams
Will weave its way to you
As the world is turning
And the winds of change are blowing (2x)
I – say a prayer (2x)
Bridge
When the day is over
And the sun is a-sleeping (2x)
I – say a prayer (2x)
Bridge
Coda:
Weave a prayer
Weave a prayer
Weave a prayer for you
All Parts
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
Weh Mama Zola – “Dance, Mama” – traditional South African Zulu song (Track recorded by and used with permission of Fran Andres)
All Parts
JUNE 14 – NO KINGS RALLY
Lead with Love – Melanie deMore
All Parts
Soprano
Tenor
Make Good Trouble – E. Melvin
All Parts
Soprano (Never ever be afraid…)
Tenor (Never ever be afraid…)
Descant solo voice (This is the struggle…)
Rising Strong – Heather Houston
Oh, take my hand, now, yes you belong
And lift your voice, now, we’ll sing this song
And we will root down into the ground now
We’re rising strong, yeah, we’re rising strong
Bridge:
And we are warriors of the light
And we are stronger when we unite
We are here to waken the love
We are rising strong, yeah, we’re rising strong
All Parts
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
Spring 2025
Balm in Gilead (Traditional African American spiritual, arrangement by Ysaye Barnwell)
There is a balm in Gilead
To make the wounded whole
There is a balm in Gilead
To heal the sin sick soul
Bridge:
Sometimes I feel discouraged
And think my work’s in vain
But then the Holy Spirit
Reminds my soul again (back to 1st verse)
Bass/Tenor:
There is a balm in, there is a balm in
In Gilead to, in Gilead to
To make the wounded
To make the wounded
To make the wounded whole
There is a balm in, there is a balm in
In Gilead to, in Gilead to
To heal the sin sick
To heal the sin sick
To heal the sin sick soul
All Parts
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
I Believe (Una McCann)
Soprano/Alto/Tenor
I believe in the goodness,
In the goodness of you,
And the goodness of me,
And the goodness of everybody (repeat all 4 lines)
We were born to love, to love, to love
We were born to love, to love, to love
Bass
Oh! I believe, I believe, I believe
in everybody (repeat whole section)
We! We were born to love, to love
We! We were born to love, to love
All Parts
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
In Donga Se Jericho (South African Zulu)
Translation: The walls of Jericho are falling
Bass & Tenor:
In donga se Jericho
sa di-li-ga, sa di-li-ga, sa di-li-ga
Alto:
Ee-way, sa di-li-ga, sa di-li-ga, sa di-li-ga
Soprano:
Ee-way, in donga se jericho
Sa di-li-ga, Ee-way
All Parts
Tenor
Alto
Soprano
Sanctuary (Click on link below)
Tending the Spark (Click on link below)
Tending the Spark — Heather Houston – Heather Houston Music
The Great Storm is Over (Bob Franke)
Chorus only:
Hallelujah, the great storm is over
Lift up your wings and fly
Recording by Eileen Carson Schatz
All Parts
Alto melody
Soprano
Tenor women
Tenor men
Thongo Lam (South African Zulu and Xhosa “clap and tap” chant, arranged by Isaac Skiti)
(Lyrics spelled phonetically below)
Bass:
Wey-na tongo lah-mee
Wey, wey tongo lah-mee
Ngee lam-ley-ley
Ngee lam-ley-ley
Soprano/Alto/Tenor:
Wey, wey tongo lah-mee
Ngee lahm-ley-ley
Alto break-out:
Wey, tongo lah-mee
Wey, tongo lah-mee
Wey, tongo lah-mee
Den zee-wa kuku gula
Translation of verses: Show me the way to the future
Translation of “Den ziwa kuku gula”: I am not well and can’t see thing clearly
All Parts
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
Alto break-out
Wings of a Dove (traditional African-American spiritual, 2nd verse by Daphne MacLain)
If I had the wings of a dove
Wings that would take me where I want to go
I’d fly from the utmost, way out into space
No, no, no, no, no, there is no hiding place
If I could put my arms around the world
I’d hold her close and never let her go
I’d pray to the angels to help us heal this place
No, no, no, no, no, there is no time to waste
All Parts
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Woke Up This Mornin’ (African-American civil rights song)
Woke up this mornin’ with my mind, it was
Stayed on freedom
Woke up this mornin’ with my mind, it was
Stayed on freedom
Woke up this mornin’ with my mind, it was
Stayed on freedom
Hallelu, hallelu, hallelu–yah (Alto/Bass ending)
Hallelu, hallelu, hallelu, hallelu–yah
(Soprano/Tenor ending)
Verse 2: Walkin’ and talkin’
Verse 3: Singin’ and prayin’
All Parts
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
SPRING 2026
Love is the Power (Helen Yeomans)
Learning tracks recorded by and used with permission of Helen Yeomans
Love is the power
Love is the fire
And in the brave new world
Love will reign (Entire verse 2x)
CHORUS:
Love a little bit,
Then love a little bit more
And love a little bit,
Then love a little bit more
And love a little bit,
Then love a little bit more
And love a little bit,
Then love a little bit
Love is for freedom
Love is for peace
And in the brave new world
Love will reign (Entire verse 2x)
CHORUS
Love is my brother
Love is my sister
And in the brave new world
Love will reign (Entire verse 2x)
CHORUS
Go back to 1st verse to end the song (no chorus)
All Parts (Live version by Glorious Chorus)
Alto (melody)
Soprano
Tenor
Bass
We Will Rise (Lea Morris)
Learning tracks recorded by and used with permission of Lea Morris
Alto and Soprano lyrics:
We are gonna keep…moving
Though our limbs grow tired
We are gonna keep…striving
Towards the light
We are gonna keep…choosing
To be true to life
We will fall…and we will rise (2x)
Tenor:
We are gonna keep on moving
We are gonna keep on moving
Though our limbs grow
Though our limbs grow tired
We are gonna keep on striving
We are gonna keep on striving
Striving toward the light, oh
We are gonna keep on choosing
We are gonna keep on choosing
To be true to life
we-e-e will fall
we-e-e will rise
we-e-e will fall
we-e-e will rise
Bass:
Keep, we’ll keep on
Keep, we’ll keep on
Limbs grow tired
Keep, we’ll keep on
Keep, we’ll keep on
Toward the light
Toward the light
Keep, we’ll keep on
Keep, we’ll keep on
True to life
We will fall… we will rise
We’ll fall….we will rise
All Parts
Alto melody
Soprano
Tenor
Bass
Wondrous Spring (Gretchen Sleicher)
Upper Part:
What a wondrous thing in early spring
To go wandering by the river
Shed the layers of winter, take in the sun
Lay my burdens down by the river
Oh the magic song of the river
Flowing, growing, peace in my mind
Oh the rising mist on the mountain
Floating, lifting, away from my heart
Lower Part:
What a wondrous thing
To wander by the river
Shed the winter, take in the sun
Lay me down by the river
Oh the magic song of the river
Flowing, growing, peace in my mind
Oh the rising mist on the mountain
Floating, lifting my heart
All Parts
Upper Part
Lower Part
FALL 2025
A More Beautiful World – Heather Houston (tracks recorded by and used with permission of HH)
We are standing on the edge
Of a more beautiful world
That our hearts know is possible
Parts are displayed in the order that they enter:
All Parts
1st time: Alto 1 (melody) (all altos)
2nd time: Soprano 2 (all sopranos)
3rd time: Alto 2 (all tenor women)
4th time: Tenor 1 (higher)
5th time: Tenor 2 (all tenor men)
6th time: Soprano 1 (higher)
Keep the Flame Alive – Elizabeth Melvin
Part 1:
Sunlight
Soul light
Spirit light, burning
Part 2:
Keep the flame alive
Keep the flame alive
Part 3:
What makes you burn inside
What makes you come alive
All Parts
Lantern – Heather Houston
(tracks recorded by and used with permission of HH)
I see your lantern, I see your lantern
I see your lantern burning bright
Lighting up the sky
Reminding me to shine my light
Into the darkness of these times
Ahh…
Tú eres la luz mi hermana
Tú eres la luz
Brillas como el sol
Y la luna
Brillante
All Parts
Lantern melody (all sopranos)
Alto 1 (altos in Thursday choir & all tenor women in both choirs, starts at :23)
Alto 2 (altos in Wednesday choir, starts at :23)
Soprano 2
Soprano 1 (higher)
Tenor (all male tenors in both choirs, starts at 1:10)
Only One Love (Lea Morris, tracks recorded by and used with permission of LM)
Lead:
(It’s time to)
Lay down your sword and shield
Put down your stone
Bring down your fighter planes
Retire your drones
It’s time to show the world
What we’ve always known
All:
We are one,we are one,we are one
(Choir responds to solo lead)
We are all one people (We are all one people)
We are all one blood (We are all one blood)
We are all earth’s children (We are all earth’s children)
All:
There is – only one love
There is – only one love
Lead:
(It’s time to)
Decrease your anger
Release your fear
Uncurl your fists beloved
Our time is here
We’re going to show the world
How much we’ve grown
All:
We are one, we are one, we are one
(Choir responds to solo lead)
We are all one people (We are all one people)
We are all one blood (We are all one blood)
We are all earth’s children (We are all earth’s children)
All:
There is – only one love
There is – only one love
There is one great wisdom (There is one great wisdom)
Shining on us from above (Shines from above)
Let the sun convince us (Let the sun convince us)
All:
There is – only one love
There is – only one love
There is one great spirit (There is one great spirit)
And there truly is enough (There is enough)
We are all earth’s children (We are all earth’s children)
All:
There is – only one love
There is – only one love
All Parts
Lead Solo
Soprano
Alto & Tenor women
Tenor men
Present Moment, Sacred Moment – Steph Drouin
1st part, sopranos:
Present moment (cha cha)
Sacred moment
Ah – ah ah
Ah OH ah
2nd part, tenors:
Present moment
Only moment
Sacred moment
This mome-nt
Ah-ah
Ah OH ah
3rd part, altos:
We are living in a
sacred moment
Ah-ah ah
Ah OH ah
All Parts
Soprano
Tenor
Alto
Weave a Prayer – Helen Yeomans (tracks recorded by and used with permission of HY)
Early in the morning, when the sun has arisen (2x)
I – say a prayer (2x)
Bridge:
A song of love
Of hopes and dreams
Will weave its way to you
As the world is turning
And the winds of change are blowing (2x)
I – say a prayer (2x)
Bridge
When the day is over
And the sun is a-sleeping (2x)
I – say a prayer (2x)
Bridge
Coda:
Weave a prayer
Weave a prayer
Weave a prayer for you
All Parts
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
Weh Mama Zola – “Dance, Mama” – traditional South African Zulu song (Track recorded by and used with permission of Fran Andres)
All Parts
JUNE 14 – NO KINGS RALLY
Lead with Love – Melanie deMore
All Parts
Soprano
Tenor
Make Good Trouble – E. Melvin
All Parts
Soprano (Never ever be afraid…)
Tenor (Never ever be afraid…)
Descant solo voice (This is the struggle…)
Rising Strong – Heather Houston
Oh, take my hand, now, yes you belong
And lift your voice, now, we’ll sing this song
And we will root down into the ground now
We’re rising strong, yeah, we’re rising strong
Bridge:
And we are warriors of the light
And we are stronger when we unite
We are here to waken the love
We are rising strong, yeah, we’re rising strong
All Parts
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
Spring 2025
Balm in Gilead (Traditional African American spiritual, arrangement by Ysaye Barnwell)
There is a balm in Gilead
To make the wounded whole
There is a balm in Gilead
To heal the sin sick soul
Bridge:
Sometimes I feel discouraged
And think my work’s in vain
But then the Holy Spirit
Reminds my soul again (back to 1st verse)
Bass/Tenor:
There is a balm in, there is a balm in
In Gilead to, in Gilead to
To make the wounded
To make the wounded
To make the wounded whole
There is a balm in, there is a balm in
In Gilead to, in Gilead to
To heal the sin sick
To heal the sin sick
To heal the sin sick soul
All Parts
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
I Believe (Una McCann)
Soprano/Alto/Tenor
I believe in the goodness,
In the goodness of you,
And the goodness of me,
And the goodness of everybody (repeat all 4 lines)
We were born to love, to love, to love
We were born to love, to love, to love
Bass
Oh! I believe, I believe, I believe
in everybody (repeat whole section)
We! We were born to love, to love
We! We were born to love, to love
All Parts
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
In Donga Se Jericho (South African Zulu)
Translation: The walls of Jericho are falling
Bass & Tenor:
In donga se Jericho
sa di-li-ga, sa di-li-ga, sa di-li-ga
Alto:
Ee-way, sa di-li-ga, sa di-li-ga, sa di-li-ga
Soprano:
Ee-way, in donga se jericho
Sa di-li-ga, Ee-way
All Parts
Tenor
Alto
Soprano
Sanctuary (Click on link below)
Tending the Spark (Click on link below)
Tending the Spark — Heather Houston – Heather Houston Music
The Great Storm is Over (Bob Franke)
Chorus only:
Hallelujah, the great storm is over
Lift up your wings and fly
Recording by Eileen Carson Schatz
All Parts
Alto melody
Soprano
Tenor women
Tenor men
Thongo Lam (South African Zulu and Xhosa “clap and tap” chant, arranged by Isaac Skiti)
(Lyrics spelled phonetically below)
Bass:
Wey-na tongo lah-mee
Wey, wey tongo lah-mee
Ngee lam-ley-ley
Ngee lam-ley-ley
Soprano/Alto/Tenor:
Wey, wey tongo lah-mee
Ngee lahm-ley-ley
Alto break-out:
Wey, tongo lah-mee
Wey, tongo lah-mee
Wey, tongo lah-mee
Den zee-wa kuku gula
Translation of verses: Show me the way to the future
Translation of “Den ziwa kuku gula”: I am not well and can’t see thing clearly
All Parts
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
Alto break-out
Wings of a Dove (traditional African-American spiritual, 2nd verse by Daphne MacLain)
If I had the wings of a dove
Wings that would take me where I want to go
I’d fly from the utmost, way out into space
No, no, no, no, no, there is no hiding place
If I could put my arms around the world
I’d hold her close and never let her go
I’d pray to the angels to help us heal this place
No, no, no, no, no, there is no time to waste
All Parts
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Woke Up This Mornin’ (African-American civil rights song)
Woke up this mornin’ with my mind, it was
Stayed on freedom
Woke up this mornin’ with my mind, it was
Stayed on freedom
Woke up this mornin’ with my mind, it was
Stayed on freedom
Hallelu, hallelu, hallelu–yah (Alto/Bass ending)
Hallelu, hallelu, hallelu, hallelu–yah
(Soprano/Tenor ending)
Verse 2: Walkin’ and talkin’
Verse 3: Singin’ and prayin’
All Parts
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
Fall 2024 Sing for Peace
Let Love Rule (Elizabeth Melvin/chorus after Lennie Kravitz)
Verse:
The only way we will survive
Is if we allow love to thrive
Let go of all fear and hate
Do it now it’s not too late
Descant:
We got to let love rule…..oh yeah
All Parts
Bass Line 1
Bass Line 2
Verse – alto
Verse – soprano harmony
Verse – tenor harmony
Descant (We got to let love rule)
Descant – higher harmony
Let Me Be A Bridge (Roger Sams)
Alto (1st line)
Let me be a bridge
Let me be a bridge of love
Let me be a bridge of love and light
Soprano (2nd line)
Tearing down the walls of
Hatred and fear
I’m expanding my love
‘Cross the divide
Tenor & Bass (3rd line)
Shining my heart light
Illuminating darkness
I will not fear the darkest night
All Parts
Alto (1st line)
Soprano (2nd line)
Tenor (3rd line)
Bass (3rd line)
May It Be So (Maggie Wheeler)
We pray for peace
We sing for peace
We sing for all humankind
We pray for a world where every life
Is lifted up on high
We pray for peace
We sing for peace
Here joining your voice and mine
We call to the forces of heaven and earth
May it be so
We pray for peace
We sing for peace
We sing for all humankind
That all human beings all over the world
Will know peace in this lifetime
We pray for peace
We sing for peace
That all will know safety and love
We call to the forces of heaven and earth
May it be so
All parts (recorded by and used with permission of Maggie Wheeler)
All parts (in performance key of Bb)
Alto melody
Soprano (higher version)
Soprano (lower version)
Tenor
Peace Come Now (Shlomo Gronich/Lea Morris – tracks recorded by and used with permission of Lea Morris)
Soprano 2
In this place and in this moment
I call on the name of peace (2x)
Peace come down, Peace come down
Peace come down, Peace come now
Soprano & Alto 2
Let peace be with us, it’s our birthright – (not heard in recording)
Hevenu shalom aleinu
Ma-ana ajmal min salaam
Alto 1
Shalom, shalom, shalom, shalom
Salaam, salaam, salaam, salaam
Tenor
Hevenu shalom aleinu
Hevenu shalom aleinu
Hevenu shalom aleinu
Shalom aleinu
Ma-ana ajmal min salaam
Ma-ana ajmal min salaam
Ma-ana ajmal min salaam
Ajmal min salaam
Bass
Oom ba day day
Hebrew: Hevenu shalom aleinu
“We have brought peace upon us”
Arabic: Maana ajmal min salaam
“What is more beautiful than peace?”
All Parts
Soprano 2 (In this place)
Soprano (Let peace be with us)
Alto 2 (Let peace be with us)
Alto 1 (Shalom, salaam)
Tenor (Hevenu shalom aleinu)
Bass
Thuma Mina (traditional South African church hymn/Xhosa & Zulu)
Verse:
Thuma mina, we Baba, Thuma mina
Thuma mina, we Baba, Thuma mina
Translation: Send me, Lord
Lead Solo:
Kulamagumbi amane
We Baba, Baba thuma
Kwizizwe zonke
We Baba, Baba thuma
Thuma thuma thuma
We Baba, Baba thuma
Kwizizwe zonke
We Baba, Baba thuma
Translation:
Send me Lord to the four corners of the world, to all the nations
All Parts
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
Solo Lead
Solo Lead upper harmony
Songbird Festival 2024
Be The Light (Lea Morris, inspired by Amanda Gorman’s poem “The Hill We Climb”)
Alto (main melody):
There is always a light
When we are ready to see it
There is always a light
When we are ready to be it
To see the light
To be the light
To raise our eyes in the dark of nigh
To climb this hill, together we will
Tenor
There is always light
There is always light
To see the light
To be the light
To shine
Climb this hill we know we will
Be light
Soprano
Shine your light in the darkness
Shine your light in the darkness
Let your bright heart burn out loud
And be a gift – in the world
All Parts
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass (optional)