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On the campus of Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary
© 2025 91
Liturgist and song leader teaches people of all ages in many countries to sing together. She encourages us all to sing in worship with the voices God gave us. Alison is a member of the Scotland-based and lives in northern England. At the 2017 Calvin Symposium on 91, she led a workshop on the power of short songs “to make worship and worshipers come alive in a different way.”
Watch it if you choose or lead music for worship, want to improve congregational singing, need new ways to involve worshipers, or seek simple songs for your class or small group.
Hear 12 songs from around the world and get ideas for how to teach and use them in worship. Download sources for each song and music for four of them.
The key to teaching short global songs is for the leader to know them well and sing with confidence and in tune. The leader doesn’t need a great voice, because “an ordinary voice is a voice we can all relate to.”
Weaving short global songs throughout worship helps worshipers grasp and enter into liturgical moments. These songs help people gather, pray in lament and solidarity with Christians elsewhere, prepare to hear or respond to God’s Word, rejoice, bring offerings, share communion, move their bodies, transition between parts of worship, and go forth.
7:00 to 9:23. How easy it is to teach and learn a short song: “Holy, Holy, Holy (St. Bride)” 51:46 to 59:48. Teaching and talking about “Ya Rabba Ssalami/God of Peace and Justice”
Since these are shorter songs, not hymns, you can’t necessarily find them on Hymnary.org. Here’s where you can buy the music in different countries. Links go directly to the songbook or CD page on each publisher’s website.
• Come All You People: Shorter Songs for 91, (US); ; (Australia)
• Sing with the World: Global Songs for Children: (US); (New Zealand); (UK); (Australia)
• There Is One Among Us: Shorter Songs for 91: (US); (UK); (Australia)
• We Walk His Way: Shorter Songs for 91: ; Wild Goose Publications (UK); [CD only] (New Zealand); (Australia)
Be sure you follow the rules to get permission for using other people’s music in worship. Read
This worship service focuses on the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37. The Holland Christian High School Symphonic Orchestra, directed by Scott VandenBerg, leads the music with accompaniment from Alexis VanZalen. Calvin University’s Awakening group leads congregational singing featuring a selection of emerging bilingual Korean-English songs. Andrea Bult delivers the message, and students from Calvin University’s Ministry Leadership Cohort, alongside their mentor, Noel Snyder, guide the liturgy.
This worship service centers on the story of the friend at midnight in Luke 11:5-13. Sandra McCracken, in collaboration with the Calvin University 91 Apprentices and their mentor, Paul Ryan, lead congregational worship. Janette Ok delivers the sermon, and Becca Tellinghuisen leads the scripture reading.
This service of the word and table includes a message on Luke 10 from Kevin Adams, who reflects on the parables of the lost sheep, coin, and son. Communion is celebrated following the message. Proskuneo Ministries leads the music, and the Calvin University Ministry Leadership Cohort, alongside their mentor, Joanna Wigboldy, guides the liturgy.
This worship service focuses on the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37. The Holland Christian High School Symphonic Orchestra, directed by Scott VandenBerg, leads the music with accompaniment from Alexis VanZalen. Calvin University’s Awakening group leads congregational singing featuring a selection of emerging bilingual Korean-English songs. Andrea Bult delivers the message, and students from Calvin University’s Ministry Leadership Cohort, alongside their mentor, Noel Snyder, guide the liturgy.
This worship service centers on the story of the friend at midnight in Luke 11:5-13. Sandra McCracken, in collaboration with the Calvin University 91 Apprentices and their mentor, Paul Ryan, lead congregational worship. Janette Ok delivers the sermon, and Becca Tellinghuisen leads the scripture reading.
This service of the word and table includes a message on Luke 10 from Kevin Adams, who reflects on the parables of the lost sheep, coin, and son. Communion is celebrated following the message. Proskuneo Ministries leads the music, and the Calvin University Ministry Leadership Cohort, alongside their mentor, Joanna Wigboldy, guides the liturgy.
This worship service is musically led by Symposium contributor Raymond Wise and the Calvin University Gospel Choir, directed by Nate Glasper. Dennis Edwards delivers the message on Luke 16:19-31, “The Rich Man and Lazarus.”
