This page is provided so that you can hear the tunes of items which we use in church. Mostly they are written by the vicar. Please note that they are copyright - we are very happy to give permission to you to use them, but we would like to hear about it. Please include any use on your Christian Copyright Licence returns.
Down this page:
- the words,
- the story,
- the sheet music,
- media player.
Christ is alive!
Christ is alive!
Christ is alive! His tomb is empty,
death cannot lay him low.
Christ is alive! He goes before us:
we'll follow him: where he leads we'll go.
When women came with spice for his body,
empty they found his tomb.
"Don't seek him here, he's gone as he told you:
Follow him to Galilee, you'll see him soon!"
Christ is alive! His body risen,
death now is cast aside.
Christ is alive! He goes before us:
we'll follow him: he's our faithful guide.
When Mary cried: "O where have you laid him?
Please give him back to me!"
"Mary," he said, "Go tell my disciples:
I'm returning to my Father: you will see."
Christ is alive! He walks among us,
death cannot hold our Lord.
Christ is alive! He speaks and leads us:
we'll follow him: we'll obey his word.
When Thomas said: "I will not believe if
I cannot touch his hands,"
Jesus appeared and met his request, for
Jesus is alive and always understands.
Christ is alive! He lives in power,
death could not claim our friend.
Christ is alive! He heals and teaches:
we'll follow him to the very end.
Words and tune copyright © John Hartley 2008.
Based on Mark 16:1,6-7, John 20:15-17 & 25-27.
Story behind the song
Yet another song about the fact that Jesus really is alive, the evidence of the first witnesses, and the consequence that we can be sure and can meet him for ourselves. It may be a standard message, but it's still true and needs saying in lots of new ways - for he's alive!
I'm very grateful to friends from the Christian Songwriting Organisation e-mail critique group for help with improving the words to this song: particularly Susan and August.
John Hartley.
Windows Media Player. When you click the left-hand "play" button your computer should have started to play the tune. If it didn't, you might be able to get the tune by clicking here, or by right-clicking the link, choosing "save target as", saving it onto your computer, and then opening it with a music-playing program.
Please remember that a midi file of a tune isn't supposed to be a state-of-the-art musical arrangement - it is only supposed to give a basic idea of how the tune goes. Any reasonable organist / keyboard player / music group could make it sound far better.