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.
1st tune.
2nd tune.
Down this page:
- the words,
- the story,
- the sheet music,
- media player.
God sent his angel (1st tune)
God sent his angel
God sent his angel down to earth:
to Nazareth he came,
to give a virgin news of birth,
and Mary was her name.
"All hail to you, the Lord is near,"
he said, but she was full of fear.
"Don't be afraid, but celebrate,
for God is pleased. Don't cry!
You'll have a son: he will be great,
the Son of God Most High.
He will receive King David's throne,
and bring God near to all his own.
You are to give him the name of Jesus."
"How can it be that I should bear
a child, for I'm alone?"
"The Holy Spirit will draw near
in power from God's throne.
And so the promised Holy One
will bear the name of God's own Son."
"I am the servant of the Lord,"
she answered him that day.
"So may it be: you've brought God's word
so I'll do as you say.
In God my heart and soul rejoice
and I accept his sovereign choice.
And I will give him the name of Jesus."
Words and tune copyright © John Hartley 2005.
Story behind the song
This is a song based on Luke 1:26-38, and its intention was particularly to try to include all the different aspects of what the angel said to Mary. In her response I've incorporated the opening line of the Magnificat (Luke 1:46).
I've provided two tunes, basically because I'm not terribly happy with either of them yet!
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.