During the first six months of the pandemic, I wrote six new songs to be sung during the livestreamed worship at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Mystic, CT. I’ve collected them into this EP.

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Lift Up Your Eyes

O my child, I see you there
In the wild of hopeless despair.
I hear your cry, “O Lord, how long?”
Don’t fear your cry, we’ll make it a new song.

I know the person you are meant to be:
You’ll grow again more gracefully.
I’ll show you what I would have you see.
I’ll go before you and you follow me.

O my child, you move too fast:
Your life is piled with too many tasks.
Your worth is not based on what you do;
Your birth’s enough for me to love you.

I know the person you are meant to be:
I’ll slow you down with my constancy.
I’ll show you what I would have you see.
I’ll go before you and you follow me.

O my child, what stirs your heart?
Have you exiled every caring part?
You say the world’s too broken to save;
No way that’s true, I just need you to be brave.

I know the person you are meant to be:
I’ll throw you from your complacency.
I’ll show you what I would have you see.
I’ll go before you and you follow me.

Lift up your eyes, lift them to the hills.
Lift up your eyes, lift them to the hills.
Lift up your eyes, lift them to the hills.
Lift up your eyes, from there my help will come.

I know the person you are meant to be:
I’ll throw you from your complacency.
I’ll slow you down with my constancy.
You’ll grow again more gracefully.
I’ll show you what I would have you see.
I’ll go before you and you follow me.

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Carry Me

You wonder where your faith has gone,
I’ll tell you where mine is:
I keep it in a jar on the shelf.
A mem’ry box, a keepsake chest,
A couple hundreds squirreled away,
‘Cause I know I can rely on myself.
I go about my day as planned,
And prayer is scheduled too
(Once a week’s enough for my soul).
The same routine, the same results,
And no surprises here.
Somehow I think that I am in control.

But I can’t see my house is built on the sand.
I’m the dry and rocky, barren land.
When did I become the sheep who’d gone astray?
Now I walk a dark and lonely way.

Christ, here I am in the thorns
A wayward soul with fleece all torn,
With a spirit, frayed and worn,
Too afraid to be reborn.
Christ, you know I’ll try to flee.
But will you pick me up and carry me?

The jar of faith is nice and safe,
It never makes demands
I pull it down in times I cannot bear
Today I go to look inside
I need a dose of faith
I crack the jar and find there’s nothing there.
I head outside to find my faith.
The scales fall from my eyes;
I see a world that’s broken, beautiful.
The grass is green, the water’s still,
The gate is open wide:
The Shepherd calls my name and fills my soul.

Now I can see my house is built on the sand.
Now I can feel this rocky, barren land.
When did I become the sheep who’d gone astray?
Can I walk a bright and loving way?

Christ, here I am in the thorns
A wayward soul with fleece all torn,
With a spirit, frayed and worn,
Too afraid to be reborn.
Christ, I know you hear my plea.
When will you pick me up and carry me?

Walk me through the deathly valley
Lead me to the ninety-nine
Set a banquet place before me
Touch my face and make it shine
Fill my cup to overflowing
Let your goodness follow me
Plant your kingdom in me growing
Let me live abundantly

Christ, here I am in the thorns
A wayward soul with fleece all torn,
With a spirit, frayed and worn,
Too afraid to be reborn.
Christ, I know you’ll set me free.
When you pick me up and carry me?

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I Am

Come to me all you who feel burdened, tired, or stressed;
Take my yoke and learn from me and I will give you rest.
Remember I am with you until the end of time.
Remember what I told you: I am yours and you are mine

I am the Way, the Truth, the Life
I’ll speak peace amidst your strife:
In the storm, when you mourn,
When your faith is tattered and torn,
I will share my love.

Do not let your hearts be troubled; trust in God and me.
I’ll prepare a resting place for you to come and see.
Until you do, I’ll send the Spirit, a comfort on the road.
And know you have each other to walk a mile and share the load.

I am the Light the world can shine.
You’re my branches, I’m your vine.
Your roots, your fruits,
Your green and growing shoots 
All remain in my love.

When you feed all those who hunger, you are feeding me:
Give a drink to thirsty ones, and prisoners you see;
When you tend the sick and when you give the naked clothes,
When you greet a stranger, it is me your service knows.

I am the Bread of Life to share.
I’m the Shepherd of your care.
You’re my sheep,
I’m your deep,
Please take a faithful leap
Into my love.
Please leap into my love.
Please leap into my love.

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Christ-like Love

How long, Lord,
will we be in crisis?
The price is too high.
Another thousand dying everyday
And we’re lying if we say there is another way
But love… sacrificial love, unrelenting love.
Love… Christ-like love.

How long, Lord,
will we stay greedy?
Not cede thee our will?
The way we’re living is killing planet Earth,
And we’re billing our children when we need a rebirth
Of Love… sacrificial love, awe-inspiring love.
Love… Christ-like love.

How long, Lord,
Will we bless injustice?
Why must this stay this way?
“Each Black life matters” say to your apathy
Then today stand up and face our hateful legacy
With Love…sacrificial love, understanding love.
Love… Christ-like
Love… Christ-like love.

How long, Lord,
Will I need this song, Lord?
Till we belong, Lord, to love.

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Who Do You Say I Am

(Chorus)
Who do you say I am?
Who do you say I am?
Who do you say I am? I Am.

You’re the Alpha and Omega
The beginning and the end
The author of Salvation
And still you are my friend
That’s who I say you are…
And there is more by far…  (Chorus)

You suffer with the suff’ring
You’re one with the oppressed
The Word of God here dwelling
In you the World is blessed
That’s who I say you are…
And there is more by far… (Chorus)

You’re the Light of all Creation
The living daily Bread
You’re the Resurrection
Whom God raised from the dead
That’s who I say you are…
And there is more by far…

I say all this to Jesus,
And I know the words are true
He looks me in the eye and says
What does that make you?
You know who I am
Who are you?

Who do I say I am?
Who do I say I am?
Who do I say I am? I am his.

I belong to Christ
I am his

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Together in Love

God, how I miss embracing other people.
I’m having dreams of shaking hands.
God, how I miss the ringing in the steeple.
So much has changed since this began.
But the love of Christ never changes;
It just rearranges what we think is best,

(Chorus)
And the rest is a mess that we’ll muddle through.
We’re stressed and we’re blessed;
Yes, both are true…
So this I pray,
Here’s my plan,
We stay together in love any way we can.

God, how I miss walking grocery aisles;
Those one-way arrows are quite a task.
God, how I miss seeing strangers’ smiles;
Yet I am glad they’re wearing masks.
The love of Christ never ceases,
And the love increases when we try our best. (Chorus)

The love of Christ always calls us:
Whatever befalls us, whatever the test. (Chorus)