Product Description
I wrote "As We Leave" because I wanted my congregation to be able to sing an upbeat, justice-focused benedictory "Amen" with contemporary-sounding music and active lyrics that speak of God being with us out in the world, fuelling us for the work of loving people and restoring our beautiful, broken communities that God so loves.
I don't know about your denomination or local church practices, but the section for Choral Amens in the hymnal I use is very limited. So, I composed five different versions of the lyrics, so that you can use this Amen throughout the whole year. The alternative lyrics begin with Advent, then provide words to sing together on Christmas Eve. Next, you can use the Epiphany lyrics throughout that season, and then return to the main lyric for Lent, switching to alternative lyrics for Holy Week, and then finally returning to the main lyric for Ordinary Time. If you are worshipping in a non-liturgical church, that's okay, too - use the standard lyrics all year, or switch things up by using one of the alternative lyrics whenever your Pastor is preaching on the themes mentioned in those verses!
For $4.59 US, you are getting five different versions of the piece, and you'll be able to use "As We Leave" all year long, if you so choose. This is a great value for an Amen you can sing together Sunday after Sunday.
The music is set in F Major and the accompaniment is simple enough for beginners and early intermediate accompanists. I've added guitar chords to the score as well as the piano accompaniment, for those who play by chord symbol. A YouTube video with embedded lyrics will also be added soon - so that congregations who are meeting digitally during the pandemic will have something to listen to and to watch as they sing along from home.
This product was created by a member of ArrangeMe, Hal Leonard's global self-publishing community of independent composers, arrangers, and songwriters. ArrangeMe allows for the publication of unique arrangements of both popular titles and original compositions from a wide variety of voices and backgrounds.