Shirley Erena Murray

302 products Page 1 of 13

see hymnwriters

Murray, Shirley Erena

Her texts have appeared in more than 100 collections worldwide and have been translated into several languages. She has been an editor with the New Zealand Hymnbook Trust and received international acclaim for her writing, including being made a Fellow of the Royal School of Church Music (2006) and becoming a Member of the NZ Order of Merit (2001) for services to the community through hymn writing. She is the first citizen to be so honored. Most recently, she has been honored by the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada at its July 2009 annual conference by being named a Fellow of the Society in recognition of her contributions as a hymn writer to the international community of congregational song. Also, in 2009, she was awarded the title of Honorary Doctor of Literature (D.Litt.) from the University of Otago.

Shirley has been the Erik Routley Fellow (PCUSA) in 1996 and her hymns have been included in the worship of the World Council of Churches' Assemblies.

She has worked with Dr I-to Loh, musical ethnologist from Taiwan, in paraphrasing Asian hymns into English and providing texts for `Sound the Bamboo' (1990, 2000).

Her fourth collection, Touch the Earth Lightly was just released by Hope Publishing Company in the summer of 2008. In her previous books, In Every Corner Sing (1992), Every Day in Your Spirit (1996) and Faith Makes the Song (2003), her work appears with settings by many different composers. In the past fifteen years the NZHT has published four collections of new hymns also containing a wide variety of her texts and set by New Zealand composers: Alleluia Aotearoa, Carol Our Christmas, He Came Singing Peace and Faith Forever Singing.

Her hymns and carols address a wide spectrum of themes ranging from the seasons of the Church year to human rights, care of creation, women's concerns and above all, peace. Methodist by upbringing, and ecumenical by persuasion, she has spent most of her life as a Presbyterian. She was married to a former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of NZ, the Very Rev. John Stewart Murray, who passed away just recently (2017). She has three sons and six grandchildren, and now lives in active retirement in Paraparaumu Beach.

A Single Grain of Wheat

Click Image for Details

By Shirley Erena Murray

A single grain of wheat lives only for its day, hugs closely to itself the husk of time's decay; The grain that's buried deep, though dying in the earth will generate new life, bring rising hope to birth. This grain will spend itself, its ego asks ...

Item #: HW5611

(0 Reviews)

Availability:

Hymn

Advent Song - Unison

Click Image for Details

Words by Shirley Erena Murray; Music by Colin Gibson; Arr. By Jane Holstein

Original anthem

Item #: JR228

(0 Reviews)

Availability:

Ready To Ship

$2.80

All Over Creation

Click Image for Details

By Shirley Erena Murray

All over creation, joy spills into light, stars, candles ablaze this Christmas night; where Jesus is sleeping, peace kisses the earth, O that we could know who Mary has brought to birth! This child will bring freedom...

Item #: HW2928

(0 Reviews)

Availability:

Hymn

Always There's a Carol

Click Image for Details

By Shirley Erena Murray

Always there's a carol waiting for a voice, always there's a candle waiting for a flame, always there's an angel telling us "Rejoice!" So, sing the carol, light the candle, join ...

Item #: HW0332

(0 Reviews)

Availability:

Hymn

And Jesus Said

Click Image for Details

By Shirley Erena Murray

And Jesus said: don't be afraid-- I've come to turn your fear to hope, I've come to take you through the deep, to be your friend until the end, and give your troubled heart to sleep. And Jesus said: don't...

Item #: HW0333

(0 Reviews)

Availability:

Hymn

As My Feet Walk the Way

Click Image for Details

By Shirley Erena Murray

As my feet walk the way, and I center my thought, let the curve of my path turn me inward to peace....

Item #: HW5304

(0 Reviews)

Availability:

Hymn

As the Wind Song through the Trees

Click Image for Details

By Shirley Erena Murray

As the wind song through the trees, as the stirring of the breeze, so it is with the Spirit of God, as the heart made strangely warm, as the voice within the storm, so it is with the Spirit of God. Never seen, ever known where this wind has blown br...

Item #: HW0386

(0 Reviews)

Availability:

Hymn

At the Door of the Year (New Year Carol)

Click Image for Details

By Shirley Erena Murray

(For 2011) At the door of the year when the past meets the future, let this moment be light for the roads we will tread; when the clock seems too fast or goes slowly within us, let our faith tell the time - there are goo...

Item #: HW5014

(0 Reviews)

Availability:

Hymn

At This Table - SATB

Click Image for Details

Words by Shirley Erena Murray; Music by Allen Pote

Original anthem

Item #: C5429

(0 Reviews)

Availability:

Ready To Ship

$2.90

Away and in Danger (Carol of the Refugee Children)

Click Image for Details

By Shirley Erena Murray

Away and in danger, no hope of a bed, the refugee children, no tears left to shed look up at the night sky for someone to know that refugee children have no place to go. The babies are crying, their hunger awakes, the boat ...

Item #: HW5787

(0 Reviews)

Availability:

Hymn

Be the Light within Our Darkness

Click Image for Details

By Shirley Erena Murray

Be the light within our darkness, God, be our sight where we are blind, when the waves of loss loom and sweep across, when our faith is undermined, be the lifeline and the vision for all humankind. Be the voice that stills the human heart in our te...

Item #: HW0388

(0 Reviews)

Availability:

Hymn

Because of the Baby

Click Image for Details

By Shirley Erena Murray

Because of the baby when Gabriel told her, because of the baby when Mary said "Yes!", because of the faithful, the brave and the hopeful, still Christmas keeps coming to comfort and bless. Because of the baby the parents ...

Item #: HW5168

(0 Reviews)

Availability:

Hymn

Because You Came

Click Image for Details

By Shirley Erena Murray

Because you came and sat beside us, because you came and heard us speak, and we ignored you and we refused you, we ask forgiveness, Lord Jesus Christ. Because you laughed and loved the child-like, because you lived...

Item #: HW0334

(0 Reviews)

Availability:

Hymn

Because You Live, O Christ

Click Image for Details

By Shirley Erena Murray

Because you live, O Christ, the garden of the world has come to flower, the darkness of the tomb is flooded with your resurrection power. Refrain: The stone has rolled away and death cannot imprison! O sing this Easter Da...

Item #: HW2849

(0 Reviews)

Availability:

Hymn

Bless the Little Child

Click Image for Details

By Shirley Erena Murray

Bless the little child who was chosen by Jesus, set in the center of the scene, listen to the words that were spoken by Jesus, hear what the kingdom values mean: those who are the least will be great in the kingdom, those who give...

Item #: HW4238

(0 Reviews)

Availability:

Hymn

Bless, Loving God, This Waiting Place

Click Image for Details

By Shirley Erena Murray

Bless, loving God, this waiting place. Bless with your peace this waiting place, with hopeful heart, with patient heart, with trusting heart released from fear. Bless, loving God, this waiting place....

Item #: HW5306

(0 Reviews)

Availability:

Hymn

Bring in the Christmas That Lights Up the Ages!

Click Image for Details

By Shirley Erena Murray

Bring in the Christmas that lights up the ages! Bring on the drama whose theatre is earth! Myth wrapped in mystery, conflict and passion: God in humanity struggling to birth. Sing, sing, sing of this Christmas! Bring, bring our part to the play!...

Item #: HW5701

(0 Reviews)

Availability:

Hymn

Bring in Your New World

Click Image for Details

By Shirley Erena Murray

Bring in your new world, child of the sun, God's shining Presence bright in your essence, Christmas begun: bring to our sad world light and delight, singing and laughter, hope as our shelter, stars to our night. Bring in ...

Item #: HW3006

(0 Reviews)

Availability:

Hymn

Bring the Bread, Bring the Wine (Hymn of Approach to Communion)

Click Image for Details

By Shirley Erena Murray

Bring the bread, bring the wine, raise the cup of compassion! Bring our thanksgiving hearts and our songs! Gather all colors and kinds, seeking, doubting and faithful - set this table where each one belongs! ...

Item #: HW5293

(0 Reviews)

Availability:

Hymn

Broken the Body

Click Image for Details

By Shirley Erena Murray

Broken the body hanging on the Cross, one with the criminal and thief, scattered the circle of disciples now, frozen in fear and grief. Broken the body that is named your Church, fractured and faltering in deed, losing our nerve t...

Item #: HW2929

(0 Reviews)

Availability:

Hymn

Building on Faith

Click Image for Details

By Shirley Erena Murray

Building on faith, new lives are possible, building on trust, habitats grow, here is a roof, housing a family, here is the proof that we care-- we'll build on faith, faith with a heart feeling humanity's nee...

Item #: HW0335

(0 Reviews)

Availability:

Hymn

Carol Our Christmas

Click Image for Details

By Shirley Erena Murray

Carol our Christmas, an upside down Christmas: snow is not falling and trees are not bare. Carol the summer and welcome the Christ Child, warm in our sunshine and sweetness of air. Sing of the gold and the green and the sparkle, water an...

Item #: HW2850

(0 Reviews)

Availability:

Hymn

Celebrate All Human Beauty

Click Image for Details

By Shirley Erena Murray

Celebrate all human beauty caught in color, form and face, celebrate the human body made to move with speed and grace, celebrate the human spirit leaping high to reach a goal, celebrate our Maker's wisdom crafting body, mind...

Item #: HW2930

(0 Reviews)

Availability:

Hymn

Celebrate Each Generation

Click Image for Details

By Shirley Erena Murray

Celebrate each generation, celebrate around the earth! in this Church make dedication of the miracle of birth. Every new-born son and daughter is the Church's loving claim, marked by touch...

Item #: HW2851

(0 Reviews)

Availability:

Hymn

H51028 : $10 off $50+ Order 🎼 Free Shipping over $100

BEST OF HOPE

Product Type

Alpha Hymn Search

Author & Composer

Season / Day

Occasion

Order of Service

Theme

Shirley Erena Murray

Murray, Shirley Erena

Notify Me

Email A Friend

var _ctct_m = "c9018762077a2c4afbe5d02b242f12c6"; H51028 : $10 off $50+ Order 🎼 Free Shipping over $100

BEST OF HOPE

Product Type

Alpha Hymn Search

Author & Composer

Season / Day

Occasion

Order of Service

Theme

Shirley Erena Murray

Murray, Shirley Erena

Notify Me

Email A Friend

H51028 : $10 off $50+ Order 🎼 Free Shipping over $100