Children's Recessionals

As suggested by members of the AUUMN*
*Association for Unitarian Universalist Music Ministries
(Like this list? You might also like: offeringsongs.org, a list of songs to sing during or after the offering.)

Important to know:
  • Songs may always be taught and sung orally without obtaining specific permission. Also, it is generally acceptable to project words on a screen from a legally owned copy. However, to print or copy the words and/or music, or to make changes to the words, permission must be sought from the copyright owner unless permission has already been granted.
  • If permission has been given, the song is available by clicking on the title. Otherwise, where available, information on various permissions and where to obtain the song is provided.
  • Typically, even if permission to print/copy is granted, it is considered good etiquette to contact the composer and let him/her know when and how their song is being used. And of course, always make sure proper attribution is provided.
  • Keep in mind that many of these songs would be good choices to close a worship service.
Original songs by UU musicians, available directly from the composer

As You Go by Kathleen Tracy.  May be used freely.

As You Go by John Ruben Piirainen. "We usually sing it a capella with percussion instruments. We had fun trying different musical styles (reggae, calypso, etc)." No restrictions. If used, please notify Piirainen: rubenp [AT] uucw [DOT] org

As You Go From This Room by David M. Glasgow. 3-part round w/piano. Hymnal insert and piano score available. Preview page, ordering and copying info at: davidmglasgow.com 

As You Go On Your Way by Amanda Udis-Kessler. Slow and gentle, with piano accomp. May be used freely -- no restrictions. If you would like it in a different key, contact Amanda at amanda[AT]amandaudiskessler.com. website: queersacredmusic.com.  Listen to "As You Go On Your Way" on youtube:  youtu.be/V1dbpBvA6ZU

As You Journey by Ann Hossler.  A 1-verse text that is sung to the tune of Frere Jacques. Ann says it works well at her congregation and at others as well. Congregations may print the words in their order of service as long as they provide proper credit.

Carry the Flame. Words by Janet Adams, music by Angela Salvaggione. Unison melody with piano accomp. Three verses. Lyrics and audio file available on website. To make hard copies: $25 to make 20 choral copies, $10/100 members to make congregational copies (order of service inserts, projections, etc). For more info about ordering: http://angelapiano.com/muusic/s/muusic

Children's Benediction. Music by Bart Bradfield, words by Barbara Pescan. Printed in UUMN Notes v.18:1, Feb 2000. Use freely.

Children's Benediction by Randall Springer. Use freely. Please recognize Randall when it is printed or posted on a screen.

Children's Recessional. Words by Rev. Ana Levy-Lyons, music by Adam Podd. Use freely, but please let Adam know if you use it. adampodd [AT] gmail [DOT] com

Children's Recessional. Words and music by Joyce Poley, piano accompaniment by David Hamilton. Use freely as long as Joyce's name is attached to any printed or projected version. Also, Joyce says "it would be nice to hear from people who use it." jpoley [AT] shaw [DOT] ca

Children's Recessional by Sharon Scholl. Has a cheerful Latin beat and is easy to learn and danceable. Use freely.

Children's Blessing by First UU Nashville Youth Choir. Written by the youth of First UU Nashville under direction of Jason Shelton. 2 sheets: vocal w/piano + bulletin inserts. Use freely. No specific permissions required.

Do All the Good You Can: A Wesleyan Sending-Out  by Amanda Udis-Kessler. Up-tempo song with piano accompaniment, based on public domain words by John Wesley. May be used freely -- no restrictions.  amanda[AT]amandaudiskessler.com. website: queersacredmusic.com  Listen to "Do All the Good You Can" on youtube: youtu.be/Vx9Wh0weHKc

Go and Let Your Lights Shine by William James Ross. Vocal w/piano. May be combined with This Little Light of Mine. "Use freely with my compliments."

Go On Your Way In Peace by Hal Walker. Lead sheet with chords. Youtube. Permission to copy for church use.

Go with Joy by Sharon Scholl. "We are having a joyous time with it -- lots of maracas and twirling in the aisles!" May use and copy freely. For more info: freeprintmusic.com/home

Going Going Gone by Nick Page. A round. Feel free to change the key, tempo, meter, or words. No restrictions on use. npchoralfa [AT] aol [DOT] com

Lead the Way by Anne E. McKennon. Written for the UU Church of Jacksonville. One verse, sheet music for piano and voice with chords for guitar. Use freely, but please credit the composer.  Contact: aemckennon [AT] aol.com. Website: www.aemckennon.com.

Let us Open Our Eyes by Elizabeth Norton. The DRE at Elizabeth's church said this benediction regularly to end her children's message, so Elizabeth set it to music, adding one line at the end. You are welcome to use "if it inspires." Includes piano accompaniment.  EHNComposer [AT] gmail [DOT] com

The Light Within by John Kramer. W/piano accomp, separate vocal sheet for insert. May use and copy freely. "I would love to see it used." kramer5000 [AT] comcast [DOT] net

Love Will Guide Your Way by Bernadette Burns. May use and copy words and/or music freely. "I would just like my name in the OOS if you use it." drbearsong [AT] aol [DOT] com

May Love Surround You by Carole Etzler. Use freely but be sure and credit the composer.

May You Always Walk in Peace by Wally Kleucker. Click at left for regular version, with piano accomp.
  • Here it is as a 4-part round.
  • If sung unison, the chords are: C em F G / C em F G / F C G7 C / F C G7 C
  • Also see free download of several songs from We Light This Chalice: 24 songs for UU children and youth choirs.
  • Permission for congregations to use freely, including printing in order of service. Please let Wally know if you use it.  http://musicisdivine.tripod.com  kleucker [AT] bellsouth [DOT] net

Now We Bless You On Your Way by Jen Rathbun. If the flow of the service is more mellow, this song would work nicely. It is along the lines of a prayer, to send the children on their way. It can be repeated or just played instrumentally however many times is necessary. Please include composer's name when lyrics and/or melody is/are reproduced in anyway. Otherwise, congregations may use freely.

Reeb Children's Benediction by Ian W Ridell. May use and copy freely. Please let Ian know what you're doing with it, though. iwriddell [AT] gmail [DOT] com

Safe Passage by Mary Grigolia. Powerful closing song for Black History service. From the heart. Easy-to-learn. Hands-free. For Sunday services, memorials, interfaith, classes.
Sheltering Arms of Love. Text by Nancy Starr, to be sung to hymn tune #34. Use freely.

Walk On Your Path by Scott Roewe.
We Love You and Bless You by Amy Carol Webb. Congregations have permission to print words and music in their orders of service and/or as projection. songwevr [AT] bellsouth [DOT] net

We Will Keep a Place for You by John Corrado.
  • Melody line
  • Words
  • Feel free to play, sing, copy as frequently as you wish. Just make sure Corrado's name is on it. UUMN may also include in any future publications.

We Wish for You. Words by Marianna Nystrom & Janeen Grohsmeyer; music by Marianna Nystrom. Use freely with no restrictions but "please be sure to acknowledge the second verse words were written by Janeen Grohsmeyer."

With Love We Send You On Your Way by Rev. Wendy Pantoja. Two verses that may be sung to the tune of #371 (Old Hundredth). Use freely.   revwendypaz[AT]aol[DOT]com
Songs that are in Published Volumes

All You Need is Love (chorus) by John Lennon. Available in many sources. See publisher and copyright holder info
 
Carry the Flame. Words by Patricia Yates, music by Harold Brown
Songbook 3/Signature Collection, p.6.
UUA, ©1990. No longer in print.
 
Go Your Way in Peace by Jim Scott.
Can be found in two different collections: (1) May This Light Shine, p.9. UUMN, ©2006. Available from UUA Bookstore.
and (2) a slightly different arrangement can be found in Jim Scott Songbook: Affirmations and Celebrations, p.18, ©2015. Order the book here --or-- order the single songsheet here.  ALSO: SATB arrangement available from Jim Scott at http://jimscottmusic.com/
 
Hambani Kahle. This is a Zulu song that means “Go well and safely, go well and safely, go well and safely, the Lord be ever with you.” Can be found in Songs for Earthlings: A Green Spirituality Songbook, comp. Julie Forest Middleton. Emerald Earth Publishing: 1998, p. 145. It is frequently sung in multiple parts with harmony and drums, but the basic melody is actually very simple and short and could be sung by the congregation without all the bells and whistles. You can find numerous recordings of this song on youtube. Here’s one I especially liked (note-- in this version, one of the Zulu phrases has been replaced with English, but the version in Songs for Earthlings is all-Zulu): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iet3X68TjEw&list=RDIet3X68TjEw
 
Let Us Sing! Community Songs for Gathering and Going Forth by Loretta K. Notareschi.  Disegni Music: c2019.  This wonderful collection includes four songs that would work well as children's recessionals: "Go Forth to Love and Serve the World," "Let Us Commit," "Go Forth in Peace," and "When We Go Out into the World." The sheet music includes piano accompaniment and chords. Score previews provided. You can purchase the entire book (which also includes songs for gathering), or individual songs. Various licensing options are offered. To ask about sliding scale options for congregations of different sizes, contact Loretta directly at: loretta [AT] disegnimusic [DOT] com.
www.lorettanotareschi.com/let-us-sing

May the Longtime Sun Shine Upon You by Mike Heron, from "A Very Cellular Song (Chant)" by Mike Heron, arr. Rashani.
Can be found in: Songs for Earthlings: A Green Spirituality Songbook, comp. Julie Forest Middleton. Emerald Earth Publishing: 1998, p. 144.
You can find numerous recordings of this song on youtube, done in different versions and styles. Here are a couple that will give you an idea as to how you might use it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4q414m3fEs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNKYfobc6oQ
 
On Your Way by Jaie Tiefenbrunn.
From Earth & Spirit Songbook, p. 115.
ed. Jim Scott, ©2003 Jim Scott Music. Available from UUA Bookstore. Also from Jim Scott Music.
Tiefenbrunn said in an email to UUMN-L 8/20/2007: "Teaching it by rote or publishing the words in the OOS are acceptable to me as long as credit is given." An SAB arrangement is also available.
jaielive [AT] live [DOT] com
 
Peace Be With You by Barbara Hamm.
From Children of Creation: Hymns of Love & Justice for the 21st Century, p.58-59, by Barbara Hamm.
Abingdon Press, ©2006. Available from Cokesbury.
Permission to duplicate is granted with purchase of 10 copies
 
Peace Canon by Tom Benjamin.
From Choral Responses, p.44. UUMN
Available from UUA Bookstore.
 
Round of Inspiration by Debbi Friedlander (from her recording, Somewhere in a Corner, 1987).
Published in Rounds Galore! collected and edited by Sol Weber, 1994. Can be ordered through Amazon.
Note: can be sung as a 3-part round, or simply sing the first line by itself. Words: May your heart be filled with laughter. May your voice be filled with song. May your thoughts be filled with inspiration to last a whole life long.

Sayonara, Au Revoir by P. Robbins
From Now Let Us Sing! (p.42), comp. Phyllis Robbins. Kingston Unitarian Press, 2004. This volume is apparently no longer available through the UUA Bookstore. To find out if iot is still available, contact the folks at Kingston Unitarian Fellowship (in Canada): http://www.kuf.ca
 
Till We Meet Again by Tom Benjamin.
From May This Light Shine, p.25.
UUMN, ©2006. Available from UUA Bookstore
 
Wishing You Peace and Understanding by Joe Schafer.
From Making Music: Original Songs for UU Children's Choirs, p.75-80. Includes vocal sheet for bulletin insert, simple single-line melody arrangement with piano accomp, and also SATB+children arrangement. ©1997 Joe Schafer
Ordering info: Contact Director of Lifespan Faith Development, West Shore UU Church, 20401 Hilliard Blvd, Rocky River OH 44116.
May freely use and copy after purchase of one book.
Songs in UU Hymnals
(available from UUA Bookstore)

From Singing the Living Tradition
116 I'm On My Way
118 This Little Light of Mine
402 From You I Receive
413 Go Now in Peace
407 We're Gonna Sit at the Welcome Table (1st verse)
414 As We Leave This Friendly Place
 
From Singing the Journey
1018 Come and Go With Me
1019 Everything Possible (chorus)
1030 Siyahamba (English words)
1057 Go Lifted Up
 
From Las Voces del Camino
68 Mi pequenita luz (This Little Light of Mine)
73 Vayan en paz (Go Now in Peace)
76 Lleva la llama (Carry the Flame)