ALTHOUGH THERE ARE MANY HYMNS AND WORSHIP MUSIC THAT EXPRESS THE THEME OF GOD’S INCLUSIVE LOVE, TWO SONGS HAVE BEEN SPECIFICALLY WRITTEN FOR, OR DONATED TO, ROOM FOR ALL FOR USE IN WORSHIP OR OTHER CHURCH-RELATED SETTINGS.

“Room for All”

The first, “Room for All” by Lorraine Nelson Wolf, uses the image of open doors of God’s “house,” the church. It is particularly suitable for a solo or ensemble, and has been used in a variety of RfA settings including our first national conference in 2009. It is featured on Ms. Nelson Wolf’s 2009 CD, “My Only Comfort.” You may access the songsheet and an MP3 file here:

“Room for All” – Music for Voice and Piano

“God’s Love is Wide”

The second, “God’s Love is Wide” was written and offered to Room for All in 2012 by RCA pastor Rev. Emily Ratering-Youngberg and her husband, Matt Ratering-Youngberg. In it, God’s love is compared to a home without walls where all belong and may find grace and peace. “God’s Love is Wide” is easily sung with guitar accompaniment, and is suitable for congregational, solo or small group singing in worship. Here is a songsheet with melody and guitar chords, as well as an MP3 file:

“God’s Love is Wide” songsheet – Ratering-Youngberg

“I Lift Up my Heart”

by Rev. Paul Janssen, is set to the tune “Slane” (“Be Thou My Vision”). The hymn beautifully traces God’s love as mystery, grace, blessing and wideness applied to all people, closing with a prayer: Lord, open my heart and transform me, I pray, that I may be worthy of your broad’ning way.

“I Lift Up my Heart” – Paul Janssen

We are deeply grateful for the generosity of these musician supporters in offering their compositions to the glory of God for the ministry of inclusion.