I’m scheduled to play a couple of tunes at church in a few weeks and I’m having a hard time deciding what to play.
In the past I’ve played Black Rose, Amhran A Leabhair , Planxty Fanny Power and Inisheer.
A lament, slow air or maybe even a waltz might work, if I can’t find a traditional, church tune.
Any suggestions?
Paulsdad
How about some traditional hymns? Some good ones would be…
Be Thou My Vision
Amazing Grace
Doxology (aka Praise Him All Creatures Here Below)
EDIT: Opps! My bad. 
The alternate name for the Doxology is SUPPOSED to be Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow.
If you want to play some pieces that are not hymns, I really like Inisheer and Southwind. Good luck! 
You might get more response from the Christian whistler board. There’s a lot of church playing experience there:
http://www.praisewhistlers.org/pwboard/viewforum.php?f=2&sid=6f524ef70a7f1f8d489219e66f273d89
Thanks for the link blackhawk! I myself am a Christian, and that’s a great source to fellowship with fellow whistling believers of Christ.
Come on over and join us, Sara! We’re a friendly bunch.
I’ve played “I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say” a bunch of times on both high and low D whistles. It is to the tune of “Star of the County Down” and is in the Gather Comprehensive Hymnal. I’m Catholic, but I’m sure the words are appropriate to any other service (unless you’re Jewish, of course!)… Many of the old standards are appropriate as well.
Pat
The “King of Love My Shephard is” is a lovely ancient Irish melody that I like to play. It works well on the whistle.
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/k/i/kinglove.htm
The only problem is that it is short. It would work well to go from it to another aire and then back to it.
Pat
As well as the others listed “the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus” is a beautiful song … and sounds great on a whistle or flute.
some of my favorite hymns:
the jesuit songs from the glory & praise book work well once you transpose them into G or D. carey landry songs are a breeze to just figure out.
I like:
Be Thou My Vision (Slane)
You Raise Me Up
St Patrick’s Breastplate (a fantastic Irish hymn that’s seldom played)
Morning Has Broken (no, it wasn’t written by John Denver!!!)
Hydrydol (this is a hymn tune, for which there are about 25 different sets of words used by the various Christian denominations. It is the most widespread hymn tune.)
And for those Christians of the Catholic persuasion:
Sing Out Earth And Skies
Gather Us In
There Is A Longing
Taste And See
and the fantastic Mass Of Creation
These are the product of the post-Vatican II explosion in Catholic hymn and praise song writing.
(Mutepoint- I’m originally from Kanawha Co (Chesapeake) and was just back there two weeks ago visiting. Took in a West Virginia Power game.)
I’ll second the vote for (or is it third now) Be Thou My Vision
Also try Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
How about “Onward Christian Soldiers” played on a fife?
Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring?
Nor was it written by Cat Stevens, who sang it on his hit in 1971. 
Hydrydol (this is a hymn tune, for which there are about 25 different sets of words used by the various Christian denominations. It is the most widespread hymn tune.)
OK, now I’m totally confused (it gets more comfortable as I get older). I have never heard this word, but since it’s the most widespread hymn tune, I’m assuming I’ve heard it with some of the different lyrics. Can you point me to some examples of it that I can hear on CD?
IMHO, the most widespread hymn is Amazing Grace, followed by How Great Thou Art, although there is room for disagreement on the latter.
I can’t seem to open this to read the sheet music. Any suggestions?
Do you play it on a B-flat, or transpose? I’ve tried, but haven’t been able to figure out a suitable setting for it on a D …
Here’s everything from my “sacred” tune list - I’m not claiming that I can play 'em all (much less well … but I’m sure they can be set on a whistle:
Praise to the Lord
Now Thank We All our God
Abide with Me
8-fold Alleluia
Praise to Your O Christ Our Saviour
Lay Your Hands
God of Day and God of Darkness
Come as You Are
Colours of Day
Gather Your People
Nearer My God to Thee
Garment of Praise
Immaculate Mother
What Wonderous Love
Crimond (Lords my Shepherd)
Lay Your Hands
Morning has Broken
O Blessed are Those
Be Thou my Vision
Irish Blessing - Chilcott
Tama Ngakau Marie
Look Around You
Be Still and Know
Jesus Christ is Risen Today
Story we Share - the
River of Life
Create in me a Clean Heart
Tallis Canon
Lord Make Me an Instrument
Come and Bless the Lord
Rejoice in the Lord Always
Amazing Grace
In Our Midst
We Come to Share our Story
Lord of the Dance
Table of Plenty
Bring Forth the Kingdom
Go Now You are Sent Forth
We are Friends
Behold Behold
Open my Eyes Lord
Here I am Lord
When the Saints go Marching In
Magnificat - Kearney
Ka Waiata
Ode to Joy
God Defend New Zealand
Israeli Mass - Holy Holy and Lamb of God
Awesome God
A Voice in the Wilderness
Be Still my Friends
Dance in the Darkness
Gloria - Anderson
Seek Ye First
Majesty
Alleluia Praise be the Lord
Strong and Constant
Pentecost Prayer
Enemy of Apathy
As the Deer
Sing of the Lord’s Goodness
This is our Acceptable Time
On the Journey to Emmaus
Mo Maria
Te Aroha
Holy Ground
O Breathe on Me O Breath of God
Alleluia Alleluia, Give Thanks to the Risen Lord
(in no particular order)
Wow, what a list!
Oh My Father
I played it at my father in laws funeral on a Bleazey low d. Not a dry eye in the house, including mine. I didn’t have time to memorize it and had difficulty seeing the page after about the 1st line.
I realy enjoy Tú has vnido a la orilla or Lord, you have come to the lackeshore it is a simple spanish tune in one octave in D it is a very simple lovely song
Si Beag, Si Mor is a beautiful tune, especially when played slowly. it’s on my list to play at a wedding in october.
My organist asked me to play “be thou my vision” along with organ accompaniment 2 weeks, ago - and many were moved to tears, and no fewer than 5 people asked me to play at their funerals… not bad for the first time i had played in church.
Idawhoa - i assume that “oh my father” is the mormon hymn? it’s very beautiful - is there a score for it available - i have several hymnals, but not a mormon one.
Reg