Music Sunday 2010
What is Music Sunday?
RSCM Music Sunday is a celebration of the music and musicianship
that are a vital and beloved part of church life.
Music Sunday is a salute in words and music to the creativity, discipline, effort, and dedication of thousands upon thousands of people – young and old, professional and amateur, singer and instrumentalist, administrator and practitioner – most of them working without expectation of recognition but who nonetheless deserve our awareness and our thanks.
Music Sunday can be the occasion when you award RSCM medals, admit choristers into your choir, recognise a change in the status of choristers or greet a new organist or music director.
What is The 50:50 Campaign?
Music Sunday events raise funds for choirs, music libraries, or whatever the financial need may be; the RSCM will use its half of the proceeds to support its work of training and supporting church musicians everywhere. While the amount raised locally may be modest, the events themselves raise awareness of the key role of music in worship. The £100,000 that the RSCM could raise in new funds will be transformative for church music and musicians.
When is Music Sunday?
13 June 2010 was designated as RSCM Music Sunday. Churches and communities around the UK and overseas joined in celebrating Music Sunday on this day. We fully understand how challenging it can be to fit an event into a busy schedule, so please hold your Music Sunday event on a different date if you wish - there are several events planned for later this year, and it is certainly not too late to take part.
Details of events still to come and a list of those which have already taken place can be found on the Events tab above.
Music Sunday next year will take place on 26 June 2011 – do put the date in your diary now!
RSCM Branches in other parts of the world may be running a similar event on a different date. Please contact your local branch for details. (Please note: much of the information given on this page will be helpful to anyone running a Music Sunday event, but some details are specific to the United Kingdom, in particular the guidance on Gift Aid.)
How can I get involved?
We hope that the contents of this page will help to inspire your event and make it a success – musically, spiritually, and financially. Use the tabs above to find out more.
How can I get further help?
If you have any questions, or suggestions for prayers, music, etc, contact Catherine Clark at cclark(at)rscm.com, or call the RSCM office on +44 (0)1722 424851.
Guidance and Resources
This page provides advice and materials to help you organise your Music Sunday.
Step 1 – Get the support of your church
If you would like to hold a Music Sunday event, you will first need to discuss it with your church musicians and church governing body and get their support.
To help with this, we have developed some "talking points" that you may find helpful in presenting a proposal for either a Music Sunday event or making the RSCM your designated charity this year.
Step 2 – Plan your event
Below are some ideas for fund-raising events, some suggestions for elements of a Music Sunday service, and some sample documents to help with collecting donations.
- Some ideas for your fund-raising event
- Sample concert programme from St Nicholas Church in Guisborough
Here are some suggestions for music, readings and prayers that would be suitable to include in a service or concert for Music Sunday:
- Suggested music and readings (from Sunday by Sunday Issue 41)
- Updated list of music and readings (from Sunday by Sunday Issue 52)
- Suggested prayers
- Additional readings and liturgy
- Choristers' Prayer
RSCM Affiliates may download without charge an introit by Richard Shephard - O worship the Lord. Please note the instructions at the bottom of the first page.
Issue 52 of Sunday by Sunday featured a new setting of Psalm 150 by David Ogden, suitable for use on Music Sunday.
And if you are welcoming new choristers to the choir during your Music Sunday service or presenting awards, the Voice for Life Chorister's Companion (recently published in a new edition) makes a wonderful gift. Details can be found on the RSCM Music Direct webshop here:
Donations to your church and the RSCM are more valuable when UK taxpayers sign a Gift Aid declaration. (IMPORTANT: All the guidance on Gift Aid given here applies only in the United Kingdom. In other countries, please adapt the wording to suit, if appropriate, and do not use the Gift Aid logo.)
The envelope templates below can be modified to fit your situation, and are ideal for collections made at a church service or concert. If you raise money only for the RSCM, use the first one; if you are splitting the proceeds from your Music Sunday, as we suggest, you may use the second one, filling in your own details. These envelopes can be printed on DL size.
After you have opened and banked the gifts, you should send a copy of the Gift Aid envelopes to RSCM along with our share of the proceeds, and be sure to keep the original ones for your own records. We will thank each donor, no matter the size of gift.
For events where you wish to record multiple small donations for Gift Aid without using envelopes, here is a sample list which you can adapt for your own use.
Here is a template for a sponsorship form, which also includes the opportunity to sign up for Gift Aid:
Step 3 – Register your event
Register your event with the RSCM, so that we can keep in touch with you. We will also list your event on the Music Sunday webpage and include details of a selection of events in our national promotion of Music Sunday.
NB: If your event is being organised on behalf of an RSCM Area Committee in the UK rather than an affiliated church, please use the usual Area Event Registration Form.
Step 4 – Promote your event
You will need to publicise your Music Sunday event amongst your congregation and the wider community. We have provided some advice to help you achieve this:
Please send a copy of your press release to cclark(at)rscm.com
You can use the RSCM Music Sunday logo on promotional materials, service sheets etc for your event:
The RSCM office can provide leaflets about the RSCM on request - please contact Heather Bamber on +44 (0)1722 424847 or hbamber(at)rscm.com.
You should now have everything you need for a successful Music Sunday!
Step 5 – Report back
Please let us know about your event and how it went. You can use the form below to provide us with feedback, and don't forget to send any Gift Aid information when sending funds raised for The 50:50 Campaign.
Your feedback helps us to report to the wider world how successful Music Sunday has been, and will provide valuable guidance when planning for the future. We welcome your suggestions and comments on any aspect of this initiative.
Music Sunday events
Below are details of Music Sunday events still to come in 2010:
| Date and time | Venue | Event | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
Sun 17 Oct 2010, |
Bradford Cathedral |
Choral evensong to celebrate both RSCM Music Sunday and SS Wesley’s 200th birthday |
Name: Ron Fletcher |
Sun 17 Oct 2010, |
St Mary the Virgin, Willingdon, East Sussex |
Service with special choir music and visiting congregation |
Name: Michael Stumbles |
Sat 20 Nov 2010, |
St Lawrence's Church, Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria |
Concert by Geoff Gordon and Friends |
Name: Geoff Gordon |
Sun 21 Nov 2010 |
Kingston St Mary Church, Taunton |
A service of celebration of music for the church year |
Name: Andy Murray |
A HUGE THANK YOU to all those who have already taken part in Music Sunday this year. It has been a wonderful celebration of music and musicians. Churches and choirs around the globe marked the occasion, including more than 60 in the UK with three national broadcasts. Thank you to all who took part – we are grateful for your efforts and imagination!
Below are listed the churches and musicians that have told us about their events, with some selected feedback. If you held an event but are not listed here, do please let us know at cclark(at)rscm.com.
| Venue | Event |
|---|---|
| BBC Radio 4 | Sunday Worship: a live service from St Andrew's Church, West Tarring, Sussex |
| BBC One | Songs of Praise: RSCM-affiliated choirs sing in a programme recorded at Winchester Cathedral |
| BBC Radio 2 | Sunday Half Hour: hymns recorded by RSCM choirs at Beckenham Parish Church |
| Barrow-in-Furness St James the Great |
'Shout of Praise' event, old gospel hymns and songs |
| Bedford All Saints Church |
Eucharist, with choral music for Music Sunday and presentation of Voice for Life medals ‘We celebrated the day with a Sung Eucharist with Baptism service, during which nine of our choristers were presented with their white Voice for Life badges and certificates.’ |
| Bishop's Cannings, Wiltshire Bishop's Cannings and Etchilhampton PCC |
|
| Bradford St Martin's Parish Church |
Choir concert |
| Bredon, Gloucestershire St Giles' Church |
Morning service with collection |
| Brixham, Devon All Saints Church |
Concert of sacred music |
| Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire Chalfont St Giles Church |
Family Eucharist with music group; concert 'Music for a Summer Evening' |
| Cheltenham Cheltenham College Chapel |
Organ recital by Alexander Ffinch |
| Christchurch, Dorset St George's Church, Jumpers Road |
Family Eucharist with new band, retiring collection |
| Cookham Dean, Berks St John the Baptist |
50th anniversary of former vicar's ordination with special music |
| Corbridge, Northumberland St Andrew's Church |
Choral Evensong |
| Craig y Don, Llandudno St Paul's Church |
Songs of Praise: Top ten favourite hymns |
| Cumnor, Oxfordshire St Michael's Church |
Sponsored hymn playing |
| Dublin, Republic of Ireland St Bartholemew's Church |
Solemn Eucharist, Choral Evensong, and presentation of Voice for Life awards |
| Ealing, London St Peter's Church |
Service with special insert and music by former RSCM directors |
| Ely, Cambridgeshire Ely Cathedral |
Choral Evensong with presentation of awards |
| Enfield St Mary Magdalene Church |
Choral Evensong with local choirs |
| Fishponds, Bristol St Mary's Church |
Recital and Choral Evensong |
| Forrest, ACT, Australia Wesley Uniting Church |
Family worship with celebration of music ‘A special liturgy was developed which saw two of the readings sung, namely, Psalm 150 to a chant by Stanford (not bad for a non-Anglican church!), and the Magnificat (Stanford in B flat). We also sang as our Anthem John Rutter's setting of the RSCM motto (‘I will sing with the spirit’). The introit was Pitoni: "Cantate Domini". Our preacher very effectively proclaimed the value of music in worship.' |
| Great Gransden, Cambridgeshire Great Gransden Parish Church |
Family Communion with participation by choir members |
| Guisborough, Cleveland St Nicholas Church |
'Songs of Praise' with sponsored hymn singing |
| Hadleigh, Suffolk St Mary's Church |
Service, Songs of Praise, and cream teas |
| Hereford Diocese | Survey of music used in worship on 13th June |
| Kingsthorpe, Northamptonshire St John the Baptist Church |
Concert by the Choir of St John the Baptist Church |
| Knighton, Leicester St Mary Magdalen Church |
Light out of Darkness: sequence of music including Fauré’s Requiem, organ and vocal solos |
| Lacey Green, Buckinghamshire St John's Church |
Choir concert |
| Lancashire RSCM Area | Meet, Eat and Sing, with raffle |
| Ledbury, Herefordshire St Michael's Church |
Service |
| Linden, Johannesburg, South Africa St Thomas’ Anglican Church |
Celebratory services involving all the church's music groups and address from a guest musician, followed by an organ crawl 'South Africa, with its 11 official languages, is a diverse and exciting country, and our two services of thanksgiving for Music Sunday reflected this, with a variety of instruments from Kudu horn vuvuselas to orchestral trumpets, hand chimes, marimba, cello, piano, organ, played by musicians young and old. The music ranged from traditional African to jazz, contemporary and classical. The children in the congregation were invited to take part in a Psalm 148 arranged by Colleen Hart, the Director of Music, for body percussion, drums, percussion and kudu-horn vuvusela. We used a jazz arrangement of the Kyrie, parts of the Marimba Mass, readings from scripture and poems by John Coombs and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. There was no question of which anthem we would sing, it had to be ‘I will Sing with the Spirit’ by John Rutter which was accompanied by piano and hand chimes.' |
| Lowton, Cheshire St Luke's Church and RC Church of St Catherine of Sienna |
Eucharist at St Catherine's Church to celebrate 40th anniversary of priest |
| Marldon, Devon St John the Baptist Church |
Songs of Praise service with hymn sponsorship |
| Moulton, Lincolnshire Moulton Church |
Meet, Eat and Sing Evensong |
| Mudeford, Dorset All Saint's Church |
Cake stall run by the choir |
| Northampton All Saints' Church |
Festal Choral Matins |
| Norton, Stockton on Tees Saint Michael & All Angels |
Singing Sunday |
| Osmotherley, Ulverston, Cumbria St John's Church |
Choral Evensong, including hymn requests |
| Ovingham, Northumbria St Mary's Church |
Choir concert during Patronal Festival |
| Palmer's Green, London St John's Church |
|
| Par, Cornwall Par Parish Church |
Evensong |
| Peterston-super-Ely, Glamorgan St Peter's Church |
Service on village green with madrigals, brasses, picnic |
| Puttenham, Surrey St John the Baptist Church |
|
| Rayleigh, Essex Holy Trinity Parish Church |
Special Morning Service for Music Sunday |
| Rochester NH, USA First United Methodist Church |
Choral Evensong |
| Rolvenden, Kent St Mary's Church |
Choral Evensong for the Tenterden Deanery ‘The Tenterden Deanery celebrated Music Sunday with Choral Evensong at St Mary's Church Rolvenden ably supported by 50 choristers from within the Deanery. An excellent result with a view to doing more on a regular basis. We were all very uplifted!’ |
| Rudby in Cleveland All Saints Church and the choir of Yarm, Kirklevington and Worsall |
Music and Light Entertainment for a Summer’s Evening ‘We are part of a new benefice of five churches and decided to join the two choirs for this event – a wonderful experience from which we have made some good friends. We will certainly be singing together again at some time.’ |
| St Asaph, North Wales St Asaph Cathedral |
Choral Festival using the RSCM festival service Psallam |
| St Raphael, France St John the Evangelist Church |
Songs of Praise: choose your own hymn or anthem for a donation ‘We charged €10 to choose a hymn to be sung, and with donations we raised €245. It was a very successful weekend, with special music at the Sunday morning service as well, so we hope to make it an annual celebration.’ |
| Salisbury, Wiltshire Salisbury Cathedral |
Eucharist and Diocesan Choir Festival |
| Shottery, Warwickshire St Andrew's Church |
Choral Celebration: family eucharist with choral pieces for Music Sunday |
| Sketty, Swansea St Paul's Church |
Matins and Evensong at St David's Cathedral, Pembrokeshire |
| Standon, Hertfordshire St Mary's Church |
Morning service, followed by cake and CD sale |
| Stourbridge St Thomas' Church |
Young Voices Festival, using repertoire from All God's People |
| Tiverton, Devon St Andrew's Church |
Sponsored hymn sing |
| Trumpington, Cambridgeshire The Church of St Mary and St Michael |
Evensong |
| Upper Hale, Farnham, Hampshire St Mark's Church |
Service with retiring collection ‘We started using the White level last autumn as only three of my choir can read music, and not with very much confidence. To mark their achievements we presented them with surplices and also formally admitted all the choristers to the choir.’ |
| Upper Hardres, Kent St Peter and St Paul Church |
Taize Evensong |
| Wargrave, Berkshire St Mary's Church |
Evensong ‘Our normal congregation numbers are in single figures, but on this occasion we had about thirty, who gave generously and very much appreciated the service.’ |
| Whitburn, Sunderland Whitburn Parish Church |
Music Marathon |
| Wivenhoe, Essex St Mary the Virgin Church |
Choral Evensong: part of celebrations for 125th anniversary of the installation of the Walker organ in 1885. |
| Whyke, West Sussex St George's Church |
Concert and barbecue |