A Canadian writing team preparing materials for the 2014 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is seeking original music compositions. If chosen, your song could be sung around the world for this important ecumenical event.
The team seeks songs suitable for congregations and with words in French or English—ideally both. They can be hymns, praise choruses or shorter songs and must speak to the 2014 theme “Has Christ Been Divided?” based on 1 Corinthians 1:1-17. The deadline is May 31 and songs may be submitted by email.
“We thought the music would be an interesting addition,” said the Rev. Amanda Currie, a member of the Canadian writing team and a Presbyterian minister in Saskatoon. “It would add to the music already available for celebrating Chrisitan unity and praying for that together.”
Every year a different international team is chosen to develop resources for the eight days of prayer, celebrated in January. The resource package includes a worship service, a theological reflection, and a description of the ecumenical context in Canada. Songs are optional and have not been included in recent yearly packages.
Once the national team develops the week’s resources, they are reviewed by the international coordinating body, composed of representatives from the World Council of Churches and the Vatican. Materials are then sent out to churches worldwide and are adapted to the local context; the Canadian Council of Churches does this in Canada.
Since the chosen song will be distributed internationally in this resource package, the composer must set up a copyright that will enable free use in a variety of worship and prayer gatherings.
Ms. Currie said that the Canadian writing team may chose to include several worthy musical submissions. The song will be available for ecumenical celebrations beyond the designated week.
Every year, Canadian Anglicans mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity by joining other Christians in ecumenical services, cooperative mission or evangelism work, and pulpit exchanges.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity began in 1908 and is one of the oldest ecumenical activities. It predates the 1948 creation of the World Council of Churches and all the Anglican Church of Canada’s bilateral dialogues.
Songs may also be submitted by mail:
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church
436 Spadina Crescent East
Saskatoon, Sask.
S7K 3G6
Canada
Interested in keeping up-to-date on news, opinion, events and resources from the Anglican Church of Canada? Sign up for our email alerts .