GS 2025 Article 159 – SCBP (Book of Praise) Report Section One, Part 4 (Awareness)
1. Material
- 1.1 SCBP report to GS 2025 (8.2.8.1).
- 1.2 Letter from Aldergrove (8.3.8.1.1).
2. Admissibility
- 2.1 The report was declared admissible.
- Grounds: The report is from a standing synodical committee and arrived on time.
- 2.2 The letter was declared admissible.
- Grounds: This letter interacts with this part of the SCBP report and arrived on time.
3. Observations
3.1 GS 2022 (art. 120) mandated the SCBP to “To foster an increased awareness of the existence of the Book of Praise among others in the English-speaking world.”
3.2 The SCBP notes with gratitude the many expressions of interest in our Book of Praise.
3.3 The SCBP requests that GS 2025 continue the mandate to foster an increased awareness of the Book of Praise.
3.4 Aldergrove suggests investigating the open-source option to add the Book of Praise to www.hymnary.org.
4. Considerations
- 4.1 The SCBP has fulfilled its mandate to foster awareness of the Book of Praise.
- 4.2 Adding all or most (due to copyright issues) of the Book of Praise to www.hymnary.org, www.canrc.org, and www.bookofpraise.ca may increase awareness by making the riches of the Book of Praise available for Christians to use worldwide.
- 4.3 The funding model should not inhibit the distribution and availability of the Book of Praise.
5. Recommendations
That Synod decide:
- 5.1 To mandate the Standing Committee for the Publication of the Book of Praise (SCBP) to foster awareness of the Book of Praise among others in the English-speaking world;
- 5.2 To mandate the SCBP to publish as many of the songs in the Book of Praise as possible on the federational websites (www.canrc.org, and www.bookofpraise.ca), noting:
- 5.2.1 This should include all non-copyrighted songs, all songs for which the SCBP holds copyright, and all songs the SCBP can gain permission to publish freely and broadly;
- 5.2.2 This may require negotiations with and financial compensation for the publisher, Premier Printing (see GS 2025 art. 160 rec. 5.4);
- 5.3 To mandate the SCBP to investigate the possibility of adding the Book of Praise to www.hymnary.org and return to the next general synod with a recommendation.