Commissioning Texts and Tunes

Many churches are commissioning hymns these days, for example, to mark special occasions, to honor particular people, or to sing about their distinctive beliefs and mission efforts.  It's possible to commission a text, a tune, or both.  Ordinarily the text will be created first; the author may select a tune or the church may give the text to a composer, who then writes a tune.  On occasion, a new tune is commissioned for a text a congregation loves.  And a gifted few are able to write both text and tune together.   There are many gifted authors and composers today, and most of them are able to write and compose under commission if enough time is allowed.

To commission a text or tune, spend some time with people in your church discussing your hopes for the new hymn--its subject matter, its style, its use in worship.  While it is altogether fitting to commission a text for a church anniversary, an author will appreciate knowing more about your church so that the text expresses the heart of your faith, identity, and mission.  And the text and/or tune should be something that could be sung many times over the years. 

Consider your time line, and please allow the author or composer from six months to a year to complete the new words or tune.

Consider how to let the person you are inviting know about your church, whether through your website, a church flyer or annual report, or a visit in worship (if the author/composer lives nearby).

Consider your budget for the hymn and be ready to agree with the author or composer on a fee.

Some churches contact more than one author or composer, informing them of the occasion or theme and inquiring about their availability; you may ask for samples of recent work.  After receiving responses, you may choose among the people.  Just be sure to inform each candidate that this is your process; then inform them when a choice is made.  Another possibility is to conduct a hymn search and give a prize for the entry that you select.

You may wish to invite the author or composer to be present when the song is first sung.  St. Luke United Methodist Church in Hickory, North Carolina invited me in 2004 to preach in a worship service in which the commissioned hymn was sung and to lead an evening festival of my hymns including the commmissioned one. 

For more information, you may contact the Hymn Society--please see their contact information on the welcome page of this website.