Throughout 2005, Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims, a historic Congregational church located in Brooklyn Heights, New York, will be celebrating the 150th anniversary of ‘The Plymouth Collection’, the innovative hymnal published by Henry Ward Beecher in 1855. As part of this celebration, the church is conducting a hymn search, first for a text (July 1, 2004 - Dec 15, 2004), followed by a search for a music setting for that text (Feb 15, 2005 - July 15, 2005). The church is seeking a hymn which is majestic and joyful and celebrates the qualities of freedom, justice, and courage, through God’s Love, as expressed in the Covenant of Plymouth Church. A prize of $600 will be awarded to each winner.
Anyone seeking additional information, either about the year-long celebration or about the hymn search, is encouraged to send an email to
or to send a self-addressed stamped envelope to The Plymouth Collection Celebration, Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims, 75 Hicks Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201.
[ See below for
- Deadline for Text Submissions: December 15, 2004
- Winning Text Announced: February 15, 2005
- Deadline for Music Setting Submissions: July 15, 2005
- Winning Setting Announced: September 1, 2005
- Hymn Premiere: October 15-16, 2005
In 2005, Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims in Brooklyn Heights, New York, will be honoring the 150th anniversary of the publication of The Plymouth Collection with a year-long celebration of congregational singing. As part of this celebration, Plymouth Church announces that it is conducting an English language hymn text search.
The Plymouth Collection, a revolutionary hymnal compiled by Henry Ward Beecher, pastor of Plymouth Church, in collaboration with John Zundel and Charles Beecher, was the first to present text and music on the same page, interleaving the text between the staves of music. As a result of this innovation, congregational singing became a significant part of worship services throughout the United States and beyond. The Plymouth Collection was subsequently adopted by other denominations and many of the hymns that were in the original publication are still in popular use today. A visionary book, The Plymouth Collection helped to spread the Gospel through singing around the world.
Plymouth Church, also a center of the Underground Railroad during the time of Henry Ward Beecher, is a place where history has been transformed through expressions of Freedom, Justice, and Courage, through God’s Love, as expressed in the Covenant of our church:
We covenant with the Lord and one with another and do bind ourselves in the presence of God to walk together in all His ways,according as He is pleased to reveal Himself unto us
in His blessed word of truth.
(From the Salem Covenant 1629)
To this end we are seeking a text which is majestic, joyful and celebratory and incorporates these themes.
The text should be written in a style that lends itself to congregational singing.
The language of the text should be contemporary and inclusive.
Submitted texts must be previously unpublished and have a minimum of three verses.
There is no limit to the number of texts that may be submitted but each must be accompanied by a $5.00 fee (in US funds), checks made payable to Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims.
Four (4) copies of each entry should be submitted on 8.5 x 11 paper, legibly typed or printed. Illegible entries will not be considered.
The author’s name and signature should appear only on the entry form and not on the copies submitted for judging.
All entries must be received by December 15, 2004. A winner will be announced no later than February 15, 2005. It is planned that the resultant hymn will be premiered at Plymouth Church’s celebration in October, 2005, and it is hoped that it will continue to be sung thereafter through publication in a variety of hymnals of the Christian Church.
All entries become the property of Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims for the duration of the competition. No entries will be returned.
A prize of $600 will be awarded for the winning entry. Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims reserves the right not to award a prize if no entry is deemed meritorious.
Following the selection of a text, Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims will be conducting a search for a musical setting. Separate guidelines are available for the setting search.
Copyright for the winning text will be retained by the author. However, the author agrees to permit use of the text by Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims and its sister churches in the New York/New Jersey National Association of Congregational Christian Churches (NACCC).
Inquiries can be directed to hymnal150@plymouthchurch.org or to the address below (SASE is appreciated).
No fax entries will be accepted. Manuscripts, entry forms and appropriate fees should be mailed to:
- The Plymouth Collection Celebration
- Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims
- 75 Hicks Street
- Brooklyn, NY 11201
For a printable Entry Form, click here > > > .
(Hymn Society of GB & I . This page amended 13/8/04. For site details click here ... )
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(The Society's Web Site is held as part of a larger collection (www.canamus.org) of which the Home Page may be accessed directly from here.)