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 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 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 a Hymn Competition, with a prize of $600 for the winning musical setting composed for a text written by a contemporary poet.
The musical setting should be in keeping with the text, which is majestic, joyful and celebratory, reflecting the significance of The Plymouth Collection, and its influence on congregational singing. The setting should give breadth and strength to the text and, together with the text, set a standard of excellence for hymns of the 21st century.
Plymouth Church, 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 combination of text and setting which is majestic, joyful and celebratory and incorporates these themes. It is planned that the winning hymn will be premiered at Plymouth Church’s celebration of The Plymouth Collection in October, 2005, and that it will continue to be sung thereafter, through publication in a variety of hymnals of the Christian Church.
The musical setting should:
fit the text metrically, rhythmically and emotionally.
provide the context within which each (text and music) is better understood.
enhance and deepen the meaning of the words.
be suitable for singing by a typical congregation in an urban church.
be suitable for singing in unison with organ accompaniment, or for singing in unison (or parts) without accompaniment.
be arranged with at least 2 or 3 verses printed between the staves of the setting.
indicate meter, and (if applicable) the style of singing.
not be in contemporary, praise-music style, but should reflect an imaginative and fresh approach to hymn composition.
The selected text will be announced no later than February 15, 2005, and will be made available to composers at that time. Inquiries should be directed to Plymouth Church at hymnal150@plymouthchurch.org or to the address below (SASE is appreciated).
Manuscripts for the setting must be received by July 15th, 2005. The winner will be announced no later than September 1, 2005.
Composers should submit 4 copies of each entry. Manuscripts need not be hand-printed, and can be submitted using a standard computer program for the manuscript. Submitted materials will not be returned.
All entries become the property of Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims for the duration of the competition.
A prize of $600 will be awarded to the winning composer. Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims reserves the right not to award a prize if no entry is deemed meritorious.
Entry forms must accompany manuscripts. The composer’s name should appear only on the entry form, and not on the original manuscripts.
There is no limit to the number of settings that may be submitted by a composer, but there is a $5.00 (U.S.) entry fee for each submission. Checks should be made payable to Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims.
Copyright for the winning setting will be retained by the composer. However, the composer agrees to permit use of the setting by Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims and its sister churches in the New York/New Jersey National Association of Congregational Christian Churches (NACCC).
No fax entries will be accepted. Entry forms, manuscripts, and 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 ... )
(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.)