Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music

Mandate

2022 - Canon I.1.2.n.2

2. A Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music. The Custodian of the Book of Common Prayer shall be a member ex officio with voice, but without vote. It shall be the duty of the Commission to:

i.    Discharge such duties as shall be assigned to it by the General Convention as to policies and strategies concerning the common worship of this Church.

ii.   Collect, collate, and catalogue material bearing upon possible future revisions of the Book of Common Prayer.

iii.  Cause to be prepared and to present to the General Convention recommendations concerning the Lectionary, Psalter, and offices for special occasions as authorized or directed by the General Convention or House of Bishops.

iv.   Recommend to the General Convention authorized translations of the Holy Scripture from which the Lessons prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer are to be read.

v.    Receive and evaluate requests for consideration of individuals or groups to be included in the Calendar of the Church year and make recommendations thereon to the General Convention for acceptance or rejection.

vi.   Collect, collate, and catalogue material bearing upon possible future revisions of The Hymnal 1982 and other musical publications regularly in use in this Church, and encourage the composition of new musical materials.

vii.  Cause to be prepared and present to the General Convention recommendations concerning the musical settings of liturgical texts and rubrics, and norms as to liturgical music and the manner of its rendition.

viii. At the direction of the General Convention, to serve the Church in matters pertaining to policies and strategies concerning Church music.

ix.   Collaborate with the Secretary of General Convention to make final edits to the text of resolutions adopted by General Convention that establish new or revised liturgical materials, and to arrange for their publication. For the sole purpose of this collaboration, members of the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music are exempt from the terms of office set forth in I.1.2.b and shall remain in office until their successors are appointed and take office.

x.    Oversee and maintain the official liturgical website of The Episcopal Church through a subcommittee whose members shall include the Chair of the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music or an authorized deputy who is a member of the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music; the Custodian of the Standard Book of Common Prayer; at least one other Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music member; the Secretary of General Convention or an authorized deputy of the Secretary; a representative from the publisher affiliated with the Church Pension Fund; at least two members with skill in website design and coding, to be appointed by the Chair of the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music.