Chapel at Western Theological Seminary
Copyright Info
Introduction. When we use music in worship, it’s important that we attend to issues of honesty, justice, and compliance with copyright law. It costs us very little, and it helps to compensate those who have offered their compositional gifts to the glory of God.
If you are planning a worship service, it is your responsibility to fulfill all righteousness in this regard. This document will give you the information you need to do so properly.
Core and Periphery. We have an outstanding songbook we can use for much of our singing in chapel: the combined CRC/RCA hymnal Lift Up Your Hearts. The songs in this book—which contain classic ecumenical hymns, Genevan Psalms, Taizé chants, CCM hits, the best of Folk Liturgical music, and songs from the Global church—these form the core of our musical repertoire. But we commonly use music from many other ‘peripheral’ sources: other hymnals, Vineyard songbooks, charts we get online, indigenous songs written by those in our own community, and more.
Printouts & Projection. We usually print out (or project) music we get from other sources—this is a matter of hospitality. Our community is mostly musically literate, so printing music (and not just lyrics) is a great help, especially when we introduce unfamiliar songs. But here’s the key: any music we use from any source other than our songbook needs to be properly attributed and reported.
Licenses. We have two licenses that allow us to reproduce almost any song we could find. One is a CCLI license, the other is from the company OneLicense.net.
What to Do. Basically, you need to do two things for any ‘peripheral’ song we sing in worship—especially those for which we print the lyrics or music.
1) Print a properly researched and formatted copyright notice at the bottom of your worship bulletin or songsheet; or or at the bottom of the appropriate page in your powerpoint presentation. (This is a little like footnotes in a research paper—it may seem small potatoes at 2am before it’s due, but it’s actually quite important).
2) Send an email to the Chapel Administrative Assistant (cherri.westhouse@westernsem.edu). reporting your use of any songs not printed in one of the songbooks/hymnals we own.
See the notes below to help steer you right.
CORE SONGBOOK
Is the song in Lift Up Your Hearts (Red)? You’re good to go!
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GIA/IONA/TAIZÉ, ETC.
Is the song from GIA? (This includes Taizé music [Berthier], Iona music (John Bell and lots of global music), and also the music of other folk-liturgical thoroughbreds, like Marty Haugen and others found in collections like Gather.)
These selections are covered by the seminary’s OneLicense.net license, which is #A-719610. You can indicate that WTS has obtained permission to use the selection by including the following information in the bulletin or appropriate presentation page:
Song Title, Words and music by Author/Composer, © YEAR, Publisher. Used by permission under OneLicense.net #A-719610.
For example:
Easter Alleluia–Tune: FILII ET FILIAE, 14th C, Mode II. Public Domain. Text: Marty Haugen. ©1986 GIA Publications. Used by permission under OneLicense.net #A-719610.
Don't forget: Be sure to send this exact information to Cherri Westhouse in an email, indicating the date on which the song was used.
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OTHER PUBLISHERS
Other music (especially contemporary music) is likely covered by the seminary’s CCLI license, #691308. Search for your song online at www.ccli.com. Click on “SongSelect.” If the title and publisher of the version you have selected are listed, you may use the music. In fact, with help from Prof. Rienstra or your chapel steward, we can print up a version of it for musicians and for the congregation.
Indicate that WTS has obtained permission to do so by including the following on the songsheet, in the bulletin, or on the appropriate PPT/keynote page:
[Song Title.] Words and music by [name(s)]; © [year] [publisher]. Used by permission under CCLI #691308.
Example:
Here I Am to Worship, Words and music by Tim Hughes © 2001, Kingsway’s Thankyou Music; admin EMI Christian Music Publishing. Used by permission under CCLI #691308.
Usually information about author, composer, copyright, publisher, etc. is readily available at the bottom of the page in the songbook from which you originally got the song.
You may also see from time to time a CCLI “Song number.” This is not the same as the WTS license number. Include both numbers in your bulletin announcement and in the email you send to Cherri.
Don't forget: Be sure to send this information to Cherri Westhouse in an email, indicating the date on which the song was used.
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MUSIC NOT COVERED BY ONELICENSE OR CCLI
Music written by an American author or composer and published in 1923 or earlier is in the Public Domain and may be used without special permission. (The specific arraignment, not simply the text or music, must be before 1923.)
Other music not covered by the OneLicense.net or CCLI licenses requires special permission for use.
Contact the publisher using the information located on the music and request permission for a one-time use. The seminary will pay any royalties. Indicate that you have obtained permission by including the following:
[Song Title.] Words and music by [name(s)]; © [year] [publisher]. Used by permission from [publisher].