Every Gift Matters, Especially Yours
We have a mission. We have a plan. With your support, we can do even more to enable church music to flourish.
Church music is a significant cultural asset in the life of our country. It rises to glorious prominence at key moments, such as at the Coronation of King Charles III. Yet such extraordinary spectacles stand upon foundations that are built every day. The RSCM’s own Sing for the King project, which enabled thousands of singers to raise their own voices in local settings to celebrate the coronation, is just one an example. Our mission is to enable the flourishing of church music in the widest range of settings.
This precious asset is under threat. As we approach our centenary in 2027, the RSCM is, however, working to counter the trend of marginalisation and devaluation. Our three key groups to work with are young people, music leadership, and clergy leadership. We have ambitious plans for each of these groups, which will enable church music to flourish.
Will you help us grow the size and scale of our work before the task of renewing the living tradition of church music becomes too difficult?
See how the RSCM’s work is already making a difference!
The past few years have presented us with significant financial challenges. We receive no government funding, or regular support from the Church of England. Our income has fallen, and the long tail of Covid-19 has exhausted our financial reserves. We are working to rebuild those reserves. At the same time, we urgently need to be investing in activity to help church music thrive.
Will you help us expand the work we are able to undertake?
Key Projects and how your support will make a difference
Hymnpact!® is our new resource for primary schools and churches. It enables more children to have a positive experience when singing in school. It also connects children to their local churches. Now in use in over 100 schools, it is having a positive impact on thousands of children.
‘The children love the songs’
‘The Hymnpact resources are great’
£1000 will expand the repertoire by giving teachers and church leaders all the resources and support they need to learn a new hymn. Children cannot become the hymn-singing congregations of tomorrow without being introduced to this music.
Our Church Music Skills learning programme is designed to support music and clergy leadership in four specific areas. We are working to digitise this programme and incorporate it into our Hub. To date, we have completed the Organist unit and work on the others continues. We need to enable access to this as quickly as we can to build the skills of music and clergy leaders now and into the future. £500 will fund the digitization of a new module for one of the remaining units.
Our online webinar training programme will be expanded again in 2024, helping churches and church musicians make the most of music opportunities and resources in their own contexts. £100 will cover the costs of one of these webinars.
Our Education Menu offers a comprehensive, systematic set of training units, delivered by our skilled tutor network. £250 will pay for a day of in-person, focused training that meets local need.
Our Emerging Leaders scheme trains aspiring young choral directors. £50 would help pay for a short workshop on conducting technique.
The Bath Course is a highlight in the RSCM’s calendar. In 2023, we had the largest attendance for several years, which gave children from a wide range of backgrounds an immersive encounter with church music for a whole week. £20 will supply a chorister with sheet music for the week.