Celebrate Church Music and Musicians
Music Sunday – 15th June 2025
Music Sunday this year falls on Trinity Sunday, a wonderful opportunity to use music to celebrate the Trinity. Music Sunday itself represents a chance not only to give thanks for the gift of music and its power to enhance worship, but also to acknowledge the talents, hard work and commitment of all church musicians. We encourage all churches to participate, whether members or not. They can do this in the way that suits them best and to whatever extent.
THERE IS STILL TIME TO JOIN IN!
- Include special prayers in your service
- Use the sermon to reflect on the role of music in worship and/or the role of the RSCM
- Invite members of the choir or musicians to participate more actively in the service
- Take a special collection to share between the church and the RSCM
Our top three suggestions for 2025 are:
Join our marathon sing of the hymns that appear in Ancient and Modern Hymns: Songs for Refreshing Worship. This collective endeavour will bring the hymnbook to life, allowing choirs and congregations to join in seeing how many of the hymns can be sung on the same day. Sign up to sing as many hymns as you like, but to try to get coverage once a hymn has been chosen it can’t be chosen again! We are grateful to Hymns Ancient and Modern for supporting the Hymn Marathon.
Sing God the Holy Trinity by Joanna Forbes L’Estrange.
Focus on the organ to also combine with Play the Organ Year. You might choose to hold an organ concert to show off the instrument, hold a sponsored organ playing marathon or create other opportunities for different types of organ encounter. Check out our online shop for our organ catalogue. There are other ideas for organ encounters on the Play the Organ Year section of the website of the Royal College of Organists.
What will your church do for Music Sunday?
Talk to your church now about doing something for Music Sunday 2025. It might be a one of the suggestions above, or a special service, a concert, a cake sale. Above all, do something to celebrate church music and the work of all church musicians.
Whilst celebrating Music Sunday can you or your church make a donation to support the work of the RSCM?
You can raise money for your church and the RSCM by holding a special collection, having a cake sale, a sponsored event or in a multitude of others way. Help us to continue to enable the flourishing of church music. You can find out more about the 50:50 campaign below.
Do something big, do something small!
- 1. Check out our suggested events below.
- 2. Use the Music Sunday Toolkit to help you plan and advertise your event.
- 3. Register your event to let us know you’re involved!
- 4. Run and take part in your event or service.
- 5. Send in the funds raised.
Why participate in Music Sunday?
Church Music and Musicians
There are so many special days in the calendar, but Music Sunday is a day to connect in spirit with the whole of the RSCM. It is heart-warming to know that churches around the country, and indeed the world, are focusing on the role of music in worship and the dedicated church musicians who lead this.
Community
In addition to this central aspect of Music Sunday, this year we really encourage you to reach out within the local community to bring more people together. This might be a local school or group, or generally within the population. This might be a combined service event or something entirely different. You might want to hold your Music Sunday event during the school week – do whatever will help you to achieve your goals.
Fundraising
Music Sunday is a great opportunity to fundraise for your own organisation as well as the RSCM, which we call the 50:50 campaign. Depending on the nature of your event this might be a special collection on the day, the proceeds from a sale, sponsorship money or profits from a concert. We encourage you to share the money 50:50 with the RSCM so that we can invest in the future flourishing of church music.
Remember to let us know what you are doing! Register your special service or event here.
NB. Music Sunday events are supported by the RSCM but all responsibility for the events and arrangements remain with the church concerned.
Some of the churches participating in 2025
(All 15th June unless stated otherwise)
St Peter, Great Cheverell – one of our Hymnpact! churches – a special morning service for Music Sunday with Hugh Morris, RSCM Director in attendance https://lavingtonchurch.org/st-peters-church-great-cheverell/
Great & Little Gransden Churches – Come & Sing Evensong – https://www.bluebellbenefice.org.uk/
St Andrew, Shottery – A special Evening Service 30th June – https://www.saintandrewsshottery.org/
St Mary, Welwyn – Special service(s) for Music Sunday – https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/7876/
St Peter’s Church, Hale, Altrincham – Songs of Praise service followed by refreshments including Pimms! https://stpetershale.org.uk/
Parish & Garrison Church of Holy Trinity, Windsor – Come & Sing Choral Evensong https://www.rscm.org.uk/events/rscm-music-sunday-choral-evensong/
St Mary, Finchley – Service including the Hymn Marathon – https://stmaryatfinchley.org.uk/
St Denys, Sleaford – Trinity Sunday Service – https://www.sleafordparishchurch.co.uk/
Christ Church, Shamley Green – Special Communion Service including a violinist, recorder trio and the extended choir which celebrates its 1 year anniversary on Music Sunday – https://www.rscm.org.uk/events/rscm-music-sunday-2025-at-christ-church-shamley-green/
The Steel City Choristers and Choir of St John’s Church Ranmoor – Children’s Come & Sing Evensong –
https://www.rscm.org.uk/events/childrens-come-sing-evensong-with-steel-city-choristers-and-the-choir-of-st-johns-church-ranmoor/
St Mary, Shenley Church End – Come and Play the Organ 2 – 3pm no need to book – https://www.watlingvalley.org.uk/
St Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick – Special Service for Music Sunday https://www.saintmaryscathedral.ie/
St Peter’s Church, Berkhamsted – Eucharist & Choral Evensong – https://www.stpetersberkhamsted.org.uk/
St Bride’s Episcopal Church, Glasgow – Choral Evensong and Benediction. Alan Tavener conducts St Bride’s Choir, who are joined by organist William Briant. Music to include James MacMillan’s A New Song – https://www.stbridesglasgow.org/
St Clement, Leigh-on-Sea – Morning Mass including God the Holy Trinity by Joanna Forbes L’Estrange – https://www.stclementschurch.org.uk/
St Giles, Balderton – Special service singing will include a wide variety of hymns which will show the inclusive nature of St Giles whilst celebrating church music and that we still have a choir! Visitors more than welcome. https://bbc-churches.org.uk/
The following churches will all be including God the Holy Trinity by Joanna Forbes L’Estrange in services on Music Sunday;
St Nicolas, Great Bookham – https://www.stnicolasbookham.org.uk/
All Saints, Gosforth – https://www.allsaints-gosforth.org.uk/
St Mary’s Church, Oxted – https://www.stmarysoxted.uk/
St Mark with St Margaret, Plumstead Common – https://www.plumsteadcommonub.org/
St Anne’s Church, Leicester – https://st-annes-church.co.uk/
St Hilda’s Church, Whitby – https://www.parishofwhitbywithruswarp.co.uk/
St Albans Church, part of the Cowley St John Community – cowleystjohn.co.uk
St Mary’s Church, Eastham, the Wirral – The Big Sing Cafe style – favourite hymns, other music, poems, readings and refreshments – https://stmaryseastham.uk/
St. Mary’s Priory Church, Tutbury, Lichfield Diocese – a special service including the hymn “When, in our music, God is glorified” – https://www.stmarystutbury.org/
St Mary’s Church, Chesham – Joining the Hymn Marathon- https://stmaryschesham.org/
St Luke’s Church, Moulsham, and Moulsham Lodge Methodist Church – Songs of Praise (outside, weather permitting) – https://www.stlukemoulsham.co.uk/
The Church of St Philip & St James, Whitton – Choral Evensong – https://www.whittonchurch.com/
St Paul’s Church, Clifton, Bristol – RSCM Music Sunday Celebration – https://www.stpaulsclifton.org.uk/
St Andrew’s Church, Hertford – Eucharist including God the Holy Trinity – https://www.hertfordstandrews.co.uk/
Anglican Church of St. Anna & St. Mary, Haarlem – Choral Eucharist with a focus on celebrating music in worship – https://anglican-church-haarlem.nl/
Christ Church, Bethesda – Special service – https://www.churchinwales.org.uk/en/structure/church/1908/
St Luke the Evangelist, Enfield – Choral Evensong – https://www.clayhillparish.org.uk/
St Andrew’s Church, Chesterton, Cambridge – All Age Communion featuring music in a wide range of styles – https://standrews-chesterton.org/
St John the Baptist, West Byfleet – 1st June – Gibbons Evensong with other local churches – https://stjohnswestbyfleet.org.uk/
Leith Hill Benefice – a focus on the music of Gibbons to mark his 400th anniversary – https://www.stjameschurchabinger.org/leith-hill-benefice/
Holy Trinity Church, Rayleigh – Choral Evensong for Trinity Sunday and Music Sunday – https://www.parishofrayleigh.org.uk/
What is the 50:50 campaign?
Recognising the financial needs of our churches, we introduced the Music Sunday 50:50 campaign to allow churches to keep half of the profits, donations and/or collections from their Music Sunday event and/or special service.
Please make sure that your audiences and congregations for Music Sunday are clear about what is being sent to the RSCM and what is being retained by the Church.
All donations to the RSCM support us in enabling the flourishing of church music. You can donate via the website, by bank transfer or by sending in a cheque.