Last updated June 15, 2023
Capitalized terms are defined in the Definitions section below.
Before downloading the resources posted on this Music for Branch Church Services page (“this Page”), please review the new Hybrid Services Guidelines (“Guidelines”), which start with an Introduction and continue with Copyright and Music Licensing Guidelines. You should review all of these Guidelines before continuing to read this Page.
The First Church of Christ, Scientist (“TMC”) originally posted the resources on this Page, consisting of downloadable Sheet Music PDFs and Recordings, to support Branches holding online services during the pandemic. “Branches” include churches, societies, and CSOs listed in the Christian Science Directory. TMC continues to provide these resources on a temporary basis to support Branches making the transition to Hybrid Services.
The information in these Terms (and Guidelines) is based on U.S. law, and is not offered or intended as legal advice. Branches outside the U.S. may wish to consult an attorney regarding the use and licensing of third-party copyrights, including the need to obtain licenses from mandatory licensing agencies in their countries. We cannot promise that this information (including the copyright status of Songs**) is accurate or complete, especially since the determination of copyright details such as eligibility, duration, and ownership can vary internationally based on factors such as country of origin, date of publication, or date of the author’s passing.
** “Song(s)” means musical works used in Hybrid Services and includes both words and music in hymns, solos, preludes, postludes, and offertories. Songs might be reproduced in different media, such as printed or digital sheet music, displayed lyrics or sheet music, performances, and audio or video recordings.
By using these resources, Users of this Page agree to the following terms of use (“Terms”).
1. License. Branches may use the resources on this Page in “Hybrid Services,” that include Sunday and Wednesday services, and Sunday School classes*, which are either:
in-person in the Branch’s physical location and online via Livestreaming and potentially recorded and posted on an online platform, such as Zoom, YouTube, or SoundCloud, for viewing or listening by persons not able to attend the in-person service, or
in-person, not Livestreamed, but recorded and posted on an online platform for archival viewing or listening
*Please note that Sunday School classes should not be recorded for privacy reasons. However, Branches may hold private Hybrid classes which are held “live” in “real time.”
2. Disclaimer. Due to third-party copyright issues, we are not able to offer every hymn from the Hymnals here. Some hymns in the Hymnals have copyright restrictions that prevent us from sharing them. The words and music of the hymns and other Songs offered as PDFs on this Page, as well as the corresponding Recordings, are either: (i) owned by TMC, or owned by authors and composers from the Christian Science field who have graciously given permission for Branches to include their copyrighted words and/or music in Hybrid Services, or (ii) may be in the Public Domain, although we cannot guarantee the copyright status of any hymns not owned by TMC.
Please note that although these Songs are provided based on the criteria noted above relating to copyright status, we do not promise that the Resources on this Page are free of copyright, or that our determination of copyright status is accurate or complete. If any issues arise as to a given Song, we may remove that Song from this Page. Before using a PDF or Recording obtained at any time from this Page, please first confirm that such PDF or Recording is actually still posted on this Page. If it is no longer here, it has been taken down and should no longer be considered to be available for the uses described on this Page.
3. Appropriate Use of Resources. In order to preserve bandwidth, please do not attempt to download everything from this Page all at once. Instead, only download those Recordings and sheet music needed for Hybrid Services anticipated within the next few weeks.
Please respect the spirit in which these resources are being provided, and do not sell or use them for purposes not permitted in these Terms.
4. Removal When Done. By downloading Recordings and Sheet Music from this Page, you agree that you will use them only for the purposes stated in these Terms. You agree not to create archives of these files, and to delete them if requested by TMC.
5. Permitted Uses of Recordings. Branches may download Recordings from this Page only to perform them during Hybrid Services. Branches recording and posting Hybrid Services should consider: (i) making them available only via streaming audio replay (not video or downloads), and (ii) taking the Recordings down within one week in the case of Sunday Hybrid Services and within two days in the case of Wednesday Hybrid Services. Please do not post stand-alone Recordings from this Page on your Branch website or other online platform.
Branch soloists may sing along with instrumental Recordings played during Hybrid Services. Branch soloists are asked not to pre-record themselves singing over instrumental Recordings, and any such recordings made during the pandemic period should now be deleted.
Individuals may download Recordings from this Page for personal, private performance and non-commercial use, only for as long as the Recordings are made available on this Page. No other uses of the Recordings by individuals are permitted. Please note that “personal use” does not include sharing Recordings by reproducing and distributing copies, such as emailing, file sharing, and posting on websites or social media, or making derivative works from the Recordings.
Note: Branches who have purchased CDs or USB drives of the following albums owned and published by The Christian Science Publishing Society (“CSPS”) (specifically Christian Science Hymnal Accompaniment: Hymns 1–429; Christian Science Hymnal: Hymns 430–603; Embraced; Celebration; Glorious; and Majestic) may perform only the recorded tracks from these albums in Hybrid Services where the Songs in such tracks are provided as PDFs on this Page. Branches should obtain appropriate music licenses as described in the Music Licensing Guidelines for any Songs not provided as PDFs on this Page. This Page does not provide every Song in the albums listed in this Note due to third-party ownership of some of the underlying musical composition copyrights.
6. Permitted Uses of Words and Sheet Music. Provided all author credits and copyright notices from the PDFs are included, Branches may:
Project and display PDFs from this Page during Hybrid Services;
Post, on their websites and social media pages, only the words (not the Sheet Music) of the hymns available on this Page, up to a week prior to the applicable Hybrid Service. Please take down hymn words within 7 days after the service;
Email the words (not the Sheet Music) of the hymns available on this Page to members or visitors in advance of the upcoming Hybrid Service. Please encourage recipients to delete these copies after the service or to consider purchasing hymnal books for home.
Please see the credit information at the bottom of this Page. (If posting only words, no credit to the music composer is required.)
Individuals may download and print the PDFs on this Page for their personal use, or may email the PDFs individually to assist others in their personal use (not mass email), provided all author credits and copyright notices from the PDFs are included. Note: The PDFs on this Page do not include all the hymns from the printed Hymnals, and individuals are generally encouraged to purchase their own Hymnals. No other uses of the PDFs by individuals are permitted. Please note that “personal use” does not include sharing PDFs by reproducing and distributing copies, such as emailing, file sharing, and posting on websites or social media, or making derivative works from the PDFs.
7. Copyright and Credit Information. The copyright and credit information provided in this Section 7 applies ONLY if you are using the downloadable sound recordings and/or sheet music provided on this Page.
For any other use of Hymns in Hybrid Services, such as using words only, please display the copyright and credit information as instructed in Section 13 of the Music Licensing Guidelines, as well as the Hymn Owner Index, where you will find specific credit information for each hymn.
Except as specifically indicated, all of the sound recordings provided on this page are copyright Ⓟ CSPS. Sound recordings marked as “Congregational” are copyright Ⓟ TMC.
Please display the following credits if using the downloadable resources on this Page in Hybrid Services:
1. If posting or displaying sheet music, also include the source next to the sheet music or in a credit area, as follows:
For Hymns 1–429: “From Christian Science Hymnal (1932)”
For Hymns 430–603: “From Christian Science Hymnal: Hymns 430–603 (2017)”
2. Please post a visual credit for each hymn from this Page that you perform, using the attribution and copyright notices provided in Column B of the Hymn Owner Index.
[If using a Recording from this Page, also include “Recording Ⓟ [The Christian Science Publishing Society or The First Church of Christ, Scientist, as applicable].”]
3. Please post a visual credit for any other Song from this Page that you perform, in the following format. Please fill in the bracketed information:
[Performer(s) Name(s), if indicated], [Album Title], [Track Title], Words: [Author Name], Music: [Composer Name]. [Add copyright credits for the words and music, if available][Add copyright credits for the words and music, if available]
[If using a Recording from this Page, also include “Recording Ⓟ [The Christian Science Publishing Society or The First Church of Christ, Scientist, as applicable].”]
Providing author attribution and copyright notices can be done in various ways, for example, by announcing attributions from the Platform and displaying copyright notices on a credit page during streaming of Hybrid Services.
Thank you for reviewing these Terms. If you have questions about them, please contact us at musicpermissions@csps.com.
