Introduction to hybrid services guidelines

Last updated November 14, 2024

This is an introduction to the three copyright Guidelines linked to on the right side of this page, which include information about the use of copyrighted works, including music, in hybrid (blended in-person and online) church services (“Hybrid Services”).

These Guidelines are based on US law and are therefore specifically directed to Churches of Christ, Scientist, Christian Science Societies, and Christian Science Organizations (“Branches”), as well as Christian Science Informal Groups (which are included in the term “Branches” only for purposes of these Hybrid Services Guidelines) located in the US. However, much of the information in these Guidelines will also be of interest to Branches elsewhere.

These Guidelines will walk you through some options to help your Branch determine how it wants to handle the complexities of copyright in Hybrid Services. The first Guidelines document has general information about copyright and Hybrid Services, and we recommend reviewing it first. The second Guidelines document has specific information about using copyrighted music in Hybrid Services. Each document has a Table of Contents to locate specific sections (although the Guidelines should be read in their entirety to get a complete picture).

At the beginning of the pandemic, many copyright owners in the US temporarily allowed religious organizations to use their musical works in online services without the licensing or compensation for the use of their works that would normally be required. 

As there are no longer government restrictions on in-person gatherings, there has been a return to the licensing requirements that existed pre-pandemic. The sense of surprise that some US Branches may feel with respect to these requirements does not mean that these requirements are actually new—they are not—but rather stem from the fact that most Branches entered the online world during a time when these requirements were largely in abeyance.

Time, effort, and the cost of purchasing licenses may be required for Branches to hold Hybrid Services going forward. For some Branches, the simplest option may be to go back to in-person-only services. One way for Branches to provide Hybrid Services without spending much time and effort to research music copyright requirements would be to limit their music selections to those available for this purpose on The Mother Church website, although the selection of solos, preludes and postludes provided there is relatively minimal. This selection could be supplemented by finding musical works in the public domain, for which no license or payment is required. Some Branches have found that their soloist and accompanist may have some insights into finding suitable public domain materials.

For those Branches that want to provide a fuller musical experience in their Hybrid Services, we have created the second Guidelines document to help you understand music rights and licensing. 

A few of the topics covered in the Guidelines documents include:

• Where do we purchase a license that will allow us to use copyrighted music and how much does it cost?

• Is audio-only the simplest option and would that be a good choice for our Branch’s hybrid services?

• What if we want to include video?

• Will a license allow us to livestream our services?

• Will a license allow us to record our services and post them on our website or social media page?

• What about posting lyrics?

• What about the personal privacy rights of congregants?

People sometimes ask how The Mother Church handles these seemingly complicated and time-consuming matters. The answer is that the copyright law makes them  complicated and time-consuming for every church seeking to conduct Hybrid Services. For some Branches, obtaining broad music licensing can make using music in their Hybrid Services less complex.

The Mother Church annually purchases broad licenses from three of the major music rights licensing companies in the US, and before each Hybrid Service checks the copyright status of the musical selections chosen to make sure they can be legally broadcast. If a license cannot be obtained for a particular piece of music, the piece is usually replaced. Every Hybrid Service involves substantial work in advance by Mother Church staff.