New hymnal delayed

Common Praise, the church’s new hymn book originally scheduled to be ready for next month’s General Synod, will now likely roll off the presses some time this summer.

Robert Maclennan, publishing manager of the Anglican Book Centre, says much of the delay can be attributed to settling complex copyright issues.

“We are still struggling with the copyright situation,” he said. “The odds are strong now we will have a book in the summer for shipment to the parishes for September.”

Although there is now a post-synod publishing date, it is planned to give General Synod members a sort of preview of the hymn book by way of a worship booklet containing services and music from the new book.

Plans also call for a formal official launch on the last Sunday in September, marked by a possible cross-country worship service hook-up.

Representing almost 10 years of work by a task force under the authority of Faith, Worship and Ministry, the blue-covered hymn book will join the church’s two current official hymn books – the “blue” book published in 1938 and the 1971 “red” book, a joint effort by the Anglican Church of Canada and the United Church of Canada.