Jubilee Hymn Contest

To celebrate our 50th anniversary in 2020, Christian Associates is hosting a hymn contest! We are seeking the next great hymn on Christian unity – one that might appear in future hymnals next to “The Church’s One Foundation,” “In Christ There Is No East Or West,” and “They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love.”

Contest Guidelines:

Entries should be hymns on the topic of Christian unity suitable for congregational singing. Entries may consist either of original metrical words set to a classic hymn tune in the public domain, or of new words paired with new music.

All entries must consist of original and previously unpublished material. Any entry discovered to be plagiarized or in violation of copyright will be immediately disqualified.

The contest is open to any U.S. resident over the age of 18. Members of Christian Associates’ Council of Bishops & Judicatory Executives, Christian Associates staff members, and their immediate families are not eligible to enter.

To enter, please download and complete this entry form. To preserve anonymity, the name of the author should be included only on the entry form, not on the hymn itself. Mail the entry form, your hymn, and a $10 administrative fee to Christian Associates of Southwest Pennsylvania, attn: Hymn Contest, PO Box 5241, Pittsburgh, PA 15206.

Entries must be postmarked by Saturday, February 29, 2020.

Entries will be judged anonymously by a panel from Christian Associates’ Council of Bishops and Judicatory Executives. Their decision is final. Only one winning entry is expected, but the judges may choose to split the prize, or to award honorary mentions, at their discretion. The judges also reserve the right not to select any hymn as the winner.

The author of the winning hymn will receive a $500 prize. The winning hymn will be sung at Christian Associates Jubilee Celebration in late spring 2020, and will be published in the anniversary edition of The Word in Our Voices in fall 2020. Other contest entries may also be included in The Word in Our Voices at the editor’s sole discretion. All authors of hymns published in The Word in Our Voices will receive a complimentary copy of the book.

Copyright of all submitted hymns, including the winner, remains with their authors. The author of the winning hymn agrees to permit Christian Associates of Southwest Pennsylvania to use the winning hymn in perpetuity, in public events, recordings, publications, and other media.

Questions? Contact the Rev. Liddy Barlow at lbarlow@casp.org or 412-688-9070.