Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)



Select a question to expose the answer.

What is Then Let Us Sing!?
  • Then Let Us Sing! is a new digital musical portal from The United Church of Canada.
  • It is scheduled for release this fall as part of the United Church’s centennial celebrations in 2025.
  • It will contain most of the pieces you’ve come to love from Voices United, More Voices, Nos voix unies, and the Korean hymnal collection—plus over 150 new songs.
  • For a full overview, see our About page.
What are the advantages of using Then Let Us Sing!?
  • The key advantage is versatility for music and worship planning.
  • You will have all permissions required (depending on your subscription) for:
    • copying and pasting music and/or lyrics directly into your church bulletins, for example.
    • printing the music for use in worship and other church activities.
    • projecting and streaming the music and lyrics (when available).
  • Your community of faith will have digital access to all the new music, plus most of the music from previous hymnals in digital format.
  • The platform will include many additional resources to help you learn and teach the new music (see below).
  • The digital format will allow new music to be added in the future to meet the needs of our evolving church. You will never need to buy another hymn book!
  • A physical copy of the collection of the new hymns will be available in 2025, however, for those who prefer a hard copy of the music.
    Note, purchasing it alone will not include the same permissions for printing, projecting and streaming in worship.
  • Then Let Us Sing! will be a portal that includes digital copies of virtually all the music from our current hymn books: Voices United, More Voices, Nos voix unies and the Korean hymn collection.  In addition, cross references and suggestions for using the new music will be included in Gathering magazine and on GatheringWorship.ca.
Why are we getting Then Let Us Sing!now?
  • It is part of our celebration of The United Church of Canada’s 100th anniversary in 2025.
  • Musicians and writers are constantly listening to the church and creating fresh music.
  • As the church responds to changes in God’s creation, our singing repertoire broadens, too.
  • It’s a part of our commitment to living justly and supporting creators within the church.
Will everything from our previous hymn books be available on the Then Let Us Sing! platform?
Why do we need new music?
  • To collect fresh responses to our relationship with the Divine, and our purpose as church and as faithful individuals.
  • To express contemporary faith.
  • To reflect the breadth of who we are as church.
  • To add to our current hymn books.
  • To grow as followers of Christ.
What’s included in the new music?
  • New hymns and songs that
    • use fresh language for God and accessible musical styles
    • lift up racialized, Indigenous, francophone, people with disabilities, and LGBTQQITTPA+ and Two-Spirit people
    • amplify historically marginalized people and voices.
    • help us to sing together!
      For example, the collection includes videos of nearly twenty hymns interpreted into American Sign Language (ASL) and five into langue des signes québecoise (LSQ). These videos will be available on YouTube as part of our witness to the wider church.
    • give voice to people of diverse linguistic communities—24 languages in all—to recognize and support the growing intercultural nature of the United Church.
What if I don’t know how to pronounce words in unfamiliar languages or how to play the music?
  • Once Then Let Us Sing! is released, regional events are planned across the country to familiarize the wider Church with the new music.
  • Many additional resources will be available to help you learn and teach the new music.
    • Videos to help you learn and teach unfamiliar languages and music styles, etc.
    • Contextual notes describing the origin, culture and background of the song, plus the rationale behind its selection, etc. will be available on GatheringWorship.ca These can be shared with your musicians and congregation.
    • The digital platform from ONE LICENSE will allow these resources to be updated and expanded on an ongoing basis.
  • Music United is an excellent group for connecting with your fellow United Church musicians to ask questions and share experiences about teaching new music. Find us on Facebook)
How and when will I get access to Then Let Us Sing!?
  • By subscription through ONE LICENSE once Then Let Us Sing! is released in 2025.
  • More information will be available in the coming months.
How much will it cost?
  • Through our agreement with GIA Publications, the annual subscription fee is guaranteed to be at least 10% lower than fees for regular ONE LICENSE subscribers.
Who will need access to Then Let Us Sing!?
  • Your minister, musician and church administrator, primarily—anyone involved with planning worship, preparing bulletins, projection/presentations, etc.  
Who is responsible for developing this resource?
  • The Development Committee includes many United Church musicians and ministers from across Canada, plus representatives from
    • Our full communion partners—United Church of Christ (USA) and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Canada
    • Ecumenical partners—The Anglican Church of Canada and The Presbyterian Church in Canada
  • See the full list of members.
Why did you choose Then Let Us Sing! as the title?
  • The phrase comes from the hymn “When in Our Music God is Glorified” by Fred Pratt Green (VU 533).
  • It is invitational and encourages action.
  • It is liturgical—a response to both lament and celebration.
  • It reflects “”A Song of Faith,” the United Church’’’s most recent Faith Statement.

Thanks for your questions!

We look forward to the first time your community looks at one of our pieces and you say, “Then Let Us Sing!“.