A Cappella Sunday is when worshiping communities from across the world commit to singing a cappella in their Sunday morning worship service. For communities where this is a new concept, it could just be one hymn, but for communities that are more comfortable singing unaccompanied, they are encouraged to sing their entire service a cappella. Below are why we do it, when we do it, and some resources to help make it successful.
Spending one Sunday a year to focus on your congregation singing a cappella (without instrumental accompaniment) has many benefits and purposes.
It was a rich Lenten experience to spend a Sunday morning worshiping with only our voices. Thanks to @The Center for Congregational Song for the inspiration and encouragement. Soli Deo Gloria; To God alone be the glory!! – Justin Fox of Grace Community Church, Seal Beach, CA
Each year on the first Sunday of Lent (2020 is Sunday, March 1st)
Download Our Guide for Lectionary Year A (2017, 2020, 2023)
Download our Guide for Lectionary Year B (2018, 2021, 2024)
Download Our Guide for Lectionary Year C (2016, 2019, 2022)
Friend of The Center, D.J. Bulls from the Dallas/Ft. Worth area has spent his career in an a cappella singing denomination the Church of Christ.
Below are three resources he suggests to check out if your interested in a cappella hymn singing:
1. Fearless4you.com Is a website that provides a cappella, four-part congregational arrangements for a number of different types of modern hymns and contemporary worship songs/anthems/choruses. Available in round and shaped notes, many with rehearsal recordings and projected notation as well.
2. ZOEgroup.org This is a group that has done 20 something albums of four-part, presentational, and congregational a cappella worship. Folios with arrangements and individual pdf’s are available on their website and recordings are available on the iTunes store, Amazon Music, and google play.
3. paperlesshymnal.com This is a site that is a compendium of digital, projected four-part arrangements for congregations of thousands of hymns.
* = First Time Participants
Airline Baptist Church* – Metairie, LA
All Saints’ Westboro Anglican Church – Ottawa, ON, CAN
Bethesda Presbyterian Church – Aberdeen, NC
Calvary Chapel* – Albuquerque, NM
Celebration Presbyterian Church* – Myrtle Beach, SC
Central Presbyterian Church – Baltimore, MD
Choir Festival of the Island Churches* – St. Peter Port, Åland Islands
Church of Our Saviour Lutheran – Fond du Lac, WI
Church of the Holy Cross Episcopal* – Edgewood, NC
Duke University Chapel* – Durham, NC
East End United Church – Toronto, ON, CAN
Fifth Avenue Baptist Church – Huntington, WV
First Baptist – Rapid City, SD
Fuller Avenue Christian – Grand Rapids, MI
Gethsemane Lutheran Church – Columbus, OH
Good Shepherd Episcopal* – Humble, TX
Grace Community Church – Seal Beach, CA
Highland Baptist Church* – Kitchener, ON, CAN
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church – Akron, OH
Jesup First Methodist Church* – Jesup, GA
Long Memorial UMC* – Roxboro, NC
Lutheran Church of the Master* – Coeur D’Alene, ID
New Bloomfield United Methodist* – New Bloomfield, PA
Peace Presbyterian Church* – Bradenton, FL
Port Stanley United Church – Port Stanley, ON, CAN
Saint Andrew Presbyterian Church* – Denton, TX
Salem United Church of Christ* – Doylestown, PA
Seward United Methodist Church* – Seward, NE
St John’s Lutheran* – Orange, CA
St. James Lutheran – Pottstown, PA
St. John Lutheran Church – Roanoke, VA
St. Peter Lutheran Church* – Mechanicsburg, PA
St. Philip’s Anglican – Toronto, ON, CAN
St. Stephen Lutheran Church* – Kitchener, ON, CAN
Storrs Congregational Church UCC – Storrs Mansfield, CT
The First Baptist Church in America – Providence, RI
Vestavia Hills Baptist Church – Birmingham, AL
Vienna Baptist Church – Vienna, VA
Village on Antioch Presbyterian Church – Overland Park, KS
West Side Presbyterian Church* – Ridgewood, NJ
Westminster United Church – Whitby, ON, CAN