General Synod 2022 (Guelph) gave the Standing Committee for the Publication of the Book of Praise (SCBP) the following mandate:
- To fulfill, as yet, the directive of GS 2019 Art.23 Cons. 3.1 and 3.2. RSE Nov.
2018 makes a valid point that the English language has changed and therefore the
use of masculine pronouns in the forms for the Lord’s Supper could make them
liable to misinterpretation. It would be advisable to ask the committee to study this
and propose appropriate changes to the Lord’s Supper forms, giving special
attention to the personal nature of self-examination. In this process the churches
would have the opportunity to interact with any proposed changes - To foster an increased awareness of the existence of the Book of Praise among
others in the English-speaking world - To continue maintaining its archives (at CRTS) and website:
www.bookofpraise.ca - To continue the process of reviewing the proposed songs according to the
Guidelines for the Selection of Music in the Church, as printed in Appendix 2B of
the Acts of GS 2004 - To maintain good contact with the Standing Committee for the Australian Book of
Praise - To maintain its corporate status for the purpose of protecting the interests of the
Canadian Reformed Churches in matters concerning the Book of Praise - To survey the churches to determine the priority/relative importance regarding
types of availability (digital, open-source, print), formatting (e.g., four-part
harmony), and other publication variables (including copyright) with regard to the
Book of Praise, as listed in the SCBP report:- To review the input of the churches, and on that basis, propose a publishing
and funding model to GS 2025
- To receive, scrutinize, and evaluate the content of correspondence from the
churches and to report to GS 2025 as to the validity of the suggestions made - To appoint one of its members to validate and submit to the treasurer of the
General Fund all expenses being submitted for committee work - To submit its report to the churches six months prior to the convening of the next
general synod.