churchservicesociety.org | fostering an interest in christian liturgy

Choir from Scottish African Churches at 'Edinburgh 2010', © Gary Doak

raise awareness of liturgical development in the world Church

enable leaders and people together to participate more deeply in the mystery of faith through movement, symbol, ritual and sacrament.

St Andrews Cathedral © air - Fotolia.com

engage with the theology of worship as indispensible for the evaluation and interpretation of liturgies

Old St Paul's, Edinburgh, prayer space by Soul Marks, © Carol Marples

examine fresh patterns of worship and explore the creation and enhancement of the spaces in which we gather

foster interest in the history of liturgy

At a time when worship in Presbyterian Scotland was often rambling and verbose, the Society's scholarly editions of earlier worship books helped restore classic patterns and lapsed Reformation forms. Its annual journal, established in 1928, encouraged the continuing study of liturgy and provided a forum for those who compiled worship resources and those who led and participated in worship Sunday by Sunday.

In the present day the Society, now ecumenical and with members in several countries, continues to engage with contemporary worship, studying, reflecting, evaluating and proposing.

News and Events

Two New Features November 2021

Now on this site:

a bank of simpler hymn arrangements
a course on improvisation for organists

Both may be downloaded free of charge. They accompany the book Assist our Song: Music Ministries in the Local Church by Douglas Galbraith (St Andrew Press) just published, ISBN 9781800830103.

Simple hymn arrangements

Easy versions to download and play

Learning to improvise

A course for beginners by Brigitte Harris

Facsimiles of the Society's journals from 1928. Search the summaries and access the articles.

The Wode Psalter

Vocal scores of the complete contents of the sixteenth century Wode Psalter, assembled by researchers at Edinburgh University, together with MP3 sound files, for free local use.

Resources for Worship

Chapel at Scottish Churches House, Dunblane

Orders of worship and prayers

Singing the Reformation 2016

Psalms service recreation in the style of 1600

Congregational praise in Reformation Scotland recorded in St Mary's Haddington, with MP3 files and new SATB and Unison Kirk Part PDF scores for free download, reproduction and use.