The Church Music Institute is dedicated to the advancement and stewardship of sacred music for Christian congregations. Formed by a group of musicians, clergy and laypersons, CMI provides workshops, courses and conferences in addition to housing the largest online library of sacred organ and choral music in the world. Our Sacred Music Library contains more than 15,000 choral anthems and 5,000 organ compositions for music directors, choral directors and organists. At CMI, our goal is to equip clergy, musicians and congregants to create transcendent and transformational worship for congregations.
Who Benefits?
Clergy
The Church Music Institute supports the important work of clergy as leaders of worship. CMI provides courses for credit, workshops, and both online and on-site resources for clergy to hone their skills as leaders of worship. Transcendent liturgy, "the work of the people," is dependent on the effective intersection of theology and music. Music is an important vehicle for prayer and praise because words sung are remembered longer than words spoken. Worship forms Christians in their relation to God and neighbor. Quality of worship measures the health of the congregation.
Musicians
The Church Music Institute transforms talented musicians into gifted church musicians through seminary courses, online and on-site curated library resources, workshops, festivals, training events, and personal consultation. Understanding that music in worship serves the liturgy and operates differently than other music-making, CMI provides education and necessary tools to create a meaningful and effective worship. Music, an essential vehicle for congregations to worship, is an offering to God that requires the best of all participants. CMI has official partnerships with professional music organizations whose memberships serve churches. CMI co-sponsors events and projects with the American Choral Directors Association, American Guild of Organists, and the sacred music departments of recognized universities. The Hymn Society of the U.S. and Canada overlaps with CMI’s mission as its membership consists of text writers of sacred song. Denominational music organizations and their members are collaborators with CMI, such as the Association of Anglican Musicians, the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians, the Presbyterian Association of Musicians, United Church of Christ Musicians Association, Fellowship of United Methodists in Worship and Arts, Association of Disciple Musicians, National Association of Pastoral Musicians, and Moravian Music Foundation. For a complete list of denominational organizations please visit our resources page.
Congregations
Congregations are the ultimate beneficiaries of the Church Music Institute offerings: worship is the work of the people. CMI wants anyone attending church to experience excellent worship. Congregations ultimately shape the quality of their worship by acquiring the best leaders and resources for the fullest expression the congregation can offer. Engaged congregations inform themselves about best worship and music practices, assess their own resources, and discern how to use them. These congregations learn how to make wise decisions about worship and music, knowing those decisions will impact the long-term spiritual health of the congregation. CMI offers seminary classes, online and on-site curated library resources, personal consultation, festivals, and workshops in which members of congregations can participate. Discounted fees are offered for multiple persons from the same church to attend CMI activities. Members of congregations who care for excellence of music and worship are among CMI’s generous donors who support and guide its work.