SALT LAKE CITY — More than 400 hymns and children's songs will be included in a new combined book to be released by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2026.
While the full book will be released in about three years, the church said a small selection of songs will be digitally released "in small batches" starting in early 2024.
In 2018, the church announced it would be revising its main two music books, "Hymns" and the "Children's Songbook," both published in the 1980s.
Since then, church leaders said more than 17,000 songs were submitted to be considered for new music books that would be used globally.
"Not only are the hymn and song collections being revised, but in some cases, individual hymns and songs are being revised to make them more globally relevant," the church stated. "Updates will clarify doctrine, replace outdated language where meanings have changed over time, and ensure that lyrics and musical styles are more universally inclusive."
Five years after the announcement was made, the church has announced a new approach, saying it will come out with one single book to be used by individuals, families, children and congregations around the world.
"Hymns - for Home and Church" will be "representative of the communal nature of music and worship with hymns and children’s songs together in one collection," the church wrote.
The single book will contain between 450 and 500 songs, which will include music of the church composed after "Hymns" was published in 1985, music borrowed from other faiths and some new songs submitted by members.
Calling the project "complex," the hymnbook committee is now giving special consideration to the top "several hundred" submissions of songs, which will then be recommended to church leaders for publication.
"Hymns - for Home and Church" will be in initially published in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French, with up to 50 total languages released by 2030.
For other languages, a smaller collection of about 60 hymns and children's songs will be released "as soon as reasonably possible," the church wrote.
Songs from "Hymns" and the "Children's Songbook" are sung during weekly church meetings, in broader conferences and at ceremonies across the world.
