Hymns on Sunday

This week, we’ve some communion hymns from New Zealand and the United States, and we feature hymns by Isaac Watts, who’s sometimes described as ‘the Father of English hymnody’ – he wrote over 700… Read more Audio

It's World Mission Sunday. This special day in the Catholic liturgical calendar was created by Pope Pius XI in the mid-1920s as a day of prayer for missions. Read more Audio

Happy Birthday to English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams – born 12 October 1872. Find out how this 'cheerful agnostic' had a major impact on 20th century western hymnody. In this week's programme… Read more Audio

Lawyer, politician, church minister, teacher, opera singer: just some of the many and varied occupations of the hymn writers in this week’s episode of Hymns on Sunday. Read more Audio

In this week’s programme, we’re featuring hymns written or translated by women, including New Zealanders Shirley Murray and Marnie Barrell. Read more Audio

We're marking World Peace Day this week. Established in 1981 by the United Nations, the day is dedicated to the absence of war and violence, and observed around the world every year on 21 September. Read more Audio

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori this week with a selection of hymns in Te Reo Māori. Read more Audio

The Season of Creation has begun, and we’re celebrating with hymns including How great thou art, For the beauty of the earth, and Shirley Murray’s Touch the earth lightly. Read more Audio

In this week’s programme, you can hear a spine-tingling rendition of Joseph Parry’s Aberystwyth played by Christchurch band Woolston Brass. Read more Audio

‘Hymns by Tims’ feature in this week’s programme: English hymn writer Timothy Dudley-Smith, and Timothy Rees (Bishop of Llandaff in the 1930s). Read more Audio

We're marking the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, Mother of God, in this week's programme with hymns including Immaculate Mary and Ka Waiata. Read more Audio

Hymns to mark the Feast of the Transfiguration today, including Immortal, invisible, and Christ whose glory fills the skies. Read more Audio