What Can I Play on Sunday?, Book 4: July & August Services: Piano Book

This collection gives you exactly what you need when the church bulletin arrives Monday morning. Berry understands the constraints of planning services in summer months, when regular musicians may be traveling and commitment varies, so she's selected arrangements that sit comfortably for pianists with limited prep time while maintaining musical integrity. The mix of patriotic favorites and beloved hymns works for both special services and ordinary Sundays, making it genuinely useful rather than just aspirational.

These pieces strike a familiar, comforting tone. Whether you're playing "America the Beautiful" for an Independence Day service or returning to beloved hymns like "Where He Leads Me," the arrangements honor the music's spiritual character without demanding virtuosity. The writing is clean and singable, which means your playing can center on serving the hymn rather than showcasing the instrument.

Church pianists juggling multiple services and varying skill levels among substitute musicians will find this book invaluable for summer planning. Late intermediate pianists working in worship settings benefit from reliable, accessible arrangements that require minimal rehearsal while still sounding complete and intentional.

• Balance the melody line in your right hand against supportive, not competing, left-hand voicings; hymn playing rewards clarity over complexity
• Establish a steady tempo from the opening phrase and maintain it throughout; these arrangements serve congregational singing, so rhythmic consistency matters more than expressive rubato
• Voice the harmony with your ear tuned to the acoustic of your actual sanctuary; what reads well on the page may need dynamic adjustment depending on how sound carries in your worship space

Use this collection to build your summer service calendar with confidence. The selections work naturally for holiday-themed services (Fourth of July worship, for instance) while the hymn selections serve regular summer Sundays when your typical accompanists may have limited availability. Pair these with your liturgy planning so you can assign specific pieces weeks in advance rather than scrambling on Friday afternoon.

• Sight-reading hymn arrangements with clear voice leading
• Accompanying congregational singing with appropriate touch and tempo
• Balancing melody projection with supportive harmonic accompaniment
• Reading and interpreting simple articulation and phrasing marks in sacred music