[Richard Crowley]

"Andy" wrote ...
"Richard Crowley" wrote:
Yes. They owe "broadcasting" fees to the copyright
owners. Note that this applies not only to the music
that your choir/organist performs, but also to the
pastor's sermon. I have heard of issues related to
the copyright status of recorded sermons (believe it
or not). If you had a lawyer working on this, they
might very well have you get a legal release from
your pastor for the sermon content, etc.

How would it apply to the sermon?

For purposes of copyright, a sermon is no different than
a newspaper column or a magazine article or the chapter
from a book. It just happens to be created by your pastor
and delivered orally every weedend from the pulpit. As
soon as your pastor creates it he/she owns the copyright
to it. (We are talking exclusively about the USA here.
Other venues likely have different laws/rules. YMMV.)

You are assuming that your pastor is giving you permission
to record and distribute the sermons, but legally you have
no proof of that without a written, signed release. Likely in
99% of cases this would make no difference.
But the lawyers worry about the 1%.