Copyright is an intellectual property right given to the creators of original musical, literary and dramatic works.
Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI) is a company that helps churches stay on the right side of copyright law by providing licences for using music, video, photocopying and more.
Copyright and images
Many people are unsure about what images can be used on a church website, newsletter or service sheet. The answer is simple - if you don't have explicit permission to use an image, don't use it.
If someone in your church has taken a picture and is happy for you to use it, that's fine, but if you have found the image online or by using Google, you almost certainly don't have permission to use it.
There are some websites with copyright free images, including:
You are also welcome to use the majority of images taken by the Diocesan Communications Team and available at
www.flickr.com/photos/DioceseofYork.