Music Ministers are an important part of the spiritual development of the choir member’s life. When compared to other ministers or church leaders, a Music Minister may be investing more time in a church member’s life when rehearsal and worship service time accrue. Is that time used wisely? Are choir members being drawn closer to God and making steps toward Christ-likeness?
In addition, Music Ministers play a role in the greater congregation’s spiritual life. The task of preparing a group of people, mostly volunteers, to sing or play in order to create an atmosphere of worship requires intentionality. Without focused intention, the mechanical components of music (the right notes at the right moment) may become the sole focus of rehearsal and the choir is ill prepared to lead in the spiritual aspects of worship. Music Ministers must ask themselves, “As the congregation participates in the worship service, are they led towards God by the worship cues and attitudes of the choir or praise team? Or are the faces in the choir simply portraying musicianship and not connectedness to the meaning of the song?”
According to Karen Marrolli’s article, “Effective Worship in the Choral Rehearsal” in Choral Journal, the effective Music Minister “connect(s) the singers to the text and connect(s) the text to the music” (Marrolli, 2016). When the singers are connected to the meaning of the song, they are apt to portray worship during the service. If choirs are to portray worship during the service, they also need to worship during the rehearsal. To accomplish this, Karen suggests five ways to connect worship to musicianship during rehearsal. If employed effectively, the entire congregation might worship more as well.
In addition, Music Ministers play a role in the greater congregation’s spiritual life. The task of preparing a group of people, mostly volunteers, to sing or play in order to create an atmosphere of worship requires intentionality. Without focused intention, the mechanical components of music (the right notes at the right moment) may become the sole focus of rehearsal and the choir is ill prepared to lead in the spiritual aspects of worship. Music Ministers must ask themselves, “As the congregation participates in the worship service, are they led towards God by the worship cues and attitudes of the choir or praise team? Or are the faces in the choir simply portraying musicianship and not connectedness to the meaning of the song?”
According to Karen Marrolli’s article, “Effective Worship in the Choral Rehearsal” in Choral Journal, the effective Music Minister “connect(s) the singers to the text and connect(s) the text to the music” (Marrolli, 2016). When the singers are connected to the meaning of the song, they are apt to portray worship during the service. If choirs are to portray worship during the service, they also need to worship during the rehearsal. To accomplish this, Karen suggests five ways to connect worship to musicianship during rehearsal. If employed effectively, the entire congregation might worship more as well.
1. Let the Choir in on the Sermon Theme: The article states, “If you don’t engage the choir in where worship is going, they may not process it until somewhere in the middle of the sermon on Sunday morning. You’ve done the hard work of selecting an anthem that fits perfectly with each sermon. Be sure to make your singers aware of important threads in that worship fabric” (Ibid.) Give the choir member more time to meditate on the theme of the service.
2. Get the Singers to Tell You about the Text: “It may be tempting to quickly explain the words of a piece of music to the choir from your own viewpoint, but it can be valuable to have them tell you what the text means….You may hear ideas that you would not have even thought yourself!” (Ibid.)
- 3. Make it Personal: By asking the choir how the text of the music connects to their own lives, “you are giving them the gift of a piece of music that can feed them spiritually the next time they experience a need for God in the darkness.”
4. Connect the Text to History: What is the history of the song? What was occurring in history when it was written? Contextualizing the song may bring more meaning to the one signing it.
5. Boil the Text Down to One Word: “Words like ‘struggle,’ ‘repentance,’ ‘prayer,’ and ‘enduring,’ can clarify the underlying idea of the text and influence the way that the choir sings those words” (Ibid.)
5. Boil the Text Down to One Word: “Words like ‘struggle,’ ‘repentance,’ ‘prayer,’ and ‘enduring,’ can clarify the underlying idea of the text and influence the way that the choir sings those words” (Ibid.)
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References:
References:
- Marrolli, K. (2016). Effective worship in the choral rehearsal. Choral Journal, 57(5), 63-67.
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