Want to be a Great Choir Member?
It’s true that the more you put into something the more you get out. That must be why I love to serve the Lord. I enjoy the blessing and satisfaction of serving the Lord. If you’re looking for a ministry where you can “put more in” look no further than the church choir. The blessing of service waits for those willing to use their talents for Him. Let’s see how you too can be a great choir member.
1. Be faithful to rehearsals and worship services.
This first point should go without saying. As a choir member, you are a church leader. For those of us in church leadership, this requires faithfulness both to your specific area of ministry and the weekly services of your church. A choir member has a commitment to attend weekly rehearsals and to be there to sing when scheduled. Unlike teaching Sunday school, no one can step in to sing your part if you’re not there. Instead, the choir director must modify the song selection for that day or move people around to cover your part. At times this works but at other times the choir special suffers from your absence. So, make faithfulness priority one.
2. Come to rehearsals and services on time, ready to sing.
I’m sure I won’t be the first to remind you of the importance of punctuality. My dad was the first to teach me that “to be on time is to be late” and he made every effort to arrive ahead of time. A good choir director will realize that your time is valuable and know the importance of beginning and ending on time.
Punctuality is not about being on time, it’s basically about respecting your own commitments
Therefore, you should arrive early, pick up your music and find your place in the choir. You can use the remaining time to look over new music or review trouble spots you had from the last rehearsal. So, be on time, be in your place and be ready to sing.
3. Don’t be jealous when you’re not asked to sing a solo part.
Jealousy has no place in the choir or in church. No doubt, your choir director has given a lot of thought as to who sings a solo with the choir. As with most solos, finding the best voice for the part is the goal. To achieve this, the choir director must consider the voicing (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass), the range, the style and the difficulty of the solo.
Sometimes the decision can be a difficult one if there are a lot of qualified singers. If this is the case auditions may be appropriate. You should always trust his instinct, support his decisions and wait your turn to sing.
4. Pay attention to the choir director at rehearsals and during the services.
This may be an obvious thought. Every choir member needs to pay close attention to what the choir director is communicating with his voice and his hands. He has specific goals in mind for each rehearsal and has the important job of shaping the sound to be the best it can be. His job is to lead, and your job is to follow. Listen carefully to important instructions as to the flow, tempo, and mood of each piece. He may also share background information or specifics regarding the style of a piece of music that will be beneficial to how it’s sung.
Verbal communication is not the only way a choir director communicates with you. He is a master of the gestures that happen while singing a piece of music. His hands, like that of a potter, are shaping the sound, controlling the volume and cueing in each section while maintaining a steady tempo. Be aware of these, sometimes subtle, indicators he uses while directing each piece.
5. Don’t talk or text when you should be singing or listening to the director.
I read a study once that said only about 10 percent of us listen effectively. Having taught high school students for over 35 years I would say that number is not off by much. I was taught that listening is a sign of respect. Since most choir rehearsals are somewhat informal, you may be tempted to take advantage of the situation and begin talking. Such disturbance can only hinder. By the way, technology can also hinder. In this day of dings and tweets from our smartphones, it is better to make sure all your devises are off. You do not want to be a distracted singer.
6. Know you are a vital part of the worship service.
I mentioned faithfulness as it applied to church leaders in the first point. Musically though, you are a part of leading the congregation in worship during the singing of hymns. The congregation will key-off your enthusiasm as you sing for the Lord and follow your example. In addition, as they focus on the message of your song, their hearts will draw closer to Him.
If your church is like ours, choir members are actively involved in other areas of ministry too. Just having the honor of being on the platform makes you a leader. It speaks well of your sacrifice and commitment to one the most rewarding ministries of the church. Don’t underestimate how much your presence in the church choir encourages others from week to week.
7. Remember that the congregation can see your actions.
Since you’re visible to others while you’re on the platform, you certainly don’t want to do things that would hinder the service. Some churches minimize the distraction by having the choir wear robes. This helps some but there are still actions that can catch the eye of the people. Such actions would include: chewing gum, combing your hair, whispering, and more. What I like to tell our people is – if you’re doing anything different than the person beside you, people will watch you.
8. Be humble, your voice is a gift from God.
I’m reminded of the story of JS Bach. Before Bach would compose even one note, he would write at the top of the page the letters JJ. The abbreviation is Jesu Juva which means, Jesus, Help Me! Upon the completion of his piece, he wrote the letters SDG at the bottom of the page – Soli Deo Gloria – For the Glory of God Alone. He hoped that when he played his music, it would point people toward God. In other words, his music, whether written or performed, was for the glory of God.
When Bach played his music, he felt as if his soul was praising God
God would have you use your God-given talent to offer praise to Him. The book of Psalms reminds us of this;
“Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is comely.” Psalm 147:1
As much as your human nature desires a pat on the back or an accolade of praise, remember to whom the glory is due and give the Lord the credit.
If your interested in another great read about being a great choir member, check out this article I found on the web by J. Daniel Smith: Profile of a Great Choir Member.
I’d love to hear from you. Share with me other ways you have found to be a great choir member.