Prayers for Choirs: No. 11

Prayers for Choirs: No. 11

It's not a church holiday, I know, but there's something inherently spiritual about the practicing of giving thanks. This week, many of us will celebrate Thanksgiving, a day we gather around the table; share our favorite food, stories, and traditions; and count our blessings. We'll reflect on God's good gifts in our lives: the gifts of health or healing, provision or guidance, good friends and neighbors, grace and freedom. We'll reminisce about years past - perhaps those who are no longer with us - and celebrate another year of love and life and laughter with loved ones, far and near.

How do we show our gratitude? How do make it a daily practice?

10 Movement Activities for Children's Choir

10 Movement Activities for Children's Choir

When was the last time you saw a child really excited about something? They jump up and down and wave their arms and run around. Movement is a natural response for children (source). After all, we learn by doing, acting, observing, experimenting, and feeling. This is especially important to remember when teaching children to sing. Singing is a full-body activity (source) and movement invites children to connect and engage with music in a whole new way.

Use movement activities in your choir rehearsal to help develop critical listening skills, that all-important sense of steady beat, responsiveness, discernment, sensitivity to phrase-shaping and other elements of music expression, inner hearing, understanding of harmony and tension-release, and musicality. Movement also helps children develop coordination skills and connects eye and ear and body and mind.

5 Creative Worship Order Templates

5 Creative Worship Order Templates

What is the purpose of worship? Why do we come together as a community of believers on Sunday mornings? What elements are important and meaningful to all who gather?

These are powerful questions for anyone that takes part in worship planning to ask, and answer. If you haven't already, take a few minutes to write out your answers.

When it comes to worship planning, there's no right or wrong way to do it; though, it is important to be intentional about what goes into the worship service and why. Here are a few more questions you might ask:

What does your church value? What will teach them about God's Word and lead them in prayer and praise?What will engage them and draw them closer to God?

 

The Colors and Seasons of the Church Year [Infographic]

The Colors and Seasons of the Church Year [Infographic]

Have you ever wondered what the colors at the front of the church mean? What do they symbolize? Why do they change on certain Sundays? Today's post is all about colors - purple, white, green, and red. These are the primary colors of the liturgical church year and each one symbolizes something about our faith and our spiritual walk.

Must-Have Skills for the 21st Century Church Musician

Must-Have Skills for the 21st Century Church Musician

I started my first "real" church job when I was 17. It was a small Methodist church in south Georgia with one Sunday morning service, an adult choir of about 12 and a children's choir of about six. I was still learning to play the organ at the time and played most of the service from the upright piano in the front of the church. I dove head-first into worship planning, liturgy, and choir anthems and loved every minute of it.

My next job was as a Music Intern at a large Methodist church in north Georgia. I did administrative work for the children's choir program; accompanied the youth choir and women's choir, and adult choir, on occasion; played hymns and solo music in three weekly services; and substitute taught handbells, children's choir, and children's chime choir. I learned so much and gained so much practical experience during those two years.

Since then, I've served four other congregations as Organist/Accompanist, Music Director, Handbell Director, and now Director of Worship Arts.

All that to say - as church musicians, we wear lots of hats.

The History of the Worship Order

The History of the Worship Order

Worship order. It's something most of us use every week to inform our planning and help us prepare for Sunday. (Chances are, you have one sitting on your desk right now.) It's an ancient practice - a structure we use to organize and plan worship, based on a certain order of sacred elements - readings, music, sermon, offering, sometimes Communion.

For most of us, there is structure and order to our worship, one that is informed by tradition, ritual, and practice. For some, the worship order is more flexible, embedding contemporary elements and expressions of faith into the traditional liturgy, connecting various ministries to the life of the church. For others, worship is seen as a time-honored tradition, something historical, preserving the patterns and practices from the Early Church.

No matter what your particular worship order looks like, I bet we'd find a few things in common if we compared them. Because the underlying structure - the rhythm of the liturgy - has stood the test of time (we're talking almost 2,000 years here).

Like I said, it's an ancient practice.

30 Inspiring Quotes for Church Musicians

30 Inspiring Quotes for Church Musicians

To the one who feels burnt out, used, or unappreciated. To the one who feels insignificant or small. To the one who's carrying the weight of ministry and feeling burdened and tired - here are a few words of encouragement: Your work matters. 

Even if it feels like it's all been said or done before, even when it's hard, even when it goes largely unnoticed. Your voice could be the one that makes the difference in someone's life.

There will be good days and hard days, and there may even be times when you question the decision to serve in ministry. On those days, remember why you started. Remember your calling. Don't give up or let yourself feel discouraged. Focus on what's important and do good work.

Singing Our Faith: The Power of Musical Theology

Singing Our Faith: The Power of Musical Theology

We gather together on Sunday mornings, in churches old and new. In "Sunday best" and casual attire. In old wooden pews and folding chairs. No matter where or how we worship, we come together for the same reasons - to feed our souls, to shape and strengthen our faith, to be reminded of who God is.

We retell the stories of our faith, we remember God's promises, we claim God's victory over the world, we pray and praise and recite what we believe.

And we can do it all through singing. This is the power of musical theology.

Theology is "the study of the nature of God and religious belief." Musical theology refers to hymns and songs with rich, meaningful text that speaks to who God is and what we believe. 

How to Build Community in Your Choir

How to Build Community in Your Choir

Ministry is often defined as "spiritual work or service." As it says in 1 Peter 4:10, "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace." But I think it's more than serving; I think ministry has a way of giving back and blessing us in return.

The key is, ministry is relational. It requires community, however big or small.

In fact, I believe the heart of ministry is community - a sense of connectedness, fellowship, and unity; shared responsibility and ownership. If we aren't united in our mission and work together as a choir, what kind of ministry do we have?

Prayers for Choirs: No. 10

Prayers for Choirs: No. 10

It's that time again.

The time when some of us start to feel a little anxious, a little unsettled. When everything feels like "us" vs. "them." When we sometimes feel like we're on opposing sides from people we call friends and neighbors. When it feels like we're more divided as a country and a community than ever.

It's election season, and this year, it's more polarizing than ever.

All you have to do is turn on the news, or scroll through Twitter or Facebook, or scan the headlines in the checkout aisle.

Some people get loud about their opinions, others get quiet. Some get angry, others feel uneasy, and many feel afraid. Some people put signs in their yards or stickers on their cars to let everyone know where they stand - constant visual reminders of the turmoil and conflict across our nation right now. Others keep their opinions to themselves to try to keep the peace with family, friends, and neighbors.

Follow along with my creative work and daily adventures: @ashleydanyew

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