{"id":10679,"date":"2013-08-24T11:11:25","date_gmt":"2013-08-24T11:11:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/?p=10679"},"modified":"2019-07-24T15:54:06","modified_gmt":"2019-07-24T15:54:06","slug":"transitioning-cast-vision-for-the-new-role-of-the-choir","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/transitioning-cast-vision-for-the-new-role-of-the-choir\/","title":{"rendered":"Transitioning \u2013 Part 8 \u2013 Cast vision for the new role of the choir"},"content":{"rendered":"

As East City Church transitions its worship service to a unified style of worship (see links below to catch up on the story), they will need to help their choir to catch a vision for becoming a worship-leading choir. ECC already has a great choir, but in the style of worship that is currently in place, the choir is often a centerpiece, singing many selections and often leading to a spectator role of the congregation.<\/p>\n

In renewing worship through a worship transition, the choir needs to be re-visioned to a worship-leading choir whose chief purpose is to worship and help set an environment to lead the congregation in worship.<\/p>\n

In a past post, Producing Pew Potatoes: Creating a Culture of Spectators<\/em>, I wrote about the problem of the choir singing several selections in a worship service:<\/p>\n

Today, I want to address the first of several things that churches can do to produce spectators for worship: some churches get so involved in producing \u201cspecial music\u201d segments that they seem to have little time left for the congregation to sing. Now I agree that a stirring solo, choir special, or instrumental arrangement can be worshipful for all and is a great sacrifice of praise for those presenting the music, and many times, the congregation can worship vicariously through the song. But what I see time after time is a emphasis on non-congregational music while pushing out time and opportunities for the congregation to be involved. And when it comes to congregational singing, we should spend as much time making sure that the arrangements we use to lead our congregation are as special and prepared as anything we do for \u201cspecial\u201d music. Think of the congregation as your most important musical group.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Much time in preparation should be spent every week in working on congregational music so that the choir can sing the music \u201cfull of spirit,\u201d as people lost in worship. This attitude can be contagious among the congregation.<\/p>\n

Here are some areas of consideration for ECC’s choir in preparing for worship transition:<\/p>\n