“A church without a choir is like a body without a soul” — John Rutter
When I joined my church choir in the seventh grade, I knew that I had joined something important. I joined a group of people who devoted an hour a week to the rehearsal of music that would be presented in worship. I joined a group of people who had a special seat in the sanctuary, a seat that enabled them to see everything that was happening in that large room. I no longer sat with my parents or my youth group friends, I sat with the choir. And I knew that it was important.
Many years later, I still know that a church choir is important. Second to the singing of hymns in worship by the whole congregation, the coming together of 20 or so people to sing in worship is the most important musical/spiritual function that happens in a worship service. A church choir is a group of people who, on behalf of the congregation, practices and presents sung praises to God each Sunday morning and the church has the benefit and blessing of listening to that God-focused musical offering. A church choir is like a huge oak tree, firmly planted in the church demonstrating our humanity, our community, and our Christian souls coming together with different voices in practiced harmony offering praise to God. Choir is important.
Choir rehearsals begin this Thursday at 5:30 at May Memorial, and hearing that announcement over the past few weeks some have wondered how this is happening. I will explain.
First, we are advertising in every possible way our job opening. In the ads it is named “Music Director and/or Organist.” This means that we would be willing to look at calling two people, one as Music Director and the other as Organist. Or, we would be willing to call one person who can both serve as Music Director AND Organist, much like has been done over the past couple of years. We want to advertise in a way that casts a wide net hopeful that we will be led to the right person(s).
Second, over the next few months guests organists have already been scheduled to be with us in worship. As long as the organist position is vacant, we will have a guest organist playing in worship at least two Sundays a month. May Memorial is blessed for Sandra Parker to be our pianist (her title is now “Accompanist and Director of Small Ensembles”), and the Sundays when an organist is not present Sandra has done (and will continue) a wonderful job. Sandra is also working with the quartet, Voices of Unity, and many soloists who will also contribute to our worship services.
Finally, what about the choir? Several weeks ago when the position of Music Director became vacant, knowing that the beginning of the choir year was quickly approaching (the date of the first choir rehearsal had already been set), I met with the Personnel Committee and then with many of the choir members, and I offered to work with the choir until the position was filled. Both the Personnel Committee and Choir members indicated that my doing this is our best option, and they gladly (I think) accepted the offer for me to serve in this temporary volunteer role.
While many may not know this about me, I served as a Music Minister at two different churches in North Carolina from 1996 until 2005. I led the choir, played the organ as needed (I took organ lessons in seminary), led a children’s choir, and led the handbell choir. My skills are not those of Mary Ellen, or Ed Alexander, or my wife, but my Music Minor in college gave me the basic tools to do this. I have energy for this at this point in my life, and I have joy in my heart to volunteer some of my time to make this happen. And this I believe…choir is too important to not do something, everything we can, to enable it to flourish. The choir will sing an anthem in worship this Sunday, and as I am given the opportunity to continue to help in this way, they will sing every Sunday.
Our choir is made up of good musicians who deserve to have the opportunity to serve in this important way. I love our church, and I love the choir, and I want to offer whatever of myself I can for that ministry to continue.