Make sure you get the melody right.
Just because you're used to singing something one way, doesn't mean it's the right way.
Listen to it on YouTube or the SOF CDs. Saves embarassment. :-)
Thursday, 8 September 2011
Wednesday, 7 September 2011
Phew
4 chord sheets, 1 Musescore write up and 1 Musescore adjustment later, quick strum about and found they're pitched okay, and off they went to the group last night.
I like my choices this week, I think they are a good balance and fit together really well. One of them is in rather begrudgingly because it is extremely difficult to lead effectively without the congregation trying to run away with it. However - every time I tried to write it off the list, God found a place for it as choruses were re-arranged and re-chosen and still that "Praise Chorus/Hymn" gap remained. As I believe He is trying to tell me something, I don't fight this any more. If He's in there, it will go OK.
Got to pick the choruses for the final Friday, but this shouldn't take me too long, but I have actually picked the hymns/choruses for 18th September (I know what the theme is going to be), which was triggered by a song I heard on my MP3 player. A couple of words about said MP3 player. I only got it last week, and put 200 songs on it, most of which I had not heard as I didn't have time to listen to them on the CD - popped them on there so I don't have to hunt down my CD player and I can listen on my way to work. Although my travel time isn't long (I get more of a chance if I go shopping 5 miles up the road on the bus, or when I go to singing lessons) it is proving to be an invaluable resource. I heard the track, and discovered later it is around 20 years old (and helps that the person who wrote it is actually singing it, you get the artist's cut as it were, which is usually the best one), but I thought, oh this would be fab for the next installment of the series.
And if you're wondering why I always refer to choruses and hymns in the abstract, it's in case I change my mind (or God changes it) before the event. Terribly anal I know, but I'm the worst for saying something will happen or be said and it all gets turned on its head. Just lately, I've wanted to temper this.
I like my choices this week, I think they are a good balance and fit together really well. One of them is in rather begrudgingly because it is extremely difficult to lead effectively without the congregation trying to run away with it. However - every time I tried to write it off the list, God found a place for it as choruses were re-arranged and re-chosen and still that "Praise Chorus/Hymn" gap remained. As I believe He is trying to tell me something, I don't fight this any more. If He's in there, it will go OK.
Got to pick the choruses for the final Friday, but this shouldn't take me too long, but I have actually picked the hymns/choruses for 18th September (I know what the theme is going to be), which was triggered by a song I heard on my MP3 player. A couple of words about said MP3 player. I only got it last week, and put 200 songs on it, most of which I had not heard as I didn't have time to listen to them on the CD - popped them on there so I don't have to hunt down my CD player and I can listen on my way to work. Although my travel time isn't long (I get more of a chance if I go shopping 5 miles up the road on the bus, or when I go to singing lessons) it is proving to be an invaluable resource. I heard the track, and discovered later it is around 20 years old (and helps that the person who wrote it is actually singing it, you get the artist's cut as it were, which is usually the best one), but I thought, oh this would be fab for the next installment of the series.
And if you're wondering why I always refer to choruses and hymns in the abstract, it's in case I change my mind (or God changes it) before the event. Terribly anal I know, but I'm the worst for saying something will happen or be said and it all gets turned on its head. Just lately, I've wanted to temper this.
Monday, 5 September 2011
Maybe not so much of a sacrifice...
I like to get everything, bar chord sheets out of the way Monday night, Tuesday night latest. Had a bit of a lazy one this weekend, and besides, it's probably best if I leave Musescore etc alone on a Sunday to give my brain a break.
However - forgot (until a phone call last night) that I'm going out tonight (church business), and so this means that WL work is going to have to wait to Tuesday night - although I could probably get a fair bit this evening before going out. Then there's practice. I never take for granted that I can play something at a decent standard, and I like to do a little of that before sending off to the group, and of course to make sure it "sounds" okay, fits together nicely, I haven't given me and the other guitarist a ridiculous or hand twisting chord change, I can sing it without sounding like Kylie Minogue on helium, so forth, so fifth.
Asides that, I have to pick the choruses for Friday too, so I'm in for a busy week. Could be awkward for other reasons that I won't go into here. This blog is for recording my WL activities, not other stuff, beit church related or not.
So, giving up Friday night is perhaps not so much a sacrifice at all, more a necessity before something imploded.
However - forgot (until a phone call last night) that I'm going out tonight (church business), and so this means that WL work is going to have to wait to Tuesday night - although I could probably get a fair bit this evening before going out. Then there's practice. I never take for granted that I can play something at a decent standard, and I like to do a little of that before sending off to the group, and of course to make sure it "sounds" okay, fits together nicely, I haven't given me and the other guitarist a ridiculous or hand twisting chord change, I can sing it without sounding like Kylie Minogue on helium, so forth, so fifth.
Asides that, I have to pick the choruses for Friday too, so I'm in for a busy week. Could be awkward for other reasons that I won't go into here. This blog is for recording my WL activities, not other stuff, beit church related or not.
So, giving up Friday night is perhaps not so much a sacrifice at all, more a necessity before something imploded.
Sunday, 4 September 2011
Ministry worship
Worship today was:
Jesus is the Name we Honour
How Deep the Father's Love for Us
Beautiful Lord, Wonderful Saviour
I will Never be the Same Again
We Bow Down
We had a visiting speaker, and I was asked to play at the end during ministry. The clarinet joined in and it sounded great:
I will Never be the Same Again
Be Still
Here I am waiting
Quiet crowd this morning, and some new faces. For once, it was nearly standing room only; we put out about 50 chairs I guess, and nearly every one was occupied. Word gets around when we have an international speaker who has a healing ministry.
Our church has never been one for having worship at the end of the service, but I agreed with the leader this morning that should there be "official" ministry at the end of the service, I won't wait to be asked, I'll just quietly go up there and do it. Realised that it was the first time that this had happened whilst I have been WL, yet I was completely unfazed. Praise God.
Jesus is the Name we Honour
How Deep the Father's Love for Us
Beautiful Lord, Wonderful Saviour
I will Never be the Same Again
We Bow Down
We had a visiting speaker, and I was asked to play at the end during ministry. The clarinet joined in and it sounded great:
I will Never be the Same Again
Be Still
Here I am waiting
Quiet crowd this morning, and some new faces. For once, it was nearly standing room only; we put out about 50 chairs I guess, and nearly every one was occupied. Word gets around when we have an international speaker who has a healing ministry.
Our church has never been one for having worship at the end of the service, but I agreed with the leader this morning that should there be "official" ministry at the end of the service, I won't wait to be asked, I'll just quietly go up there and do it. Realised that it was the first time that this had happened whilst I have been WL, yet I was completely unfazed. Praise God.
Saturday, 3 September 2011
A sacrifice - or no?
Next Friday will be the last time I "officially" worship lead at Bible study, I've given it to the other guitarist.
Something inside me is sorry, it was where it all began, and I feel I haven't really been doing it that long. (3 or 4 months maybe, last 12 weeks has been every other week with Alpha).
I think I could well miss it, and I suspect that there will be plenty of opportunities to pick up either Alpha or Bible study worship, when the said guitarist or the pianist who does Alpha can't do it for whatever reason. There's something special about the "cosyness" of a small group singing simple choruses or well-loved hymns, very free and easy, away from the more prayerful picks for Sunday.
Actually, I'm already missing it. But my time on worship leading just for Sunday are somewhere between 20 and 30 hours a week, approx the same again, if not more, than the hours I work in my day job. Something's gotta give, and Friday night Bible study was it. It also gives me the option of not going to either, if I'm just tired out and need some quality time with the one I love. God - have I made the right sacrifice?
Something inside me is sorry, it was where it all began, and I feel I haven't really been doing it that long. (3 or 4 months maybe, last 12 weeks has been every other week with Alpha).
I think I could well miss it, and I suspect that there will be plenty of opportunities to pick up either Alpha or Bible study worship, when the said guitarist or the pianist who does Alpha can't do it for whatever reason. There's something special about the "cosyness" of a small group singing simple choruses or well-loved hymns, very free and easy, away from the more prayerful picks for Sunday.
Actually, I'm already missing it. But my time on worship leading just for Sunday are somewhere between 20 and 30 hours a week, approx the same again, if not more, than the hours I work in my day job. Something's gotta give, and Friday night Bible study was it. It also gives me the option of not going to either, if I'm just tired out and need some quality time with the one I love. God - have I made the right sacrifice?
Friday, 2 September 2011
Many gifts, one body
1 Corinthians 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. KJV 1611
Paul was talking about gifts of the spirit, but this can apply to gifts or talents in the church.
Musicians, "technically", are higher up the pecking order in church heirarchy. Doubtless, in Corinth, there was this "I prophesy, but you only speak in tongues, nyah nyah nyah" going on.
Each has their own gift, or talent, to give to God, via the church. But to "puffeth oneself up" is wrong, causes division, and hurt in some cases.
Pride is something I fight with all the time. I try to remind myself that I'm not doing this for me, or the church, primarily, I'm doing it for God.
Paul was talking about gifts of the spirit, but this can apply to gifts or talents in the church.
Musicians, "technically", are higher up the pecking order in church heirarchy. Doubtless, in Corinth, there was this "I prophesy, but you only speak in tongues, nyah nyah nyah" going on.
Each has their own gift, or talent, to give to God, via the church. But to "puffeth oneself up" is wrong, causes division, and hurt in some cases.
Pride is something I fight with all the time. I try to remind myself that I'm not doing this for me, or the church, primarily, I'm doing it for God.
Thursday, 1 September 2011
Chorusstorming
It's like brainstorming, only you're looking for choruses and hymns.
If you know the sermon is more specific, you find a webpage on the subject, or you look at the chapter in the Bible. You then write down every single chorus or hymn that comes to mind as you're reading.
I would say, try not to be too obvious, else it could end up cliched. An extreme example would be The Lord's my Shepherd when the sermon is on Psalm 23. Think about what Psalm 23 is saying, so, faith and trust, and think about choruses that invoke faith and trust.
The church is starting a "series" of sermons, and so far, I've gathered about 9 "chorusstorming". I'll definitely try this again.
If you know the sermon is more specific, you find a webpage on the subject, or you look at the chapter in the Bible. You then write down every single chorus or hymn that comes to mind as you're reading.
I would say, try not to be too obvious, else it could end up cliched. An extreme example would be The Lord's my Shepherd when the sermon is on Psalm 23. Think about what Psalm 23 is saying, so, faith and trust, and think about choruses that invoke faith and trust.
The church is starting a "series" of sermons, and so far, I've gathered about 9 "chorusstorming". I'll definitely try this again.
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