Praise Team Leader: Ruth Coleman

Choir Worship Music:

The opportunities for ensemble music involvement at Grace include:

• Praise Team - Thursday rehearsals with Ruth Coleman
• Adult Choir - Thursday rehearsals at 7:30 hrs
• Chime Choir - seasonal rehearsals with Debe Tighe
• Graded Children's Choirs - seasonal

The ensembles rehearse weekly during the academic year; the Praise Team continues to meet during the summer. Each ensemble rehearses to lead with excellence in Sunday worship, and for the joy, fellowship and edification of the members. Each group is non-auditioned.

Opportunity is available for individuals to use their solo vocal and instrumental talents or to combine their abilities with others in ways which will most excellently offer music for worship and praise.

Please contact The church with any questions, or interest in joining.

One of the main roles of our corporate worship is congregational singing; it is helpful to be reminded that this is an offering to God and that we should always be finding ways which make that offering better, and free from distractions.

Wherever you may sit, sing with leadership and confidence; this will encourage guests as well as our own folks in lifting their voices.

Here are several ways to build our singing:

• 1. Use the 'intro' to mentally prepare to sing - hear the tune, feel the rhythm and recognize the tempo as fast, slow or in-between.
• 2. Sing from the very first word - and sing to the end. Sing with anticipation: for the praises you are offering and the blessings you will receive.
• 3. If people show up late in your pew, immediately offer your hymnal to share - by the time they find the page, verse and word in their own hymnal, and settle their belongings, they have missed much of the message of that hymn or song, and the concept of worshipping with communal singing is all but lost for them.
• 4. Remind yourselves of the value of each verse, and how the poetry is a story; if we skip some of it, we lose its value. The songs are to be sung in fullness and completeness.
• 5. Be aware of your voice - blend with the congregation, sing as a group, enjoy your familiar favorites and confidently learn tunes which may be new to you - those may eventually become your new favorites!
• 6. We all guide the corporate worship experience, and each of us serves as an example and encouragment to others, even when we aren't aware of their needs as we are singing. While these are guidelines for every time we worship together, let's be reminded to put them into use once again, this Sunday.

Wherever you may sit this Sunday, and even if you are not in the Choir, please sing with that leadership, to encourage any guests as well as our own folks to lift their voices.

You are a guiding force in our congregation's singing experience, and so much of what they learn is by example. While these are guidelines for every time we worship together, let's be reminded to put them into use once again, this and every Sunday.

For all choir/music information: Please contact the church office: 301-577-1092 !

Click here to return to the top of Grace's home page.