Working with a Choir

[BBoy]

Hello saints. I have worked with choirs since I was a very young adult. It might be a good idea to share some things with each other about working with choirs that may help someone else's ministry. Please chime in.

1. Directors, don't take frustration out on your singers. Everyone deals with frustration in leadership. Please don't let those people who don't want to listen make you yell at everyone, for that is very frustrating and discouraging to those who are there to work. This can be added to our "Things that aren't cool" list . . . it isn't cool when a leader, scared to take on the real problem people, decides to "be strong"on everybody.  8O Yes I said it.  :wink:

2.  People like to be appreciated. Every now and then, bring small bags of cookies, exchange small Christmas gifts if your church can afford it, or small inexpensive tokens that show that you love them and they are valued. One of my favorites . . . get small bags with each choir member's name on them. The week before, tell everyone to write little notes about how much you admire that person, but don't sign it. Then put it in the person's bag. Everyone leaves with a small bag of anonymous notes that tell them they are great, but they don't know who said it!

3.  Have guidelines, but avoid making them into laws. Folks, the law always results in bondage,because no one can fully keep the law becasue of the flesh. Every choir is different so let GOD lead you and how to communicate your guidelines. You might want to call them "Choir Expectations" and you can revisit those expectations every New Year as a group and see how you are doing.  

4.  Learn from other choirs and musicians, but avoid imitating them. You won't be anointed to be anoyone other than yourself. Also, prepare songs to sing at specail occasions such as christenings, funerals, etc. Stretch yourself musically . . . sing traditional gospel, some anthems acapella, some classical music, etc.  

5.   Pray for a discernment of what your choir needs. Some choirs need the words to songs written out for them. Some don't. Some are more sensitive than others. Some members just plain sing better than others.

That's my list. What other suggestions are out there?

Be Blessed!

Thanks a mill. God bless you loads.  :wink:

[PrncJhn]

BBoy I agree with your contents in your topic I just want to add that the attitude of the leadership in the choir will be the attitude of the choir members if its consistent. Something about a positive attitude that just plain catches on.

One of my favorite choir directors that I will never forget use to always smile at the choir before we sang. It was such a sincere smile and we really felt comforted by it to the point that we always tried to give him our very best, becaue we knew he loved us all. Now, that does not mean that he would not get on us at times (well a lot of the time), but we knew he love us.

I think if we use the 3 B's with choir mambers that I used to use as a sales manager to motivate at times we would probably handle managing choir members a little better.

Here are the 3 B's- Build, Burn & Build!
First you Build them up and tell them the good things they are doing (Holding pitch, singing certain songs well, memorizing thier parts) etc...

Second you BURN- tell them the things they are making mistakes on and how it affects the choir as a whole. Or a behavior they are exhibiting that is unacceptable.

Third you BUILD- Build them back up and tell them how much you appreciate their participation and that you really wish for them to succeed in thier calling as a choir member.

Just some thoughts that might help.