C'mon choir, why we gotta be ghetto?

[malthumb]

As I post this I am sitting in the choir pew fuming.  Hopefully posting this will provide me some opportunity to vent and get over it, but right now I'm heated.  During the passing of the peace I usually set up the mics and get coordinated with the drummer and the pianist.  So today I set up the pianist's mic and go to join the choir.  One of the choir members has her 6 year old son standing at a mic with a songbook.  

I will find out for certain after service, but I believe that part of the rationale here is that once a month, my two children (ages 11 and 13) participate in the music ministry.  I think they believe I am showing some favoritism.  But here's the difference......My kids practice for hours every week.  At home, at school, in an after school instrumental elective, and at our choir rehearsals.  And for the record they attend the rehearsals more often than the couple who decided to just interject their child into today's service.

I have suggested a number of times that we put something together for the kids in the Sunday School to sing (this couple runs the Sunday School) but they have yet to take me up on it.  

This will NOT happen again.  Even if that means I wind up losing two choir members.  If it comes to that I hope i don't lose two friends in the process.

End of rant.  And no, i don't feel better now.  Maybe with a little more time.

[sjonathan02]

I can understand your frustration.

[betnich]

Wow. We had Youth Sunday today, and kids helped with announcements, offering and sang their songs in the choir, but no soloists - did everything together and in concert, no divas....

[malthumb]

Wow. We had Youth Sunday today, and kids helped with announcements, offering and sang their songs in the choir, but no soloists - did everything together and in concert, no divas....

Actually, this wasn't a Youth Sunday and the little guy wasn't doing a solo.  He was just put into the group to sing along on the choir selections.  I would not have had such a problem with it if we had discussed it before hand and had him actually practice with us.  Now if it was a "solo" that simply would not have happened.  Or it would have been a cappella

[LaylaMonroe]

I would ignore the fact that he's a child and simply focus on the policy (if there is one) that only those who are members of the choir and attend rehearsals are permitted to sing on Sundays. Technically, it really doesn't matter whether the child is 6, 16, or a 66 year old adult. If you're not a member of the choir, you have no business in the choir stand.

BTJM.

[malthumb]

I would ignore the fact that he's a child and simply focus on the policy (if there is one) that only those who are members of the choir and attend rehearsals are permitted to sing on Sundays. Technically, it really doesn't matter whether the child is 6, 16, or a 66 year old adult. If you're not a member of the choir, you have no business in the choir stand.

BTJM.

And me.  I'd have been ok with having him rehearse and then sing with us, but these are the two choir members that I have the most difficulty getting to rehearsals.  So the likelihood of getting him to rehearsal on a regular basis is really slim.

 

[sonicfoxbody]

Does your church have a youth director? Is there enough youth to form a choir? At the church I am currently at on the 2nd Sunday the youth run the entire program (aside from preaching). They do devotion, scripture reading, the youth choir sings, the youth raises the offering. It's good training and something they all look forward to. There's 3 (sometimes 4) other Sundays of the month to do 'normal' church stuff.

[malthumb]

Does your church have a youth director?

Not really.  But the two people responsible for him popping up in the choir stand are his mom and her fiance.  They lead the children's Sunday School, so if there was a Youth Director, it would probably be one of them.

Is there enough youth to form a choir? At the church I am currently at on the 2nd Sunday the youth run the entire program (aside from preaching). They do devotion, scripture reading, the youth choir sings, the youth raises the offering. It's good training and something they all look forward to. There's 3 (sometimes 4) other Sundays of the month to do 'normal' church stuff.

At the church specifically, we'd have to have all the kids involved, so that's not likely. If we include the neighborhood kids from our male mentoring program we would.  In my email to the choir / praise team, I specifically asked the two people leading the Sunday School to teach the kids 3 songs...."Everybody Clap Your Hands", "Yes You Can", and "We're Blessed", with a plan to have them sing once a month during the collection on 4th Sunday.  We'll see how that goes.

[betnich]

"Everybody Clap Your Hands", "Yes You Can", and "We're Blessed", with a plan to have them sing once a month during the collection on 4th Sunday.  We'll see how that goes.

Do the teachers follow through? Just curious - have a similar situation at our smaller church...

[malthumb]

Do the teachers follow through? Just curious - have a similar situation at our smaller church...

We'll see.  I just sent the email out on Monday as part of the usual rehearsal schedule communication.  Haven't heard back yet.  Next rehearsal is October 16th, so if I don't hear from them by then, I'll push the issue.

[britlee]

this stuff sound a lot better.

[malthumb]

this stuff sound a lot better.

Yes, there's hope.  We'll see how it goes.  Here's a clip of my kids playing the introit for our 4th Sunday service. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZZ4gh1Q3P4

[sjonathan02]

Yes, there's hope.  We'll see how it goes.  Here's a clip of my kids playing the introit for our 4th Sunday service. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZZ4gh1Q3P4

I tell you what; I love this song in its simplicity but the folks at my church stand around like they can't wait for it to be over. 

[spc]

Oh wow, my brother. "Been-There-Done-That." Maybe, its' just one of those things we as church M.O.M deal with time after time. I would image to some its considered the "norm." because of our position in the church. I've been playing for all degrees of choirs for more than 30 years and what you just mentioned has happen more time than I will ever be able to include in this reply (smile) Hang in there and whisper a prayer. God Bless.

Spc