THE CHOIR ROBE SAGA......

[itsallpeach]

For 28 years, our church has gone through a Christian bookstore to purchase robes.  This year (for the first time) I was asked by the President to head the robe committee.  Due to the fact that most robes smell like people's trunks, have no more hems, or have cigarette holes or iron burns in conspicuous places - we need new robes desperately.

MY FIRST PLAN WAS EDUCATION....everyone has not been in church or in the choir all of their life and maybe they don't understand what a sacred garment is or how to handle it.  So, before deciding to PURCHASE new robes...let's learn how to care for and handle the ones we have.  Makes sense, huh?  Not to these nuts!  I now have a reputation for trying to make people look stupid and belittle them as if they know nothing!  GO figure!

MY SECOND PLAN WAS TO CUT OUT THE MIDDLE MAN....If we deal directly with the manufacturer, the bookstore's fee gets cut!  So, I found a robe manufacturer (not Murphy, daring to be different from every other church in Memphis) who was willing to work with us.  The other people on the committee agreed that it was time for something fresh and new so we went with them.  These people FedEx at least three to four robes per week so I can take them to rehearsal for the choir to select a fabric, color scheme, and style!  This old BAT (thank God I didn't extend that word by two more lettes) of a President got mad because they were SHIPPING us robes instead of coming out to do a formal demonstration!  DID I MENTION THAT THE COMPANY IS IN VIRGINIA!???  Dang!  Then, the rep sent the materials to do measurements and it went haywire!  The process is so simple...you wrap a tape measure around someone's chest, neck, and wrist and there...you have measurements!  They insist that someone fly all the way from Virginia to measure them because otherwise the robes won't turn out right!  UUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH! So the owner of the company calls to find out what he can do to keep our business, offers us a 45% discount on whichever robe we choose, and agrees to fly here and measure us himself.  Of course, that will increase the price of the robe a little (understandably so).  NOW....I have to endure World War III tonight because I didn't go through a local vendor - did I mention that nobody in Memphis MAKES robes....they all go through Murphy which is in Florida?????

Between the Choir Robes and Choir Day drama.....I can sense a headache coming on....

OH YEAH!  A choir member mentioned doing some original songs and we are taking turns teaching those as well.....BIG RESISTANCE!  GOD HELP US!

[biblethumpa]

Well, check this?!?!?! My President has been told by the Pastor to get started on getting the choir some robes. We (the choir) can't have a Choir Anniversary until we have new robes. Did I mention that he told her this two years ago!!! So guess what yall? Thanks for asking!!! We haven't had an anniversary in 2 years. Just last week the Pastor was talking about getting a new President and she asked for another chance and she would get it done, I'm going to see how many years it takes now!!!!!!

[moosiejac]

I remember when it was time to order new Usher Uniforms. The ushers got together and went to a uniform store. Me being the smallest and one of the youngest was the model. One sister wanted this awful dress made for waitressing because she was ashamed of her gutt.

After they all gave into her choice she requested we go out to Popeyes Chicken for lunch. I later was asked to pick another Uniform and I picked three and let them decide between the three and we went with the Majority.

1. You could find a local Seamstress to Measure everyone or the local Joann Fabric.

2. You could go along with the Majority.

3. You could create a sheet of possibilities and let everyone vote by
secret ballot.

4. Pick the color based on what the colors mean.

We had Red for the blood and white for Cleansing.(Purity)


Peace

[itsallpeach]

moosie...there's one thing you didn't consider

PEOPLE AT YOUR CHURCH ARE NOT IGNORANT AND FULL OF HELL.....YOU AND I DO NOT SHARE THAT SAME TESTIMONY....TRUST ME!

If Jesus was coming to church and they put him up before Pastor got up, the person that brought Him there would catch hell...believe me on that!

But I hear what you are saying.  I talked to the lady and gave her a robe that will fit exactly what everyone is asking for.  People who won't like this will love that because it's exactly what they asked for.

[biblethumpa]

Peach, You havn't dealt with my choir though...

[itsallpeach]

TRUE!  I think they should just have a national holiday where directors and ministers of music get a pallet of bricks and take turns throwing them at the choir members who cause the most grief.

The Praise Dancers had their first annual praise dance festival tonight and the sponsor had asked the choir to open up the service.  The President (with her negative "attitude" - which is not the first "a" word that came to mind) CLEARLY stated that the choir could not do it because it was a Saturday night service and people had things to do with their weekend!

The Program Sponsor and I got on the phone and called choir members individually and tonight the choirstand was PACKED!  Everyone wore whatever they wanted to and MY CHILDREN LAID A SINGING DOWN!  This one guy danced to "God Blocked It" and the saints (visitors, that is) went IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For praise and worship, a friend of mine played "Holy, Holy, Holy" on the violin while another friend read a scripture and prayed...and there was not a dry eye in the place!  It was as though the violin strings did something different to the atmosphere...or maybe it was the song she played.  But the whole event was full of spirit and very well put together.

I hope some of that "anoint-ment" stays in the building for tomorrow morning's service which I have been praying about going to anyway.  Tonight kinda motivated me because they sang so well they made me feel like directing!  For a minute I thought I was 13 again!

[biblethumpa]

Itsallpeach:The President (with her negative "attitude" - which is not the first "a" word that came to mind)  

You is off da chain..lol!!! I know exaclty what you mean though, I stay before God concerning my choir... because if i didn't I'd always be in a mess.

[uniquepraise]

Here's a color chart that I found very helpful when choosing for a PRaise tema, choir or liturgical dance.  (Ensures that you arent putting anything in the spiritual atmosphere that you dont mean to.   )

http://www.learngospelmusic.com/ftopict-13328-colors.html

[musician_organist]

well, at least it wasn't like this.

a choir president (I said a, not THE) brought in some robes and had a choir member model those robes.  she had already picked out the robe she wanted.  when the choir began to ask about one of the other robes that had been modeled, she replied, "That is not an option!"  When it finally came down to it, she showed the robe she wanted and said, "This is what we're getting."  "What if we don't want that one."  "You get this robe, or you get out the choir."  No voting.  So voting came down.  "Who wants this robe," she asked as she showed the one she wanted.  A few people stood up, not even a majority.  "Then that is the one we're getting."  She was speaking for both choirs, and she is only the president of one.

we never got that robe, then we got a new president who worked things out just fine.