Adult choir practice is on Thursday nights from 7:30-9:00. All are welcome!
FROM THE CHOIR LOFT
The Role of the Parish Choir in Worship
In
Anglican worship, choirs have an extended history of leadership. The
Talmud and Old Testament include many references to a choir of boys and men
singing and playing instruments. In the early Christian Church, worship
used these models that had become a part of worship in the synagogue.
During the Middle Ages, choirs continued to play an important role in the
liturgical practice of the Christian church. Singing the liturgy mainly by
the priests and choir was commonplace by the time of the Reformation. The
congregation was actually made up of spectators. Martin Luther returned
many parts of the liturgy to the congregation, insisting that they sing, but he
never lost sight of the important and indispensable contribution of the parish
choir.
What do these converging traditions have to say to us today
concerning the role of the choir in the unfolding of the liturgies? The
parish choir has a variety of responsibilities during worship. To support
and enhance the congregation in song is their primary role. As such,
the parish choir becomes an important leader in worship, guiding the
congregation in praise and prayer through song.
The parish choir is that portion of the congregation that
is trained and rehearsed for the specific task of leading the sung prayer and
praise. Parish musicians will want to give the congregation a clear
understanding of the parish choir's role in the liturgy and its importance for
the worship life of the church. In order to fulfill this calling, all
choirs, no matter how small or large, no matter how limited or great their
skill, will strive for excellence in all they do.
Artistic excellence, through which God is offered highest
praise so that God's grace is revealed to the congregation, becomes the aim of
the parish choir. Whether a parish choir member or part of the
congregation in the pew, each of us will want to offer God the best we
can. Does this mean that the parish choir need to be filled with
professional singers? Absolutely not! Any choir can sing well,
provided the music is appropriate to their skill and voicing level and the choir
is willing to be trained and rehearsed. Music that is liturgically
composed and well executed provides the parish choir with a means to go beyond
the mechanics and give heartfelt expression to the text. This, in turn,
can provide the congregation a means to truly encounter God in worship.
--Written by Rick Waynick, former Director of Music