God's Singers by Creator Magazine

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God’s Singers

july/august 2011

the case for excellence TM

When You are in Town, You are Here

CHOIR TOURS ARE A WONDERFUL BLESSING

Select 20 Anthems

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Volume 33 - Number 4

God’s Singers

A Church Musician’s Bookshelf : Choir Devotionals and Singing Technique Annette Bender

Front Page Bob Burroughs

Feature

The Case for Excellence Dave Williamson

TM Education

Spotlight on David Leestma Bob Burroughs TM

Choir Tours are a Wonderful Blessing

Reviews of Anthems Worth Having

Select 20

Choir

Nancy Doughty

Staff

Good Stuff

Reviews of New Materials Staff

Last Page

When You are in Town, You are Here Thomas Vozella

in this issue

Dave Williamson presents the case for Excellence on the part of God’s Singers. Plus a spotlight on David Leestma, the Select 20, and more... Special thanks to John Doughty for the bulk of the photos in this Choir Members Issue. July/August 2011 | creatormagazine.com

by Bob Burroughs

front page

God’s singers

God’s Singers – what a great thought! If you are one, what an awesome responsibility is yours! It would be a remarkable adventure for someone to calculate the number of God’s Singers in the USA, in churches of all denominations, large and small choirs, and the number would probably astound us. And, would it not be a magnificent, and probably impossible, idea to work up a committee – one or two from every state – and work toward having “A National God’s Choir Festival of Praise!” The committee members would then take the responsibility of fleshing out

The Festival would be in a huge facility and consist of great congregational singing with hymns and praise songs, with several grand pianos, a good organ, and an orchestra. God’s Singers would be led by a wide array of conductors, and choral pieces could be rehearsed and performed… and I’ll venture to say, no one would want to leave the building. I know! I’m dreaming here, but isn’t it a great thought – gathering all of God’s Singers together to offer praise and honor to the Master Musician, the Lord and Creator of all things, not the least of which is music – only thing we have on earth that will be with us in heaven!

Would it not be a magnificent idea to have a national “God’s Choir Festival of Praise”?

the idea: when, where, how, publicity, costs of renting a large facility, and so much more.

Being one of God’s Singers is a great responsibility for those who have accepted this call.

Once planned, every church would be asked to send the names/addresses of their choir members. Then, a letter would go to each one with details of the Festival to encourage their presence.

This Choir Member’s issue is absolutely full of great things for God’s Singers as well as directors. Read it thoroughly and glean from the articles things you might use to become a better God’s Singer. He will be pleased, and so will fine your Director!

Volume 33 - Number 4 July/August 2011 publisher Vernon Sanders editor Bob Burroughs editorial board Christine Anderson Hugh Ballou Wendell Boertje Glenn P. Eernisse Allen Henderson Heather Hood Lloyd Larson Douglas Lawrence David Leestma William Lock Carl M. Peters, II Steve Phifer Paul Satre Pamela Urfer Thomas Vozzella Edwin M. Willmington Paul Leddington Wright John Yarrington computer engraving Geyser Ridge Associates printing coordinator Pete Moceri Creator Magazine PO Box 3538 Pismo Beach, CA 93448 (800) 777-6713 creator@creatormagazine.com Creator Magazine (ISSN #1045-0815) is published bimonthly by Creator Magazine. U.S. subscription rates are: $32.95 - 1 year, $55.95 - 2 years, $73.95 - 3 years. Foreign subscriptions (sent printed matter – airmail): Canada and Mexico, add $10 per year to above subscription rates. Other foreign countries, add $25 per year to U.S. rates. (All foreign payments should be made by check in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank. Unacceptable payments will be returned). Unsolicited articles cannot be returned. Electronic TM and email submissions are encouraged. Submitted photographs will be returned if a stamped, selfaddressed envelope is included. Article Guidelines are available by request.

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by Dave Williamson

feature

the case for excellence

An excerpt from the book God’s Singers I grew up in a wonderful church in Oakland, California. There were between 500 and 1,000 people attending weekly, depending on the year. It was rather large for its day. We had a good old pipe organ, a nine-foot Baldwin piano, and a better choir and better soloists than most churches. It was a typical-for-the-time, two hymns and two responses kind of service, with a choral anthem written by Gordon Young or somebody thrown in, along with “special music”during the offering. As well-crafted as it was, I remember being mostly bored out of my mind by the music. It’s not that I didn’t like the songs or appreciate the dedication of the musicians. It’s mostiy that television

had recently become a player in most people s lives, and the TV variety show was the hot number. Listening to those New York and Hollywood entertainers sing and play, and then comparing our church music to that, was an excercise in disappointment for me as a young but upcoming musician. Very seldom was anything remotely “stirring” offered, at least to my young ears. However, I grew really discouraged by the music when I visited friends’ churches. Listening to a scruffy choir, an out-of-tune piano, or an organist who couldn’t seem to find the correct pedals (which never stopped them from trying), I began to wonder if anyone cared at all about the quality of what was being passed off as music in these places.

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The phrase “church music” became a little private joke to me. I didn’t see anyone else laughing, however, and so I determined there was no way I’d ever be caught dead spending a major portion of my life playing or singing in churches. You see, I was so much better than that... I’m sure God was not much amused by my attitude.

A Turning Point Then in high school I came face to face with something I had given up hope of encountering – four words I never thought I’d have a reason to put together – Contemporary Christian Musical Excellence. It came in the form of a musical group (called) the Spurrlows.

All in one night, I was confronted with great singing and great playing from young singers and players auditioned nationwide, choreography, great sound and lights; and a modern-sounding assortment of fresh arrangements. I had never dreamed that Christians could do this, and I couldn’t wait to audition for, and upon high school graduation, hopefully join the group. I did, and I did. I was so taken by the uniqueness of what I was hearing, playing, and singing, that it didn’t occur to me until much later to pass this experience through the grid of biblical instruction in worship. I was not alone. It didn’t occur to a lot of people, and even those who criticized it were doing so based on an unwillingness to consider

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the possibility of a new sound in church music, not because of any true biblical sensibility. It wasn’t the Spurrlows’ fault. God in His ultimate grace used the experience powerfully in my life, and in the lives of many others. So from that moment on, I determined that the church could, indeed, have music that was not only contemporary, but truly excellent in every respect. Contrary to my previous belief, I now knew that God was calling me to apply myself to that goal. If there’s been one consistent hallmark of all the churches where I’ve served it is that all of us have continually strived to make the very best art we could, in whatever style was called for. Singers, players, actors, praise dancers, tech people all came together in service of excellence, with

Dave Williamson has

been worship pastor in churches small, medium, and large. He has been involved in over 500 major recording projects and won Dove awards.

an occasional glance upward to God, Who was, after all, worthy of our praise.

Making a Course Correction I have since painfully realized that my excessive, almost exclusive focus on

hearts in honest, biblical worship is so much more important than anything else. However, a rising tide floats all boats. Meaning, paradoxically, that while

Let’s agree once and for all that God does not have a preferred music style

actually more important now than it was before. If the calling and the foundation and the relation of the choir make the choir’s overall ministry much more significant than ever, then because of that rise in significance, the musical excellence of the choir, while no longer the supreme factor, is not to be overlooked. Rising along with the tide, it too increases in value. Psalm 33:3: “Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of }oy!,” certainly still applies. That’s a lot of words to say: KEEP REHEARSING!

Here’s the Point musical excellence was essentially misplaced. We are, after all, singing to the King of kings, and the state of our

musical excellence is no longer my primary measuring stick for a successful corporate worship experience, it is

for further reading • Turning an Average Voice into an Above-Average Voice (Doug Lawrence) Jul/Aug 93 • The Choir as Worship Leader: Revitalizing the Ministry from the Loft (Ron Man) Jul/Aug 99 • What a Director Needs from Singers/What a Singer Needs from a Director (Richard J Colla) Jul/Aug 02 • The Incarnational Work of the Adult Choir (Philip L MItchell) Jul/Aug 05 • Teach Then to Read!: The Benefits of Music Literacy in the Church Choir (Paul Hill) Mar/ Apr 08 • The Choir in Modern Worship (Vernon Sanders) Jul/Aug 09 You can find many of these articles and/or buy the Choir Articles Compliation CD for just $24.95 at creatormagazine.com. All articles are available by calling 800-777-6713.

Lets break down a little of what I mean by musical excellence. The intended emphasis is to become fluent in your church’s primary musical languages. Let’s agree once and for all that God does not have a preferred music style. He created the basis for all of them. He gave us our sense of melody, harmony, and rhythm, and all the variations in those that make music in all its forms a language which (one way or another) speaks lucidly to all cultures. A church at worship reflects either the preferred music style of the music director, or, better. the preferred music style of the people of the church. Or, best, the preferred style of both. I’ve taken long drives across Kentucky on Sunday afternoons and listened over the radio to the plaintive singing and July/August 2011 | creatormagazine.com

preaching of some pretty backwoods congregations. Although musically rudimentary, it’s perfectly pure, and it is beautiful to me. It makes me smile. It speaks effectively to its own culture. I’ve also attended services in great cathedrals in New England and Europe, and in Afican-Amencan churches, and in churches of almost every type and description, in many regions of this and other countries. I once had the “what’s wrong with this picture” experience of attempting to teach 500 Jamaican worship pastors how to stylistically sing Black Gospel Choir music! My point is: If you are responsible for leading the worship in your church, it becomes your job to detect the musical language or languages that most successfully and completely communicate with your people. Having determined what these styles of music are, it’s your task to become an expert in them. Your job is to lead them in worship, with excellence, in the way which speaks most directly to them. The only

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caveat here is that, in some of these musical contexts, a choir may seem foreign to some. My conviction is that it does not have to be, and in fact, can add both a spiritual and a musical dimension in almost any style being considered. But only in that place of direct communication in idioms your congregation understands will its members feel completely natural speaking their musical language in praise and worship to God. It will stop being a “churchy” thing, and it will become an “honest and real” thing, which touches them deeply and profoundly, because it is an integral part of who they are. Then, having learned for yourself how to do this, you must devise ways of effectively training your choir. My favorite style of musical worship expression happens to be Black Gospel music. I love the chords, the rhythms, the passion. I have made it a major point to become somewhat of an expert in its performance, about as well as a white boy probably can. Which is to say, only fairly well.

A church I served in recently wasn’t interested in Black Gospel music. They had determined that it was not a musical language the congregation spoke, and when I began my tenure there with a couple of Black Gospel-tinged songs from the choir, I was made aware of the preferences of this congregations leadership. Chris Tomlin, yes! Kirk Franklin, no! I could have gone on and on about the relative merits of Black Gospel music, as I see them. Instead, although kicking and screaming just a little, I chose to learn all I could learn about the best way for a choir to sing Rock and Roll worship! And do you know what? Assuming you have a choir (trained) enough to make the right sounds, it works!

So Why Excellence? In a word, what is the overriding purpose for excellence in worship music? I believe it is simply the joy – and responsibility before God – of offering the very best we have in the ultimate

service. As David said, “/ will not offer to the Lord my God that which costs me nothing (2 Samuel 24:24). But be careful! Music can become an unrelenting taskmaster, if we allow it. We are not “celebrating the gift.” We are rather “celebrating the Giver.” Give your very best – but give it to HIM!

Elements of Style It is important to say it again: Being a Worship Leading Choir is not about what style of music you sing. I have chosen to focus on singing contemporary, pop styles in this section because these styles fall outside the boundaries of the training we as choral musicians are typically exposed to. There are many books that talk about how to sing using classical, orthodox choral techniques. They are written better than anything I might offer on the subject. So I’m homing in on what I see as (an) area of greatest need – how to teach your singers to sing in the contemporary, pop styles, should that be your desire.

lt’s an interesting life for a musician who sings. If you’re on call as a session (also “studio”) singer, you have to know a lot of stuff. You have to be able, instantly, to believably sing any musical style imaginable. You have to be able to sight-read music quickly, but you also have to be able to make up a “headchart” (a piece of background singing which suggests itself by listening to the

What Do You Need to Learn? Where does one go to (learn how to be able to do this)? It’s not taught in college, and there are precious few books written about it.

It’s more fun than a person should have while earning a living

During the 20 years I lived in or around Los Angeles (1970-89), I developed a hobby which I very much enjoyed. While leading some smaller, auditioned groups of singers in various churches, I trained people for careers as “session singers.” Which means, singers who sing backing vocals on recordings. TM

(I’ve done a lot of) research, which has consisted exclusively of listening to various styles of music, striving to mimic what I thought I heard, and then trying to figure out a way of systematizing it so it could be taught.

lead vocal and the chord progression, although no one has written anything down but the words) just as easily. You have to know what to do to make your voice mix well with any complement of voices you find yourself with, whether it’s a girl trio for Motown or a 30-voice choir for a Disney film. It’s challenging, yes, but it’s seldom boring. It’s more fun than a person should have while earning a living. And oh by the way, it pays really well.

As far as I can tell, there are precisely FIVE elements of musical style which, to the degree and by the manner in which they are employed, distinguish differing genres of muisc from one another. In order of importance these things are:

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R - Rhythmic Groove T - Tone Quality P - Pronunciation V - Vibrato N - Nuance

Sorting it Out Let me first say that these stylistic elements apply – each in its own way – to all types of music, from the most primitive bluegrass to classical. We’ll concentrate on the pop music aspects, because that’s where the holes in most people’s education and understanding lie, particularly those with a “choral” background. Rhythmic Groove: The essence of all music. Even classical music has at its core the rhythmic element. In pop music, this aspect is emphasized further. Many times singers find themselves concentrating on melody, harmony, diction, etc., to the exclusion of the rhythmic underpinning. The thought is that we’ll leave it to those playing the instruments to cover for us. If a choir is going to sing pop-styled music successfully, we must “feel” the rhythm in much the same way as the drummer and bass player feel the rhythm, and make that feeling a major part of how we sing anything.

Tone Quality: By “quality,” I don’t just mean how well you sing – I mean HOW you sing. Varying styles of music call for varying levels of brightness (treble, kind of) in the tone, with pop music almost always calling for a relatively brighter tone quality than classic choral music. Included in the area of tone quality is the thought of “blend.” Some styles of pop music call for real attention to blend. Others just call for what I’d call “singing together.”

what they need to do by taking the concepts away from the “musical” arena and trying something altogether different, which can then be applied to music. This is a fun area to discover! Many people will begin by saying, “I have no vibrato” (actually quite a usable situation when singing Rock), and will need to be shown that anyone can learn various kinds of choir vibrato. It’s not just something that you “either do or don’t do naturally.”

Pronunciation: It is amazing how much difference it can make to emphasize dipthongs, or to pronounce words ending in “r” with either an “r” or an “h” (for example, “river” versus “rivah”). The overall guide to pronunciation in pop music is to sing things conversationally – in other words, NOT to emphasize things we typically emphasize in standard choral music, like ending consonants. This new approach is still musically valid, (if) you broaden your definition of musicality. As a place to begin, try to pronounce the lyric in much the same way as you casually talk.

Nuance: By nuance, I mean the little twists, tricks, and contrivances which give a certain style its uniqueness. For instance, in Black Gospel music, some of the nuances are scoops (approaching notes from beneath and sliding up to the pitch), staccatos (notes sung intentionally shorter than normal), sudden volume changes, and crescendos (more gradual volume changes, but still accomplished faster than normal, from soft to loud). All styles have some peculiar-to-them nuances, and some have more than others. I file everything about a given style that is not covered by the other four departments under nuance.

Vibrato: Not only whether to employ it, but what kind is employed. You’ll be surprised to discover the difference between Black Gospel vibrato (wide, with the tremolo up from the fundamental pitch, energetically) and Rock and Roll vibrato (usually none). In this area, it can help people to assimilate

this issue author contact Bob Burroughs ~ bobburroughs@mac.com Nancy Doughty ~ thosedoughtys@charter.net Dave Williamson ~ VoxNotRox@aol.com Thomas Vozella~ vozella.music@gmail.com

volume 33 - number 4 | creatormagazine.com

You don’t have to become a maniac on these things like I have, but having just a little knowledge of this stuff can make (any song) sound so much more like it was intended to sound. fine

for the director

Dave Williamson

We’ve entered the area of the greatest challenge. For it’s truly one thing to discuss everything and nod our heads in agreement. It’s yet another to traverse “the longest 50 yards in the church” and take it all from the place of instruction, your choir rehearsal room, to the place of implementation, your corporate worship room (some would call it the sanctuary). There are two primary reasons its so difficult. The first is, ingrained habits are very, very hard to break. Someone I know once said that in order for a person to change, the pain of change has to become smaller than the pain of staying the same. I wholeheartedly agree. Your expectations as the choir’s director, given voice repeatedly on rehearsal nights and on Sunday mornings, are the keys to making these changes. You don’t want to harangue people, nor do you want to punish them for moving slowly. Working with people is, after all, pretty messy, all the time. In the pursuit of any goal involving people – it’s hard to think of one that doesn’t involve them – you must exhibit patience, sometimes on a grand scale. But what they’ll respond to is your underlying belief in them to do the right thing, and your continued willingness to tell them what that right thing is, sometimes over and over. Every way you can think of. The second reason it’s hard has to do with the expectations of the congregation, and the peer pressure these folks represent in the lives of your choir members. Think of it. Your choir has been growing in its understanding of all these things. Maybe they’ve just spent a weekend on retreat, and talked and prayed over many or all of them. Now it’s Sunday, and the choir is back in the saddle. In walk Aunt Mary and Uncle Phil, and all that the choir member has been learning and praying about disappears in a “What will they think of me if I...?” moment. There is a scripture which speaks of this in Proverbs 29:25, which says in part, “The fear of man brings a snare” Therein lies the crucible. It is imperative at that moment that you give the choir one final shot in the arm, maybe through a handholding prayer, that THIS Sunday will be different. If they will hold true, I guarantee you that the tidal wave of people from the congregation who come up to you or to members of the choir saying some version of “What happened to the choir?! I’ve never experienced their ministry so powerfully!” will be impossible to stem. Here is what you are aiming for, in four points: • Passion • Freedom • Integrity • Joy.

July/August 2011 | creatormagazine.com

by Nancy Doughty

choir

choir tours are a wonderful blessing

Nancy Doughty sings soprano in the choir of First Presbyterian Church, Templeton, California.

You go to choir practice on a Thursday evening and the director says “let’s go on tour!” If this is your first tour, you experience excitement and almost immediately say, “Wow! Sounds exciting. You can count me in.” If it is the fifth tour you take a little time to figure out if you have the time, can afford the trip (since you will be paying your way) and whether the prospect of a tour still excites you. So, you say “sure. It will be fun and I’ve never been to the places that they are talking about!” The next thing you know you step off a plane in someplace like Amsterdam! Who’d have thought that saying yes to touring with your church choir would have landed you so far away from home.

The Singer’s Role However, it is not just a choir tour but a delicate balance between your organiz-

ing committee, your choir director: a good tour agency (specializing in tours for musicians), your fellow choir members, and a tour guide that can help everyone generate a memorable adventure. Thus begins an 18 month project which includes planning, coordination, selection of music, working with the tour company to select meaningful and important singing venues, and more. As a singer, you don’t really fit into the actual planning, but your role in the preparation is critical. It not only includes figuring out how much to pack (notwithstanding predetermined concert clothing), but attending extra rehearsals, learning music that eventually gets cut from the repertoire, and memorizing many pieces so that you will always have something to sing in case there is no piano or organ for accompaniment. Often, acapella singing

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becomes your most valuable asset as you change from venue to venue, so many hours of rehearsal time is spent on listening to each other and blending that tone. Of course, all this happens in your choir rehearsal room. Everything changes when you hit the road. Our most recent tour was pretty aggressive: 3 nights in Amsterdam, 2 nights in Brugge, 1 night in Cologne, a 4 night Rhine River cruise, 3 nights in Interlaken, 2 nights in Lucerne – plus two full air travel days. The river cruise gave us a little chance to relax, but it wasn’t as restful as we expected. There were excursions to take, small towns along the river to visit, and, perhaps predictably, an impromptu concert aboard ship – making a total of 7 concerts in 17 days. As choir tour veterans, we had been far more challenged on earlier trips. One tour to Spain and France included 12 concerts in 19 days, along with the city tours, sightseeing, and a little free time! On that tour our last event was singing for high mass at Notre Dame Cathedral

in Paris with 4,000 in attendance. After mass at this landmark cathedral built in the 11th century, the officiating priest addressed us, saying “Imagine, in 300 years someone may be reviewing the records of this cathedral and note that on this day the choir from Manhattan Beach sang during high mass.” I can tell you that no one in the choir had dry eyes that day. It is a humbling experience to be a part of such a long history.

The Tour Guide On a tour of this scope, many people with various parts to play make things happen. At each venue ithere are a myriad of details to oversee. Your tour guide becomes the most important person in the traveling party at that point. He or she usually has the language to speak to the church caretaker, priest, or music and worship individual to begin the process of figuring out how to get in and out of the building, locating rooms for the choir members to change into

Your tour guide becomes the most important person concert clothing and safely store their cameras, purses, and other belongings. The guide also attempts to ensure that there will be adequate time to rehearse, and becomes the facilitator between the church individuals and the choir director. Rehearsal time provides the director with the opportunity to locate the choir in an area (hopefully steps, a platform, actual choir pews, or chairs) that produces the best sound for the audience. This time allows the director to figure out how the acoustics and interplay of reverberation affects the pieces they have chosen for the venue. This knowledge allows the director to select music that “works” in the venue considering sound, acoustics, and the choir makeup. We are an older group (50 years to late 70s) and that means a specific set of difficulties in touring which affect the choir.

This is a variable that must be dealt with on a daily basis. Each choir member has come on the tour to sing, but to also see a bit of the city and country that we are visiting. A good tour company puts together an itinerary that includes the concert schedule, city tours where appropriate, and some free time for choir members to visit more of the area, or take some time to rest and relax. Our tour guide, Harry, was an accomplished musician himself, and he had brought along several CDs that represented music of each area that we traveled. As the bus traveled along, he would give a little story about the music, and then he would play the CD. I felt that it made a real difference to my enjoyment of the tour itself and helped me to relax as we moved from one hotel to the next.

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The best performance was for an audience of 4 The Schedule One of the first complications affecting good singing is the travel time. A previous concert tour saw our choir give their first formal concert on the day after arrival. Most of the choir members travel together and arrive jet-lagged, tired and ready for a little food and sleep. Singing a concert is furthermost from their minds. This time the first formal concert was on the second full day after arrival in Amsterdam. Our first concert had a good turnout (about 125 in the audience), and most of us were in singing “shape.” However, a couple of the ladies were overtired from traveling and a 2-1/2 hour city tour the previous day and had to step down. During the tour, the excitement of singing in historic and beautiful cathedrals, getting adjusted to the time changes, and getting better sleep improves each performance. However, as the end of the tour approaches this enthusiasm begins to wane. There are usually several reasons for this: • Close quarters can often bring on a epidemic of minor colds

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• Improper pacing of the tour itself can lead to exhaustion • Individuals not recognizing that they need to preserve their energy Knowing that these things can happen, I did a couple of things in an attempt to alleviate some of the travel stresses. The tour companies tell you that “everyone over packs,” but I decided to bring three pairs of shoes along this time. My concert shoes are comfortable, but not so good for long walking excursions, so two pairs of comfortable walking shoes that I alternated by day really helped to keep my feet and legs from getting too tired. My husband and I also have learned how to pace ourselves, so we would occasionally break away from the group for a nice lunch, or to visit a unique sight not on the tour list. This allowed us to decompress from the group and helped to keep our energy up.

The Concerts Our audiences varied at each venue. Our first concert had about 125, our next about 50 (more with tourists wandering through the cathedral), the next about 100, and so on.

From our director’s viewpoint the best performance happened when we sang for an audience of four. You might think that this would be discouraging from a performance standpoint, but I believe our appreciation of the venue certainly affected our performances. I think that we really wanted those four to enjoy our performance, and the sanctuary that we were in contributed to our energy level. I don’t know about others in the choir, but I could feel a presence that I hadn’t felt in a couple of the very last cathedrals. Regardless of how much our feet or knees hurt, or how long we were asked to stand on marble or stone floors, I am confident that we gave our best in each concert whether formal or informal.

The Impact What an impact the tour can have on its individual participants. We had the opportunity to see some very beautiful country, and the great privilege of singing in some of the most magnificent and historic sites. From our first concert at the Grote Kerk, in Edam, The Netherlands, to the grand cathedrals of Cologne and Strasbourg, to the small, but beautiful, church in Interlaken, to

our final concert and participation in the evening Mass at the Hofkirche in Lucerne, it was a joy that I don’t think many get to experience. I think being a religious group allows us to truly experience the sanctity and holiness of the cathedrals and churches in which we perform, and respect their age and purpose. Being a member of a choir on tour can be scary in a sense, since, going into a venue, you have no idea what to expect from the space itself, your director, and

We truly experience the sanctity of the cathedrals and churches in which we perform from your fellow singers: What will it sound like? Where will we stand? Which pieces will we sing? Will there be an instrument for accompaniment, and will it be in tune?

for further reading • International Choir Festivals: Traveling with Your Choir (Terry Price) Jul/Aug 90 • The Ultimate Choir Opportunity (Marshall Sanders) Jul/Aug 92 • Youth Choir: A Tour-Planning Checklist (Rod Ellis) Nov/Dec 96 • Taking Your Show on the Road (Andrea Matthews) Jul/Aug 99 • Tour Companies on the Net (Allen Henderson) Sep/Oct 99 • Touring as Outreach (Paul Plew) Jul/Aug 09 You can find many of these articles and/or buy the Choir Articles Compliation CD for just $19.95 at creatormagazine.com. All articles are available by calling 800-777-6713.

But I decided a long time ago, that to truly enjoy the experience and the joy of touring with my church choir, I would not let all those questions bother me. I would stand where I was told, I would not complain if my feet hurt, and I would sing to the best of my ability each day. The memories that you make along the way with friends, the new people that you meet who express their appreciation even without a common language, and the tremendous lift you get when you hear the reverberation of the choirs last chordthrough a large cathedral for several seconds – these memories are unique and lasting, to be treasured and enjoyed. After five trips, I can certainly say that a choir tour is a wonderful blessing. fine July/August 2011 | creatormagazine.com

by Annette Bender

education

a church musician’s bookshelf

You want to learn more about how to do your ministry better, but you don’t have the ability to go to seminary. What can you do?

Better than it sounds: a dictionary of humorous musical quaotations. Compiled and edited by David W. Barber. Sound and Vision, 1998.

Annette Bender recently retired from a position she loved – being a school librarian – and is an alto in her church choir.

Ortlund, Anne. Up with worship: how to quit playing church. Revised and updated. Broadman & Holman, 2001.

Choir Devotionals and Singing Technique You can read all about it by assembling a bookshelf of valuable resources. The books on this list form a core collection in the areas of church growth and outreach. They are taken from an extensive collection assembled by a person with a career of more than forty years as a church musician and worship leader, and can be considered classics. Enjoy! Allen, Ronald B. Lord of song: the Messiah revealed in the psalms. Multnomah Press, 1985.

Clark, Dave. Worship where you’re planted: a primer for the local church worship leader. Beacon Hill Press, 2010. Dilworth, Rollo. Choir builders: fundamental vocal techniques for classroom and general use. Hal Leonard Corp., 2006. Hunt, Jeanne. Choir Prayers. The Pastoral Press, 1986. Kagen, Sergius. On studying sight-singing. Dover, 1950.

Beck, Andy et.al. Sing at first sight; foundations in choral sight-singing. Alfred Publishing, 2004.

Klein, Joseph J. Singing technique: how to avoid vocal trouble. D. van Nostrand Co., 1967.

Bennett, Roy C. The choral singer’s handbook: how to become a good choral singer. Hal Leonard Publishing, 1977.

Miller, Richard. The structure of singing: system and art in vocal technique. Schirmer Books, 1986.

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Reid, Cornelius L. Bel Canto: principles and practicess. The Music House, 1971. Roma, Lisa. The science and art of singing. G. Schirmer, 1956. Rundus, Katharin. Cantabile: a manual about beautiful singing for singers, teachers of singing and choral conductors. Pavane Publishing, 2009. Sirota, Victoria. Preaching to the choir: claiming the role of sacred musician. Church Publishing, 2006. Vennard, William. Singing: the mechanism and the technic. Revised edition, greatly enlarged. Carl Fischer Inc., 1967. Waterman, Carla A. Songs of assent. WaterManuscripts LLP. 2009. fine

by Bob Burroughs

spot light

David Leestma

Minister of Music Grace Presbyterian Church Houston Creator: David, we are pleased to have you “in the spotlight” for this issue. We have met previously and I must admit how much you impressed me with all you do! For our readers, tell us what is your current position? David Leestma: I am serving as minister of music at Grace Presbyterian Church, Houston, giving direction to our ‘traditional music’ worship services. TM

Creator: How long have you served this great church?

David Leestma: Since February, 2008. Creator: Where was your place of service before you came to this church? In other words, what sequence of events led you to where you are now? You might wish to give us some details of the other ministries in which you have been involved. And aren’t you the editor/publisher of The Mountain Breeze, the local newspaper in Lake Lure, North Carolina? How do you do this and work at the church in Houston?

David Leestma: After 32 years of full time music ministry, I felt I was losing the ability to keep things fresh and vital. I needed a break of some sort. So after happily serving three churches on the West Coast and with both our children married, my wife Cathy and I sold our California home and moved to the Blue Ridge foothills of North Carolina, an area where we spent many vacations visiting Cathy’s Floridian parents who lived there part time. There, waiting on the Lord, we connected with the local non-denominational Chapel

leadership network

creator celebrates every church musician and worship leader...

and the ministries of which they are a part. We regularly turn the spotlight on people involved in ministry in order to help inspire and provide ideas for others. If you would like to recommend someone for our spotlight let us know. July/August 2011 | creatormagazine.com

I worked with Dr. Robert Schuller for many years

that we also knew well. Soon after we arrived, the Chapel’s choir director left due to her mother’s illness, and I was offered the job which I accepted. In the meantime, we purchased a home in Lake Lure and a local free bi-monthly newspaper. Cathy worked on the ads and I worked with a wonderful family of local writers. We continue to do so from Houston with the wonderful help of a small but mighty Breeze staff in North Carolina.

Dr. Kenneth Leestma, who was senior pastor. Working together was a sweet experience. As he retired, I accepted the minister of music position and later added the position of executive pastor at First Covenant Church, Oakland, California. Our family spent 14 wonderful years in the Bay Area. Our children found their life mates while there, and I completed my Doctorate in Worship Studies from the Robert Webber Institute for Worship Studies.

My full time music ministry began at Garden Grove Community Church, which became known as The Crystal Cathedral in 1980. Following my degree in vocal music education from Hope College, I accepted a position at Garden Grove and worked with Dr. Robert Schuller and staff for many years developing and growing a community conservatory for the performing arts, directing choirs, touring with the Boychoir, and giving music direction to the popular “Glory of Christmas” and “Glory of Easter” productions.

Now a grandfather of four grandchildren and facing another one of those milestone birthdays that ends with a ‘0’, the Lord has placed me at Grace Presbyterian. The journey to Texas began with a conversation with Brian Mann, who was director of creative arts on the Grace staff. The church was looking for an executive pastor. I was offered the position, and since that time I have moved from the executive pastor position to the expanded full time position of minister of music at Grace.

I later served as minister of music and executive pastor at New Life Community Church, with my father,

Grace has a rich choral tradition, so it’s truly a blessing directing the 70 voice Chancel Choir and working with

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an extraordinarily gifted music staff. I also have the privilege of meeting weekly with the senior pastor and contemporary worship leader who are fully engaged in worship planning. I am grateful for the partnership we share in ministry. And how does “The Mountain Breeze” fit in all this? Very carefully! Actually, the newspaper only requires my full attention in spurts of time, mostly in the evening and occasional weekends. The Grace ministry remains my priority and demands my full time attention. It’s a healthy balance for me. Creator: Tell our readership a bit more about your background, such as where you went to school, hobbies, and things you’d like us to know about you. David Leestma: In addition to my Hope degree, I have a Masters in Choral Conducting from California State University, Fullerton, and a certificate in Arts Management from the University of Southern California. I am commissioned by The Evangelical Covenant Church as a Staff Pastor in the area of Music Ministry, and a licensed pastor. I have

also served on the executive boards and advisory committees of church, community, and professional music organizations. I enjoy writing about worship environment and continue to add to my personal library with books on a favorite subject – church/home architecture and design. Recently, I have had the opportunity to compose anthems for particular church events and celebrations. I am currently building a web site – cappellamusic. com - which will include those anthems and a listing of my anthem and ‘service music’ titles this fall. For physical exercise, I swim laps, but never often enough. I am not a fast swimmer by any means, but I have always enjoyed water sports, and just being near a beautiful body of water calms the soul. Creator: How large is your church and the music ministry program? David Leestma: We have two adult choirs plus men’s and women’s choirs who sing occasionally, a handbell choir, a children’s choir, and a worship band. The church has 2600 members. Creator: Tell us about your family and are they involved with you in the music ministry of the church? David Leestma: Cathy sings in Grace’s Chancel Choir. She is an author,

speaker, and has worked in church and non-profit community settings. She has facilitated several Financial Peace University courses and is a FPU personal financial coach. My daughter Andrea is married to Brian Mann, now Pastor of Worship at WoodsEdge Church, The Woodlands, Texas. They have two sons. Son John runs his own film production company in San Francisco and is married to Katie. They have two daughters. With pastors and church music represented on both sides of the family, reunions usually involve some singing!.

work on Good Friday, Easter morning services, and occasional solo instrumentalists for Sunday morning worship. Some are members of Grace. The Chancel Choir is a volunteer ensemble though we do have a paid ‘student scholarship’ quartet who provides choral leadership for each choir section. These students are auditioned and must be enrolled in a university music program during the year to be eligible to sing in that quartet. Solo, duet, trio, and quartet opportunities are covered by them, as well as volunteer choir members and guest artists. Keeping a fair balance of vocal opportunities for all is an important responsibility I take seriously.

Creator: Serving where you serve, may I assume there a wide array of talent from which to draw, including college students and other professional people? �� If so, how do you �� balance the use of outsiders while trying �� to use your own �� people? �� David Leestma: In a large metropolitan city, there are many professional musicians. At Grace, we hire professional players for our Christmas concert, Christmas Eve services, a major

��

�� July/August 2011 | creatormagazine.com

Creator: What do you do for “fun” or just pure enjoyment for David? David Leestma: Browse in a favorite book store, watching a good movie or the latest Masterpiece Theatre program; in North Carolina: hiking, canoeing, or checking out the local architectural salvage store. Creator: I suspect that you attend music conferences and clinics to keep yourself updated, fresh and on the cutting edge. We first met at the Presbyterian Worship Conference in Black Mountain, North Carolina, which, by the way, is an outstanding event – two separate weeks – same faculty. Right?

David Leestma: You’re right, Bob. I knew about that particular annual conference for many years, but finally had the opportunity to attend while living in North Carolina.

Connecting with colleagues and meeting new friends in these summer conferences are important. Conference/ conventions sharpen my ear, offer practical ideas and solutions to ministry challenges, expose me to different repertoire, and can affirm ministry calling. My most recent conference experience was attending the National Association of Church Musicians conference last July with Jo-Michael Scheibe from

We continue to make those hard but informed decisions to keep vibrancy and vitality in our music ministries alive and meaningful.

the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music, as keynote speaker, conductor. It was an excellent experience. Creator: From your years of experience in a wide variety of ministry fields, what advice or counsel would you like to give our readership concerning the “art of music ministry?” In other words, how can we, as a church musicians, conductors, singers and educators stay sharp and in tune with the craft and art of church music? David Leestma: Connect with those in your community or sphere of influence who are doing similar things. In fact, seek out those who you think do what you do, but better. Learn from those in music ministry who have already gained the respect of their congregation and church community serving your town for a longer period of time than you. Treat them to lunch. Attend a concert or music event of theirs. Are there music educators in your choir? Engage in honest conversation with them about their efforts and successes. Creator: In your opinion, what are the ingredients that make one an effective minister of music or worship leader? David Leestma: A personal relationship with the Lord, a passion for your

May/June 2011 | creatormagazine.com

musical art, enjoying friendships to their fullest, offering your best, understanding and being sensitive to the needs of those you serve, striving for excellence in all you do, and always following a plan you’ve made on which to move forward.

little about, but was able to quickly forge new relationships, was warmly accepted by a choir who didn’t know

Quality

Creator: I am quite sure that during your pilgrimage, you have personal heroes – those who have mentored you in your musical and/or spiritual pilgrimage. David Leestma: Sheldon Disrud, my first boss in full time music ministry; Dr. Robert H. Schuller; my father, Dr. Kenneth Leestma; Rev. Bryan Jeffery Leech, long time friend and music collaborator; Dr. Frederick Swann, organist extraordinaire; and Dan Bird, the best example of a pastoral musician I have known. Creator: If you could do anything you wanted to do at this time in your life, what would it be – or are you doing it now? David Leestma: I would do what I’m doing right now, but with one wish: move Grace Presbyterian and the entire Houston community to a cooler climate! Creator: What would you say was your greatest accomplishment in the last three years? David Leestma: To arrive at a new place where I had never been and knew very

me, and together continued making beautiful music for God’s glory without (barely) missing a beat.

“The tour was very well planned and provided a great mix of tourism and missionoriented excursions. The choir was highly impressed – their favorite tour to date.” Dennis Coleman, Director, First Congregational Church of Bellevue

For over fifty years, we have customized tours to fit each group’s unique interests, abilities, and expectations. Many satisfied ensembles return year after year, knowing that we can provide them with a memorable experience every time.

800-627-2141 WST 601 273 533 • CST 2063085-40 Photo courtesy of WomenSing

ACFEA Tour Consultants 123 Second Avenue South, Suite 105 Edmonds, WA 98020 www.acfea.com . email: info@acfea.com

May/June 2011 | creatormagazine.com

Always be seeking God’s will for your life Creator: What has been your greatest struggle or disappointment in the last three years? David Leestma: Our global, national, and local economies continue to affect us all and the church community each of us serves. Shrinking church budgets, which reflect shrinking family budgets, demand church personnel adjustments and fewer financial resources for church music ministries in particular. We’re all struggling with this and we will get through it, but it is tough going. Church and personal fiscal responsibility have become even more important with the financial pressures we face .

Thankfully, with God’s help and that creative ‘can do’ spirit which is inherent in each us as musicians and worship leaders, we continue to make those hard but informed decisions to keep vibrancy and vitality in our music ministries alive and meaningful. Creator: Please tell us the name/ author/publisher of the last book you have read and would recommend to us. David Leestma: The Musicians’s Soul by James Jordan – “A journey examining spirituality for performers, teachers,

composers, conductors and music educators.” Creator: Would you tell us what are the titles, composers or arrangers, and publishers of the three most favorite pieces you have used this year? David Leestma: That’s too tough a question. Here are more than three: both Grace and To Love Our God by Mark Hayes, Psalm 67 by John Ness Beck, Jesus, I Adore Thee by Stephen Caracciolo, Pilgrim’s Hymn by Stephen Paulus, Witness by Jack Halloran, and my own Resurrection Alleluia! which worked well Easter morning.

David Leestma: Healthy relationships are most important – with the Lord, your spouse, friends, family, and colleagues in ministry. Always be seeking God’s good and perfect will for your life.” Creator: David! Thank you for your time. It has been our pleasure to interview you. We applaud your good work, Sir. May the Father continue to bless and encourage and lead you in music ministry. fine

Creator: What was the last concert you attended and who were the performers? David Leestma: The Fort Bend (Texas) Orchestra at Stafford Performing Arts Center, Fort Bend, on July 4, with assistant conductor (and member of our Chancel Choir student scholarship quartet), Dominique Royem, conducting, and featuring soprano, Britany Lovett, a former student scholarship quartet member!

Creator: Might you have a final thought would you like to leave with our readership?

CMY

resources • Cappella Music cappellamusic.com • Grace Presbyterian Houston gpch.org • Mountain Breeze News mountainbreezenews.com • The National Association of Church Musicians nacmhq.org

volume 33 - number 4 | creatormagazine.com

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select twenty TM

codes

what it is Creator’s Select 20 has always featured the best new church choral music –20 anthems that will serve most any ministry. We choose by using criteria which include the full spectrum of musical and worship styles. We draw from all publishers, traditions, and styles, regardless of our personal taste. On the actual review (see below to find the detailed reviews) we include a “worship-style bar-graph” to assist you in applying a S20 title to your ministry. The graph, and the “theme” graphic identifiers on the next page, are not used to “pigeonhole” music, but to help our readers in understanding style.

The left edge of the graph would be complex music which is less predictable, often incorporating mixed or no meter, and less familiar tonalities. Texts here focus on poetry or more abstract word painting. The graph’s center represents present-day anthems written in a traditional, non-pop, non-gospel style, with texts that are commonly scripture based and written in second or third person. The right extreme would be pop, gospel, and rock musical styles, commonly including chord symbols in the accompaniment. Texts will be less poetic, more straightforward, and primarily written in first and second person.

voicing

catalog number

composer

music sources

editor or arranger

lyricist and/or source

accompaniment information

usage

publisher imprint



highly recommended

The following are used at the end of each full review/comment: L

for July/August 2011 Creator has changed the way we list Select 20 titles. We now list important information for each Select 20 title here in the magazine, with complete reviews on our website at creatormagazine. com. In addition, one new S20 review is featured each Thursday at http:// dotdotdotblog.com. Our general rules for inclusion in each issue through the editorial selection process are as follows:

volume 33 - number 4 | creatormagazine.com

• No more than two titles by any composer, arranger, or publisher • Copyright dated this year or last year Scan the QR code to the left of each title to be taken directly to the complete review. The graphic gives an indication of the anthem’s primary use in a worship service.

End D

length using (S)hort, (M)edium, and (L)ong dynamic level of the ending difficulty using (E)asy, (M)edium, and (D)ifficult

Advent

Easter

Palm Sunday

All Saints

General

Pentecost

Baptism

Good Friday Maundy Thursday

Praise

Benediction

Lent

Call to Prayer Prayer Response

Call to Worship

Lord’s Supper

Offering Stewardship

Christmas

Missions

Thanksgiving

My Tribute Medley 

Harvest Grace V: SATB #: BG2558 C: Glenn A. Pickett A: Keyboard; Orchestration U: Adult • Thanksgiving, General P: Fred Bock Music ©: 2011

V: SATB #: 6-34337-180403 E: Craig Adams A: Piano; Rhythm; Trax U: Adult • Thanksgiving, General P: Lifeway ©: 2011

Meditation for Communion

I Love the Lord V: SATB #: 7370 C: David Conte A: Organ U: Adult • General, Concert P: ECS ©: 2010

Sussex Carol  V: SATB #: HMC2261 E: Neil Harmon A: Piano and Oboe (included) U: Adult • Christmas, Concert P: Hinshaw ©: 2011

The Hands That First Held Mary's Child V: SATB #: BP1928 C: Dan Forrest A: Piano and Cello U: Adult • Christmas, Concert P: Beckenhorst ©: 2011

A Midwinter Noel  V: SATB #: 7L0176 E: Jay Rouse A: Piano U: Adult, Youth • Christmas, Concert P: Lindsborg ©: 2011

At Bethlehem  V: SSATB #: 30101341 C: Andrew Wright A: A Cappella U: Adult • Christmas, Concert P: Trinitas ©: 2010

Away in a Manger



V: SATB #: HMC2260 E: Neil Harmon A: Piano and Oboe (included) U: Adult • Christmas, Concert P: Hinshaw ©: 2011

Murmurs in a Stable  V: SATB #: BP1934 C: Craig Courtney A: Piano U: Adult • Christmas, Concert P: Beckenhorst ©: 2011

scan the QR codes to the left of each title with your smartphone for the complete review

V: SATB #: C 5679 C: Jay Althouse A: Piano U: Adult, Youth • Lord’s Supper P: Hope ©: 2011

The First Noel  V: SATB #: A08623 E: Jay Rouse A: Piano; Orchestration; Trax U: Adult, Youth • Christmas, Concert P: Praisegathering ©: 2010

God Will Give the Angels Charge of You V: SATB #: MSM-50-3201 C: Mark Sedio A: A Cappella U: Adult • General, Concert P: MorningStar Music ©: 2011

Nothing Can Separate Us From God’s Love V: SATB #: BG2565 E: Lloyd Larson A: Piano, optional Brass Quintet, Percussion, 3-5 Octave Handbells U: Adult • General P: Fred Bock Music ©: 2011

Vidi aquam  V: SATB #: MSM-50-3071 C: Michael McCarthy A: A Cappella U: Adult • General, Eastertide Concert P: MorningStar Music ©: 2011

My God



V: SATB #: 6-34337-124025 E: Jason Webb A: Piano; Orchestration; Trax U: Adult Ensemble •General, Concert P: Lifeway ©: 2010

We Are Climbing Jacob’s Ladder V: SAB #: 008875 E: Edward Eicker A: Guitar, Keyboard U: Adult, Youth Ensemble • Small Church P: World Library ©: 2011

Shepherd of My Soul V: SATB #: 0 80689 01023 1 C: Lee Dengler A: Piano, U: Adult • General P: Jubilate ©: 2010

Blessed Are You, Lord  V: SAB #: 30104402 C: Jackie Francois A: Guitar, Keyboard U: Adult Ensemble • Lord’s Supper, General P: spiritandsong.com ©: 2010

The Gospel Train V: SATB #: JG2416 E: Jack Halloran A: A Cappella U: Adult • General, Concert P: Gentry ©: 2011

Missa Brevis V: SATB #: 7104 C: David Ashley White A: A Cappella U: Adult • General, Concert P: ECS ©: 2010

July/August 2011 | creatormagazine.com

Worshiping with the Church Fathers Christopher A. Hall IVP Academic ©: 2009

Christmas Glee

Third in a series of explorations “...with the church fathers,” this is a meaty book with lots of source citations. Yet it is a book that contains personal reflections on what the “fathers” have taught us through their writing. Any serious worship leader would do well to have this book in their personal library.

Evelyn Larter Augsburg Fortress ©: 2011 A collection of Five Little Jazz Carols for SATB with optional instrumental parts included.

good stuff

Surrender Bob Burroughs Lorenz (70/1740L) ©: 2011

Bob has done a great job of creating a “buchlein” kind of collection that is filled with little pieces dedicated to members of his family. The music is easily accessible, and the forwards/dedications to each piece add greatly to the value of this book.

Things we think would be helpful resources for church musicians and worship leaders...

Easy Settings Lloyd Larson Hope ©: 2011 Ten arrangements for SAB or Two-Part Mixed Choir.

Hope is Born Emmanuel Randy Vader and Jay Rouse PraiseGathering ©: 2011 The latest Christmas musical from the Vader/Rouse team.

Searching for the King David T Clydesdal Clydesdale & Clydesdale ©: 2011 For this Christmas musical, Clydesdale uses a text by Walter Black.

Sunday Suites Piano Collections Lorenz We played through portions of two of these collections on a recent Sunday, and they are very serviceable short (3-4 titles) collections of seasonal arrangements. We looked at Built on the Rock, Larry Shackley’s Reformation Collection, and Douglas Wagner’s A Song of Thanksgiving set, and they were both easy to pick up and play.

Let’s Sing Southern Gospel Dennis Allen Lifeway ©: 2011 Classic southern gospel favorites for every choir.

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volume 33 - number 4 | creatormagazine.com

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by Thomas Vozella

last page

when you are in town, you are here

To sing, or not to sing, that is the question: Whether ‘tis nobler to attend rehearsal, or sit out a Sunday or two… ”be all my sins remember’d” (William Shakespeare, Hamlet 3/1). Excuse the poetic liberty taken here. However, how does one assist choral singers to make rehearsals and Sunday worship a priority? Let’s see, what are some of the numerous phrases that have been used to this end, such as the verse from Romans, “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:” (King James Bible, Romans 12:4). When one misses a rehearsal or a

they attend? No, that won’t work, as we are living in a “don’t tell me what to do” world. Maybe we threaten them with expulsion. But since choir is a volunteer ministry, you can’t fire volunteers, can you? There are those that supply a list of rules, guidelines, manuals, etc., on being a faithful choir member. Having created a 190+ page music ministry manual myself, although necessary, it is cumbersome. Honestly, does it have to be so complicated? Let’s face it; it is a blessing just to have a church choir in the 21st century.

We are living in a “don’t tell me what to do” world

Thomas Vozella, the Director of Worship Arts at First Presbyterian Church, Rapid City, South Dakota, and on the faculty of Walden University, has been involved in music ministry since he was fifteen.

If you are waiting for the big build up, the moment when the key to successful attendance is revealed, please don’t be disappointed, as it is just this: “When you are in town, you are here.” This is a no guilt, no pain way that has worked to get our volunteers to rehearsals. If someone is going on vacation, there is no need to make them feel bad, as they have attended whenever in town. A singer’s daughter’s graduation from college is on a Cantata weekend, for instance. Although it is not a good time to be away, it is a necessary family event. So, as the slogan goes: “When you are in town, you are here,” and they were. fine

Sunday, they weaken the body. Maybe, even leave the group with a missing limb or two. There seems to be a generous amount of these tidbits of spiritual emphasis placed on attendance. I am sure you have your favorite. Yes, our priority should be to serve God. Yet face it, attending church, never mind rehearsals on a regular basis, is negotiable in light of all the social pressures of society. Granted, this is not the case in all churches, or is it? How do we overcome this seemingly lack of commitment? Do we insist that

volume 33 - number 4 | creatormagazine.com

The question remains, regarding the development of faithful ensemble members, how do we overcome the obstacles that keep that commitment at arms length? With this in mind, and upon reflection and discernment, I decided that there was a need for an overarching goal for music ministry attendance – a slogan, a mantra of sorts – that would put it into perspective. The development of this simple slogan, in our ministry, allowed us to discuss the all-encompassing basic principle of attendance.

In each issue we give one church musician or worship leader a chance to have their say. There are no restrictions on topic here (other than the obvious ones of slander, libel, and silliness). If you’d like to contribute your thoughts email us at creator@creatormagazine.com.

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