After sitting through a painful P&W portion of a service, here are some things that I learned... (Sometimes the best lessons come from a failed experience.)
Know when to cut it off - I think most people know when a song is not going well. After about 2 minutes, if it doesn't get better, end it.
Blending is essential - Blending is something I learned a lot about from singing in my college's concert choir. It should sound as if there is one soprano, one alto and one tenor, all singing together. Not 30 different voices. The voices should match in volume, pitch and even enunciation (e.g, the word is pronounced "sord," the "w" is silent.) In a choir, if you have 2 sopranos and 7 altos and 2 tenors, the altos should not be the loudest or only part one hears. The altos should bring down their volume so that it matches the level of all three parts. This is why we have a choir director. Now, P&W is slightly different b/c there's not typically a director. The singers have to self-moderate. Each singer must be able to do this on their own innately.
Be direct - Asking for volunteers can often backfire, especially with singing. There are people who like to sing, but don't do it well. P&W might not be the right setting for those. Since there are typically fewer people on P&W, you need those people to actually sound good. We're not a big church so having a true audition might be overkill. But if you're going to be singing in front of large groups, an audition might help you have an understanding of someone's abilities. In my opinion, if you know of people who can sing, but are simply not on the praise team, go on an ask if they'd join. They just might say yes. And of course, it helps to have true "worshipers" on a worship team. Equally important.
Sunday's Playlist
He's Able
I Worship You Almighty God
You Are Holy (oh so holy)
Open the Eyes of my Heart
P.S. The skill of clear and expressive speech, especially of distinct pronunciation and articulation is called elocution. This is what we should strive for as singers. Don't you just hate it when you've found out you've gotten the lyrics wrong?! Here's my all time favorite incorrect lyric from yours truly: The words are "if you want to taste my kisses in the night, jump for my love." Here's what I was singing: "if you want to take my temperature tonight, jump for my love." I know it doesn't make sense, but that's what it sounded like to me. :)
Monday, May 19, 2014
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
P&W Mathematics
We were one woman down for P&W this Mother's Day. One doesn't sound like many, but we are a 4 people deep so that's 25% us. However, my aunt decided to sing with us. She knew 3 of the 4 songs so that puts us at about 75%. Additionally, my dad had to tend to some building issues and missed 2 of the songs. So that drops us to 50%. We were at 50% on one of the most populated Sundays of the year. However, I think we only had 1 visitor who had been there before, so all in all, it wasn't disastrous.
There's always next Sunday!
Sunday's Playlist
You are Good
More than Anything
Because of Who You Are
Days of Elijah
P.S. Drunk non-member's nephew from last week's post made it to church just like he promised. (Although not at 11:00 a.m., but hey, he's a man of his word.)
There's always next Sunday!
Sunday's Playlist
You are Good
More than Anything
Because of Who You Are
Days of Elijah
P.S. Drunk non-member's nephew from last week's post made it to church just like he promised. (Although not at 11:00 a.m., but hey, he's a man of his word.)
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Church starts at 11!
Sunday, P&W rehearsal was really... interesting, hilarious, sad, a hot ghetto mess! While rehearsing the same 2 songs we went over last week, one of our repeat but non-members came into church drunk.
Now the old church we came out of used to have drunk people stumble into the sanctuary somewhat regularly Friday nights. (But on a Sunday?! Ok, I get it. Times are hard.) Those inebriated people were the highlight of my pre-adolescent church life. My older brother and I both remember the man who came all the way to the front of the church via the center aisle to strike the high cymbal while nothing musical was going on. I guess that's just what drunk folks do: make a scene.
To make matters worse, said individual took over one our mics and joined in with us. I guess even he knew "Every praise is to our God." He wasn't threatening anyone and we all know him so my dad (the head deacon) did not escort him out.
While I'm all for drunk folks coming into church, I am not for them messing up my rehearsal! In the words of my outspoken sister, "church starts at 11." We'll take all drunkards, crackheads, and other wildly types at that time.
Now the old church we came out of used to have drunk people stumble into the sanctuary somewhat regularly Friday nights. (But on a Sunday?! Ok, I get it. Times are hard.) Those inebriated people were the highlight of my pre-adolescent church life. My older brother and I both remember the man who came all the way to the front of the church via the center aisle to strike the high cymbal while nothing musical was going on. I guess that's just what drunk folks do: make a scene.
To make matters worse, said individual took over one our mics and joined in with us. I guess even he knew "Every praise is to our God." He wasn't threatening anyone and we all know him so my dad (the head deacon) did not escort him out.
While I'm all for drunk folks coming into church, I am not for them messing up my rehearsal! In the words of my outspoken sister, "church starts at 11." We'll take all drunkards, crackheads, and other wildly types at that time.
You on point Tip? All the time Phife.
The #ileadescape was on point tonight! (as usual)
Tonight's guest was Tye Tribbett. While I'm personally on the fence about whether I like him as an artist or not (I'm leaning toward "kind of') he definitely had a good word for the frontliners. He came from II Kings 5:1. While I was not familiar with this story, I'm def putting it on my to-read list. What I know is that I could relate to what Tye was saying.
Often, people have no idea what what you deal with personally. Due to the type of person that I am (discreet) and due to the relationship I have with our congregation (peripheral) I try to keep my issues MY ISSUES. What I will say is that people come to me with all kinds of worries and problems. My prayer list stays long. On top of that, I have my own worries and problems. What Tye said is that, like Naaman, God knows what's going on with me, as do a few key people. However, it's the responsibility of a P&W leader to lead the people into P&W. Everybody doesn't need to see every layer of you. When people see all of the intricate layers, they have to pull those layers back to move into worship. (insert Wowwww face here) It's so true. Would people be able to go into worship if they knew everything I struggle with? Not to be mistaken for being fake, but people are funny acting and are not definitely not as accepting when they know certain things.
The last point that I know I need to apply came at the end of the call when they did a few Q&As. Tasha Cobb explained that preparation is 90% of the battle. And Tye explained to us how hard he works his choir members. I remember those days when I used to sing with a popular choir back right before their peak. We rehearsed weekly and we rehearsed hard. We knew those songs backward and forward, sideways and everything in between. We could sing in a box and we could sing with a fox. We could sing in the rain and we could sing it on a train... That's totally not how I've been operating. Note to self: rehearse harder and more frequently. Got it.
Ok y'all, that's it for the night. So glad I actually remembered to dial in. I put a reminder in my phone. (Something else Tasha spoke about tonight: use the tools and gadgets God has given us to help us add more balance into our lives.) Preach, preacher!
Tonight's guest was Tye Tribbett. While I'm personally on the fence about whether I like him as an artist or not (I'm leaning toward "kind of') he definitely had a good word for the frontliners. He came from II Kings 5:1. While I was not familiar with this story, I'm def putting it on my to-read list. What I know is that I could relate to what Tye was saying.
Often, people have no idea what what you deal with personally. Due to the type of person that I am (discreet) and due to the relationship I have with our congregation (peripheral) I try to keep my issues MY ISSUES. What I will say is that people come to me with all kinds of worries and problems. My prayer list stays long. On top of that, I have my own worries and problems. What Tye said is that, like Naaman, God knows what's going on with me, as do a few key people. However, it's the responsibility of a P&W leader to lead the people into P&W. Everybody doesn't need to see every layer of you. When people see all of the intricate layers, they have to pull those layers back to move into worship. (insert Wowwww face here) It's so true. Would people be able to go into worship if they knew everything I struggle with? Not to be mistaken for being fake, but people are funny acting and are not definitely not as accepting when they know certain things.
The last point that I know I need to apply came at the end of the call when they did a few Q&As. Tasha Cobb explained that preparation is 90% of the battle. And Tye explained to us how hard he works his choir members. I remember those days when I used to sing with a popular choir back right before their peak. We rehearsed weekly and we rehearsed hard. We knew those songs backward and forward, sideways and everything in between. We could sing in a box and we could sing with a fox. We could sing in the rain and we could sing it on a train... That's totally not how I've been operating. Note to self: rehearse harder and more frequently. Got it.
Ok y'all, that's it for the night. So glad I actually remembered to dial in. I put a reminder in my phone. (Something else Tasha spoke about tonight: use the tools and gadgets God has given us to help us add more balance into our lives.) Preach, preacher!
Monday, May 5, 2014
Rooted and Grounded
As a P&W leader, I think it's paramount that you stay grounded in your relationship in God. Here's how I achieve that.
Prayer - I jokingly tell my friends that I can get a prayer through, but it's not a joke. I pray first thing every morning when I enter the bathroom. I used to try to pray at night, but I realize I was going to bed so late that I'd fall asleep before I could get through my prayer, which is sad b/c I don't pray long. Changing to morning prayers works for me. Then throughout the day I continue to pray. I attempt to pray before starting my work, when I talk to my friends and they have issues, etc. Always short prayers, but the Bible says to pray without ceasing, not pray for a long time. I also tune in to the Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church of Chicago prayer line. (209.647.1699 PIN: 781740#) They record the call so you can dial in at any time to listen to a good word and prayer. I frequently attend Angela Martin's Onderful Prayer. This prayer time is especially for women and never disappoints. I leave feeling refreshed every time. As you can see, I have various streams that help me to stay prayerful.
Read - Reading the Bible can seem daunting. What to read? Where to begin? The real problem with me is having the discipline to read period. I have gone to being one who would hardly crack open my Bible during the week to reading at least 4 times week. A HUGE improvement. How did I accomplish this? The Bible app. I read the verse of the day. I signed up for a Bible plan where I read a scripture and passage followed by a prayer starter... Now to handle the question of what to read, I began reading books of the Bible for which I have little knowledge. This helped me to come up with my own interpretation of what is important and what God is trying to say to me/us today through this book of the Bible. I'm currently reading the book of Numbers. I don't read for long periods of time. Frequency is more important to me than duration.(That's my personal belief, but I encourage you to do what works for you.)
Accepting that I'm different. - This is something I struggle with, but am getting better. I used to think I could hang out on Saturday nights and roll into church Sunday morning and do a good job as a P&W leader. I know better now! I need to get to bed at a decent hour Saturday night so that I'm not dragging Sunday morning. I need to stay focused and not be distracted by whatever it is that I could get into Saturday night. Not to say that I don't occasionally go out Saturday nights, but I really watch it. I'm also learning to be comfortable with who I am. I'm not a big ad-libber. My best qualities are that I'm good holding my part, harmonizing w/out being taught parts, and am genuinely excited about the P&W part of service. I love singing back-up! That's just me. Sometimes its difficult to accept your talents and not be envious of others. Thinking "if I could write like so and so or sing like so and so" won't get you anywhere. God has given each of us unique talents and traits. You should always try to learn and improve, but in the end, we have to be happy and content with what we've been given and who we are.
Having the right people in your life is a great way to learn and grow in the Lord. My mother-in-law is that person for me. She knows so many scriptures that I've never heard. She has good insight into practical ways the scriptures apply to our every-day lives. She sends me emails of interesting scriptures and YouTube clips of worship songs. A good mentor can help you grow without feeling like it's hard work. I have sisters in Christ at work that are fabulous prayer partners and encouragers. We share good sermons, books, and study aids with each other.
I don't know if I've ever mentioned this, but my mother is the pastor of our church. I'm also one of the children's church teachers which means that I don't get to hear the Word the Sundays I'm with the kids. While I love and respect my mom's ministry, sometimes I need to hear the word from someone else. That someone else for me is Pastor John Hannah of New Life Covenant Church. He comes on at 2 pm CT on 1390 am in Chicago. He's a beast in Christ! You can literally feel the anointing through the radio waves at times! I think most of his congregation is around my age so I find that his messages are tailored to non-seniors who live an urban lifestyle. He seems in touch with the times, but doesn't compromise God's standards. He challenges me to do it God's way. We all could use that type of advise! Sometimes hearing it from someone else helps. (No disrespect, mom. :)
The last blessing that has been a tremendous support to me as a P&W leader is the #ileadescape by Tasha Cobb. While I have only been the call 2 times, these were the best 2 hours of my P&W life. She has different people share whatever God puts on their hearts for what she calls "front liners." (P&W leaders and teams, praise dancers, etc.) She's having a face-to-face meeting this summer. Check out the monthly call. You will not be disappointed.
So there you have it; all of the things I do to stay connected to God. I encourage everyone to figure how you can do the same.
Blessings!
P.S. Longest post ever!
Prayer - I jokingly tell my friends that I can get a prayer through, but it's not a joke. I pray first thing every morning when I enter the bathroom. I used to try to pray at night, but I realize I was going to bed so late that I'd fall asleep before I could get through my prayer, which is sad b/c I don't pray long. Changing to morning prayers works for me. Then throughout the day I continue to pray. I attempt to pray before starting my work, when I talk to my friends and they have issues, etc. Always short prayers, but the Bible says to pray without ceasing, not pray for a long time. I also tune in to the Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church of Chicago prayer line. (209.647.1699 PIN: 781740#) They record the call so you can dial in at any time to listen to a good word and prayer. I frequently attend Angela Martin's Onderful Prayer. This prayer time is especially for women and never disappoints. I leave feeling refreshed every time. As you can see, I have various streams that help me to stay prayerful.
Read - Reading the Bible can seem daunting. What to read? Where to begin? The real problem with me is having the discipline to read period. I have gone to being one who would hardly crack open my Bible during the week to reading at least 4 times week. A HUGE improvement. How did I accomplish this? The Bible app. I read the verse of the day. I signed up for a Bible plan where I read a scripture and passage followed by a prayer starter... Now to handle the question of what to read, I began reading books of the Bible for which I have little knowledge. This helped me to come up with my own interpretation of what is important and what God is trying to say to me/us today through this book of the Bible. I'm currently reading the book of Numbers. I don't read for long periods of time. Frequency is more important to me than duration.(That's my personal belief, but I encourage you to do what works for you.)
Accepting that I'm different. - This is something I struggle with, but am getting better. I used to think I could hang out on Saturday nights and roll into church Sunday morning and do a good job as a P&W leader. I know better now! I need to get to bed at a decent hour Saturday night so that I'm not dragging Sunday morning. I need to stay focused and not be distracted by whatever it is that I could get into Saturday night. Not to say that I don't occasionally go out Saturday nights, but I really watch it. I'm also learning to be comfortable with who I am. I'm not a big ad-libber. My best qualities are that I'm good holding my part, harmonizing w/out being taught parts, and am genuinely excited about the P&W part of service. I love singing back-up! That's just me. Sometimes its difficult to accept your talents and not be envious of others. Thinking "if I could write like so and so or sing like so and so" won't get you anywhere. God has given each of us unique talents and traits. You should always try to learn and improve, but in the end, we have to be happy and content with what we've been given and who we are.
Having the right people in your life is a great way to learn and grow in the Lord. My mother-in-law is that person for me. She knows so many scriptures that I've never heard. She has good insight into practical ways the scriptures apply to our every-day lives. She sends me emails of interesting scriptures and YouTube clips of worship songs. A good mentor can help you grow without feeling like it's hard work. I have sisters in Christ at work that are fabulous prayer partners and encouragers. We share good sermons, books, and study aids with each other.
I don't know if I've ever mentioned this, but my mother is the pastor of our church. I'm also one of the children's church teachers which means that I don't get to hear the Word the Sundays I'm with the kids. While I love and respect my mom's ministry, sometimes I need to hear the word from someone else. That someone else for me is Pastor John Hannah of New Life Covenant Church. He comes on at 2 pm CT on 1390 am in Chicago. He's a beast in Christ! You can literally feel the anointing through the radio waves at times! I think most of his congregation is around my age so I find that his messages are tailored to non-seniors who live an urban lifestyle. He seems in touch with the times, but doesn't compromise God's standards. He challenges me to do it God's way. We all could use that type of advise! Sometimes hearing it from someone else helps. (No disrespect, mom. :)
The last blessing that has been a tremendous support to me as a P&W leader is the #ileadescape by Tasha Cobb. While I have only been the call 2 times, these were the best 2 hours of my P&W life. She has different people share whatever God puts on their hearts for what she calls "front liners." (P&W leaders and teams, praise dancers, etc.) She's having a face-to-face meeting this summer. Check out the monthly call. You will not be disappointed.
So there you have it; all of the things I do to stay connected to God. I encourage everyone to figure how you can do the same.
Blessings!
P.S. Longest post ever!
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