Music Ministry - The Choir is a Personal Experience

By Tom Brantigan

As the choir members have thought about why they sing, I thought it might be nice to share a few thoughts of why I am part of the Chancel Choir myself. At one point in my life (many years ago), I conducted choirs professionally - as many as 8 choirs of various types that rehearsed every week. At that time, I directed choirs to support my family. That was a long time ago and, as I think back on it, it was not the happiest time of my life even though there was a lot of music in it. It was all about rehearsal technique, concert planning, service planning, and even fund raising. Eventually, I quit doing it entirely and started working with computers and business.

With the advent of an invitation to play the organ temporarily at Central, eight years plus ago, my view of church choirs has changed a lot. I conduct the Chancel Choir not to support my family but to support my soul. The Chancel Choir has become a true blessing to me.

Being part of a church choir is different from anything else in life. There is an amazing dynamic at work as this group of people comes together to worship God and to do something that none can do by themselves, but as a group can accomplish with pride and professionalism. There are many times that the group is one, where we all realize that everyone is listening across the choir, focusing on making beautiful sounds, beautiful harmony, words that are pronounced and articulated exactly together, phrases that grow and subside, all to communicate a message that we all firmly believe in. I've never experienced anything like this outside of the Chancel Choir. There is a unity of purpose, a unity of thought, a unity in praising God in a "single voice" made up of many people. It is a very personal experience. It is magic. What other experience in this life pulls so many people together to mold their individuality into a single focused unit simultaneously doing something good for the world?

Does it touch the soul? It certainly touches mine. There are times that I would like to express something to the choir about what we just did, but I can't because the emotion is just too strong. There are times, especially during the Christmas Concerts, that I just have to pull back because the experience and sound has touched a nerve so profoundly. The combination of music, the message, and the faith that pulls it together far surpasses any of those things individually.

I have conducted professional choruses and professional orchestras and enjoyed the beauty and precision of the music these highly trained musicians perform - but it just isn't the same. At Central, the focus is on worship and leadership and the means to that end is to rehearse and sing with the zeal that can only come from faith.

So... we want to share the Spirit. If you are a couple that want to doing something wonderful together or a single or a single half of a couple where the other half can't carry a tune in a bucket, come to the choir rehearsal on Thursday night at 7:30 pm and see what it's like. You will be welcomed and you will see what I mean. I originally told Carol Corey that I wasn't interested in getting back to music in the church. I was too busy. I was wrong. Just take that first step! Be warned, though. It may change your status quo.