Park Gate Baptist

Every day  I read more studies that suggest that belonging to a church is good for more than your spiritual life. That makes me happy because I love the small church that I belong to. Yes the Sunday services are the focal point of our religious week. It’s always good to get a spiritual tune-up and learn the way we should conduct our lives. But I’ve got to admit that I love the coffee hour after church just as much.

I don’t get to see some of the people, except at Sunday services. Our town is very small, but they commute long hours to work, so they aren’t at home very often. The after-church social hour is a chance to find out how their week went. What they are reading or learn about the latest video game. For many of us, it’s also a chance to make our favorite fattening recipes. I love sour cream coffee cake. But I know what would happen to my figure if I made one and then kept it home. So once a month I volunteer to bring something to church on Sunday. Usually 4 or 5 of us do this each week. It’s great to get to have a taste of other coffee klatch goodies!

Many of us prefer that our church be the center of our social lives. So we often will have a potluck dinner on Friday night. Younger parishioners will pick up older church members who prefer not to drive after dark. This is also a subtle way of giving them a ride to the drugstore or the grocery store. We’ll casually ask if they want to stop anywhere. This way they don’t feel like they’re bothering us.

It’s also a way of giving families who might be struggling financially a free meal to help them stretch their food budget. Since everyone is enjoying the meal, they don’t feel singled out. There are many ways to help at a potluck that doesn’t cost money. So everyone can contribute. You can put out the table and chairs, wash the dishes, or serve the food.

It can be tricky getting the food ready though. We are a small church with a very small kitchen. While we can bring some dishes, it’s easier to cook the meat in the building. So a turkey can go in the oven, but then we need to cook a ham shoulder or round roast. We’ve invested in electric skillets and we’ve had counter top convection ovens and pressure cooker pots donated. So on any given night we’ll have a variety of kitchen appliances making food.

This church socializing really picks up my spirit. It also lets the church community check in on older members. We can help stretch the budget of those of us who don’t have enough money. So you can see why belonging to a church is also good for your mind and body. It really can help reduce stress and make your life easier and more enjoyable.

Our generation of iPod-toting, mp3-downloading, and YouTube-sharing tech-savvy millenials have unfettered access to so many different styles and genres of music. Because it is very easy nowadays to get ahold of the music you like, it seems like a substantial percentage of music fans are constantly on the lookout for the next big trend, hence the demand for more new music and artists.

Music-conscious individuals of all ages are also part of the church community, and because people are used to slickly-produced professional performances during the week, the demand for high-quality music within the church rivalling performances outside is very high. Attenders have come to expect the same standard and quality from the church during services, or they just tune out.

Your church’s music team has the very important responsibility of finding music that is appropriate for the theme of the services. Some congregations are fortunate to have the services of music professionals and performers who are able to share their expertise, but many others do not. Interestingly, however, it is not really the style of music that is usually appreciated more by churchgoers, but the excellence and polished quality of the performances.

A well-rehearsed and put-together musical rendition lets people know that the church takes time to prepare every aspect of its weekly offerings. A hastily-prepared and poorly-rendered performance, on the other hand, gives them the sense that dedication and preparation is not really important to the leaders. Churches that take time to really develop a concept, work around a central theme or message, and then put together an entire music service on this foundation tend to attract churchgoers with a high regard for music quality and professionalism, and this could very well pave the way for your music team to add more qualified members to the group.

Simple investments and routines such as music workshops, guest lecturers, instrument lessons like drums, piano, or guitar lessons online can help keep your musicians updated and at par with the contemporary trends and standards. Because music in the church has an importance and implication that goes well beyond just performing, excellence and constant learning are a definite must.

Music has a very important role in the Christian church. So important, in fact, that one of the books of the Bible, the Psalms, is a collection of different songs written by several psalmists. The three major streams of Christianity – Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox – all utilize music in their religious services as part of the worship or liturgy.

Church music sets the mood or tone of the service. A typical Sunday service would have worshipful music with messages or words that fit the theme or the sermon. The same goes for other events officiated by the church, such as weddings, christenings, funerals, or baptism. Whatever the occasion is, music is intrinsic to the background.

Music also prepares the hearts and minds of the worshippers and focuses their emotions and thinking on the spiritual truths to be discussed. Different churches and denominations, for this reason, employ a wide variety of musical styles in their services, depending on the type of audiences they have. Some traditional churches use classical music dating back centuries ago, while other more progressive congregations have opted to use modern-day rock and pop music with religious themes.

Whatever musical style or genre your place of worship decides to use, it is important to find a group of musicians that have a heart for the church, know the purpose of church music, and fit in with the general thrust of the ministry. Excellence and professionalism are a must in church musicians, but they must know that the true purpose of their performances is to create an atmosphere that prepares the people spiritually.

Like any other performers, the church’s music team should also find time to practice together and hone their craft. Learning does not stop for the musician whose goal is quality. Resources such as workshops, seminars, group classes or the best online guitar lessons can be utilized so the music team will continue to grow and improve their skills.