There can be a big difference between learning and singing new songs in a worship environment such as New Wine or Soul Survivor, and bringing a new song to a Church setting such as ours.
Here are some of the considerations:
- Is it suitable – does the music style suit the congregation?
- Key and range – many new songs cover a large range of notes from low to high and sometimes jump an octave mid-song, often with higher notes than you would expect a congregation to comfortably sing or so low that it is difficult to sing.
- Sing-ability – will the congregation be able to pick up the tune?
- Is it appropriate – by that I mean, does it fit the theme for the service and will it enhance our praise and worship?
The worship team get advance notice of new songs via our Facebook page, and then practice (maybe more than once!).
With that in mind, Easter is approaching – a time where we sing traditional Easter hymns through to recently published new songs. Here is your advance notice – a new song from Hillsong Worship What a beautiful Name, a song that journeys from creation to cross and resurrection. Why not search the song on your chosen media and have a listen?
Team news …
The worship team is always changing, with members away at university or other commitments and new members joining. Please remember that the team are all volunteers, and I thank God that He raises up people to join the team. Please pray for the team and those who lead the music at other services. We pray, God acts … please pray that God will raise up musicians, an area of the team where we are currently short.
Rising up …
Keep an eye on the front of church over the coming weeks. Plans are being discussed to extend the portable staging in order to raise the worship team to help us lead more effectively as well as tidying up the front of church. The new arrangement will make it easier to unplug our equipment when required to allow the staging to be used by others for concerts or other events, something that can be difficult with our current set-up.
Andrew Lawford
