Chairpersons :
You are the people who will stand in front of everyone and lead the worship meeting. Therefore,
- Appearance is important. It also depends on the meeting. If it's worship meeting, Long pants(not jeans), long sleeve shirts and tie for guys. (brethren, okay. No gals chair. lol) If it's a youth meeting, look presentable. No shorts, singlet, slipper and all, kay. You get my point.
- Prepare before the meeting. Well before the meeting. The 'before' does not mean 10 minutes before the meeting, where you start flipping through the songbook/typing frantically on the lappy. Take the theme/topic of the meeting into consideration, spend time in prayer that God will guide you and proceed to choose the songs and verses that you'll be sharing.
- Let the musicians have the list of songs before the meeting. The 'before' also means at least 2 days before the meeting. Not when the musician is about to sit down with guitar/on the way to the piano.
- Sing into the microphone. Not beside, above, away from the microphone. It is there for a reason, as are you. If, for instance, the congregation is not so adept at catching the starting note, they'll wait for you. Yes, you, the chairperson. This is especially important when teaching a new song. The congregation need to catch the tune, and can't do that very well from just the musicians.
- It's especially important to start well. Fumbling, messiness spoils the whole mood, and it's hard to get back on track.
- Warn the musicians and practice well with them before teaching a new song. Otherwise the tune will get 'corrupted' and this is how hymns 'evolve'. ahaha
- Have a back-up song, in case for whatever reason the song you chose doesn't work out.
- Please give hand signals about a phrase or two before the end of a stanza or something so the musicians can prepare for the transition, whether it is to stop, go back to the chorus, repeat the last line or what. Refer below for hand signals.
Musicians :
- Appearance, as mentioned before, is important especially when playing for worship meetings. Even if sitting behind the piano. Because you have to emerge from back there sometime, and everybody is going to see you.
- Practice before the meeting. Preferably half-an-hour to an hour, depending on the number of songs. Practice starting(intro), flow of songs, ending, etc. Musicians do not usually play alone, so coordinate with the other musicians.
- Frequently look at the chairperson to see the hand signals. Nod slightly as an acknowledgment that you saw it.
- Remember that what you are doing, you are doing for God.
- Prepare the songbooks/chords or whatever you are using. Don't depend on the chairperson, this is your job. Have a backup just in case so that things do not get screwed up just as the meeting is going to start.
Hand signals :
- Stop - Clench your fist, fingers facing downwards
- Proceed to the chorus - Make a letter 'C' with your entire hand
- Repeat the last line(at the end of a song) - Close your fist and extend our last finger
- Go to the bridge - Put your four fingers together, tuck your thumb under them facing downwards
- Repeat from the top - Put out your index finger and twirl it in small circles, like the way people do to signal that somebody is crazy. Don't twirl your finger beside your ears, just do it where the musicians can see it.
- Go to the first stanza - Put out your index finger. Hand is upright.
- Go to second stanza - Put out your index and second finger.
Above all, remember who you're doing it for. =)
- Alexis -
