Transcription
FBA Worship Choir Handbook 1
TABLE OF CONTENTSPastor Rodney Brooks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Hand Signals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Dr. Charles Stanley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Attendance Standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Check-InPerfect AttendanceAbsencesReturning MembersDr. Anthony George. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6The Definition of Choir. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Visiting Choir. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8AttendanceWhat to ExpectRelationships Matter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9MentorCare Group LeaderSchedule. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10SundayWednesdaySpecial RehearsalsMinistry to Minors (Childcare)Sunday Etiquette. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Robe RoomsChoir RoomChoir LoftAttire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Sunday ServicesWednesday RehearsalsSpecial EventsRobesPlatform Worship TeamCommunication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19EmailTextingScreensConnectVolunteering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Music FolderPlanning CenterRehearsal CDsFBA Worship Choir Handbook 3
Pastor Rodney BrooksMinister of MusicWelcome! I pray that you will find this wonderful choir to be a place of greatencouragement, support, strength, refreshment, musical challenge and fulfillment.But most of all, I pray that you will find yourself in an atmosphere of worship andreverence to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!We have the awesome and cherished privilege of leading literally thousands to thethrone of God every week through television and in our live worship services. Thisis a responsibility we take joyfully and seriously. Our entire purpose is to preparethe hearts of those before us for the Word of God. It is also our desire to prepare theheart of the pastor as he brings the Word to the people.I encourage you to remain faithful in your spiritual walk with the Lord and practicea daily time of worship, devotion and prayer, as many times the enemy will try todisrupt, discourage, distract and destroy your effectiveness in your new ministry.When these times come, always remember Joshua 1:9!Please know that you are special to the family of God and our family of singers. Ifthere is ever anything we can do to help you, I trust that you will feel the freedom tolet us know. We genuinely care about you!May God bless you and your family in a way that only He can as you serve Himthrough the ministry of our Worship Choir!Blessings!Pastor Rodney BrooksFBA Worship Choir Handbook 4
Dr. Charles StanleySenior PastorA Quote from Dr. Charles StanleyWorship Service Sunday, August 4, 2019“Well, I’m going to tell you what I feel. I feel like I need about sixty seconds to thankGod for all this music.Father, when we think about all the people in the Choir and the Orchestra, Rodneyand the pianist, everybody Lord, we just want to say thank you this morning thatwe have the privilege of hearing this week after week, after week. For all these choirmembers who give of their time, they’re not paid; they do it because they love You.And pray today in Jesus name that the Holy Spirit would speak to each one of themto realize that all of us appreciate them, love them, adore them, thank You for them.And recognize that our Sundays, our worship is so much better, so much moreglorious and fantastic and indescribable because all of them are doing what theydo before Sunday ever gets here. And then to give their time and their talents, andtheir skills and abilities and their hearts to You and all of us get blessed, and blessed,and blessed and walk away every Sunday praising You because You have been sobeautifully lifted up by this Choir and Orchestra and all those involved. Thank you,thank you, thank you Jesus is my prayer. Amen.”FBA Worship Choir Handbook 5
Dr. Anthony GeorgeSenior Associate PastorA staple of the First Baptist Atlanta worship experience is the joyful sight andheavenly sound of the FBA Worship Choir. We not only listen as the choir sings, butwe follow as the choir leads us—right into God’s presence. Thank you for servingGod with your heart and your voice in this choir. Because of your faithfulness weekafter week, our pastor and our people are blessed, and our choir continues to be oneof FBA’s greatest treasures.FBA Worship Choir Handbook 6
Temple Mount Jerusalem, IsraelChoirnoun\ ˈkwī(-ə)r \Definition of ChoirA musical ensemble of singers; a group who sacrifices self and standing out to cometogether to blend in one voice and one accord; an organized company of singerswho take part in church services or performs regularly in public; an organized groupof persons or things; a division of angels; the part of a church occupied by thesingers; the part of a church where the services are performed; a group where noone is above another.“He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in Him.”Psalm 40:3THE ATLANTA WORSHIP CHOIRSONG SERVICE SPIRITStriving for Excellence Through the Strength of Jesus Christ, Our Lord.Perform a wide variety of musicTravel and perform for concert and mission tours each yearPerform in special seasonal events(Easter Independence Day Christmas)Community service projectsDevelop life-long friendships through singing and servingFBA Worship Choir Handbook 7
Visiting ChoirThere is a first time for everyone in the choir. Before becoming a member, eachindividual was first a visitor. Choir visitors are our most honored and cherishedguests and we strive to make every visitor’s experience the finest.ATTENDANCEVisitors must attend four consecutive rehearsals from 7-9 p.m. to be eligible foraudition at the end of the fourth rehearsal.WHAT TO EXPECTWEEK 1 – First-time visitors check in with our First Impressions team, receivemusic, attend rehearsal, are introduced to the choir and meet personally withPastor Brooks.WEEKS 2 & 3 – Returning visitors check in with our First Impressions team, receivemusic, attend rehearsal and are introduced to the choir.WEEK 4 – Returning visitors check in with our First Impressions team, receive music,attend rehearsal, audition for Pastor Brooks, have a photo and measurementstaken, meet their assigned mentor, receive a welcome letter and begin the 10week onboarding process.FBA Worship Choir Handbook 8
Relationships Matter“Do not merely look out for your own personal interests,but also for the interest of others.”Philippians 2:4Being a part of the Atlanta Worship Choir affords choir members many friendships.Two of the most important relationships for a choir member are their Mentor andCare Group Leader.MENTORMentors manage new choir member orientation after a choir visitor passes theiraudition. Mentors make the transition into choir easy by making sure the newmember receives a warm welcome and experiences a smooth and successfulonboarding process. A Mentor will be a new member’s closest friend in choir whowill provide a 10-week detailed orientation of how choir works.CARE GROUP LEADERTo account for each of our members and minister to the various needs of our choir,we have implemented a Care Group Leader plan. This plan enables us to care for ourmembers individually and collectively through contact, prayer and encouragement.Our choir is subdivided into groups by voice parts, and a Care Group Leader managesa small group of members including themselves. It is the responsibility of both theCare Group Leader and member to stay in touch with each other in the event of anabsence from service or rehearsal as well as sickness, bereavement or other needs.It’s a two-way street! If a choir member is unable to attend a rehearsal or service, theyneed to contact their Care Group Leader as soon as possible. The Care Group Leaderis responsible for the choir member’s attendance and will need information aboutthe member’s absence to maintain accurate attendance records. This allows PastorBrooks to stay informed about each choir member.FBA Worship Choir Handbook 9
First Family Christmas ProductionSchedule“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always aboundingin the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”I Corinthians 15:58All rehearsals are held in the Choir Room, room 1560.SUNDAYIt is optional to sing one or both services, but all members are encouraged tosing both services so we may offer our very best efforts collectively. After a choirmember checks in at the kiosk, they will get their robe from the robe room. Personalpossessions can be left in the robe room, as the room will be locked. The choir thenwalks in formation from the choir room to the choir loft.SUNDAY SCHEDULEFIRST SERVICESECOND SERVICEROBE UP8:20 a.m.10:20 a.m.WARM UP8:30 a.m.10:30 a.m.LINE UP8:55 a.m.10:40 a.m.START UP9:00 a.m.10:45 a.m.WEDNESDAYChoir rehearsal begins promptly at 7 p.m. and ends at 9 p.m. Choir members areexpected to attend and rehearse the full two-hour period.SPECIAL REHEARSALSFrom time to time, special rehearsals are announced by Pastor Brooks on an asneeded basis. These are required rehearsals for participation in special programsand events.FBA Worship Choir Handbook 10
First Family Christmas ProductionMINISTRY TO MINORS (CHILDCARE)Sunday and Wednesday night programming are available for minors duringthe Worship Service and Sunday School hours: Preschool (Children 6 weeks–Pre-K) Children (Kindergarten–5th Grade) Middle School (6th Grade–8th Grade) High School ( 9th–12th Grade)Event Care is available on Wednesday night during choir and orchestra rehearsalsfor Preschool through Middle School (children 6 weeks – 8th Grade).Service HourAgesLocationCheck-InPick-UpWorship Service &Sunday School Preschool (6 weeks–Pre-K) Children (K–5th Grade) Middle School (6th– 8th Grade) High School (9th–12th Grade)Located inDepartmentalMinistry Areas8:30 a.m.NoonWednesday Night Preschool (6 weeks–Pre-K) Children (K–5th Grade) Middle School (6th–8th Grade) High School (9th–12th Grade)Located inDepartmentalMinistry Areas6:15 p.m.7:45 p.m.Wednesday EventCare for Choir andOrchestra Rehearsal Preschool (6 weeks–Pre-K) Children (K–5th Grade) Middle School (6th– 8th Grade)Located inPreschool7:45 p.m.9:05 p.m.FBA Worship Choir Handbook 11
Sunday EtiquetteROBE ROOMS IN/OUT - Please move in and out of the robe room as quickly as possible. Whilefellowship is such an important part of our choir, it creates a bottle neck in therobe room when we stop to talk with one another. Instead of thinking of therobe room as a sit-down restaurant where you take time to talk and mingle,think of the robe room as a drive-thru restaurant with fast service and minimalwait time in line. Members may place their personal belongings on the shelvesprovided, grab their robe and head to their seat for warm-up. THE FINISHING TOUCH - Should members need a little extra time putting onthe finishing touches, please exit the robe room and use the mirrors outsidethe robe room or go to the nearest restroom. We always need to have thefewest people in the robe room so we can move quickly. LADIES – RIGHT/LEFT – The right door is the ONLY door to enter and the leftdoor is the ONLY door to exit.FBA Worship Choir Handbook 12
CHOIR ROOM As the choir room is a place of worship, members should conduct themselveswith an attitude of reverence and holiness. When members arrive for choir, please check in at the kiosk on the way to therobe room. Members should only check in if they plan to sing. Warm-up is at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Members are to be on time, in their seat,robed and ready. Robe rooms are locked one minute before warm-up begins. Avoid walking in the front of the choir room or taking short-cuts through thechoir room at all times as this causes a disruption to the rehearsal and to thoseworshipping and listening to the service.CHOIR LOFT When entering the choir loft, members DO NOT take any items with them (i.e.water, gum, candy, cough drops, music, Kleenex, cell phones, bulletin, bags,etc.). DO NOT wear earrings. DO NOT wear slippers, flip flops or brightly colored shoes that have thepotential to be caught on camera or cause distraction. While in the choir loft, refrain from talking, laughing and/or waving. Services are recorded for telecast. Be sure to smile, always watch Pastor Brooks,know the music and do not look at the I-mag screens during featured choirspecials. When exiting the choir loft, turn toward the cross at center stage, turn aroundand exit by rows orderly and quietly. Members are not to remove their robeswhile leaving the choir loft. All robes are to be returned to the robe room. After exiting the choir loft and walking back to the robe room, please showconsideration and refrain from talking in the choir loft, hallways and choirroom. Our Pastor will have begun his message and classes on the path to thechoir room are in session.FBA Worship Choir Handbook 13
Hiking in Gatlinburg, TNMusicSince we are a memorized choir, choir members have multiple ways to access musicto rehearse outside of Wednesday choir rehearsals.MUSIC FOLDEREvery choir member is assigned a music folder and number. Choir members maytake home their music folder as long as it is returned the following rehearsal. OurMusic Librarian updates all music folders each week with new music and removesmusic no longer on the schedule. It is important for choir members to check theirmusic folder each week for new music.PLANNING CENTERChoir members are encouraged to access their music electronically from their smarttablet rather than using paper. In Planning Center, music is provided in a PDF formatwith an MP3 of the song.REHEARSAL CDSEach quarter, choir members have an opportunity to purchase upcoming music ona rehearsal CD for a nominal amount. This is a great idea to play in the car or at home.All music is accessible and free of charge to choir members using Planning Center.FBA Worship Choir Handbook 14
Hand SignalsFBA Worship Choir Handbook 15
Garden Tomb Jerusalem, IsraelAttendance Standard“Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.”I Corinthians 4:2Attendance matters. For our choir to deliver the best possible offering to the Lordin song, we must practice diligence in our attendance at rehearsals and services.It is a requirement that choir members maintain a minimum attendance of 70percent in a given 10-week period. This means choir members must maintain 7 outof 10 Wednesday evening rehearsals and 7 out of 10 Sunday Worship Services tomaintain membership in choir. At the end of each 10-week period, choir membersreceive their attendance for the period.CHECK-INBecause we maintain attendance records and send attendance letters to choirmembers at the end of every 10-week period, choir members need to check ineach Sunday and Wednesday upon arrival to choir. Members simply stop at thekiosk to input their phone number, click the event and enter.PERFECT ATTENDANCEMembers who achieve perfect attendance on Sundays and Wednesdaysat the completion of a 10-week period are recognized by Pastor Brooksduring the following Wednesday rehearsal. These members receive variousforms of appreciation such as gift cards, rehearsal CDs, free bottled waterduring rehearsals, meals at events, discounts on trips and outfits, free eventtransportation, upgraded rooms on trips, etc. for the sacrifices they made toachieve perfect attendance.FBA Worship Choir Handbook 16
Southern Steps Jerusalem, IsraelABSENCESThere are four types of absences for choir members. Excused, non-excused, leaveof absence and absent without leave. Choir members who are absent from aWednesday rehearsal or Sunday Worship Service need to let their Care GroupLeader know about their absence so a Care Case can be entered to explain theabsence. Choir members should block out dates in Planning Center when they areunavailable to sing or rehearse.Excused: These types of absences include work or mission trips. These absences arenot counted against attendance during a 10-week period.Non-Excused: These types of absences are non-work related and count againstattendance during a 10-week period.Leave of Absence: Leaves are not automatically granted as there are specificguidelines to qualify for this type of absence. A choir member must be in choir fora minimum of one year without attendance issues. This leave is for a minimum offour weeks and a maximum of eight weeks. This leave is granted for three reasons:health, school or work. During this leave, a choir member’s robe and music folderremain assigned to them and no audition is required upon returning to choir at theend of the leave of absence.Absent Without Leave: If a choir member is absent four consecutive weekswithout leave, explanation or failure to communicate, their membership will bechanged to inactive and removed from the active choir membership roster. Aletter to this effect will be sent to the member from the Choir President.RETURNING MEMBERSIf a choir member must take an extended leave from choir, we welcome that choirmember to return when they can meet the attendance standards. If a returningmember has been gone from choir less than one year, they must complete twoconsecutive visits to choir before being reinstated to choir. If a returning memberhas been gone from choir more than one year, they must complete four consecutivevisits to choir and audition again before being reinstated to choir.FBA Worship Choir Handbook 17
Attire“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works,and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”Matthew 5:16One of the ways we bring honor and glory to God is by our modest dress andappearance.SUNDAY SERVICESChoir Loft – The choir wears robes unless otherwise instructed. Members cannotwear earrings, hair ornaments, necklaces, facial piercings or adornment. Membersneed to avoid all fragrances as these affect other choir members who have allergiesand become problematic under television lights and enclosed spaces.WEDNESDAY REHEARSALSModest-casualSPECIAL EVENTSFor special programs and events other than Sunday services, the choir dresses inconcert attire. Please contact the Music Ministry office as soon as possible for detailsof the current concert attire.ROBESAll choir members are assigned a robe to wear each Sunday. Robes are the propertyof FBA and not to be taken outside of the church. All robes are maintained onsite ona regular basis.PLATFORM WORSHIP TEAMIf a choir member is invited to sing on the platform, there are detailed guidelines forplatform attire and seasonal color accents found in Planning Center. Also, a memberof the Music Ministry staff will review the guidelines with choir members featuredon the platform.FBA Worship Choir Handbook 18
Georgia Baptist Children’s HomeCommunicationSince communication is key, there are various methods used to disseminateimportant and timely information to choir members.EMAILChoir members receive an email each week from Pastor Brooks highlightingupcoming events, news, important dates, birthdays and online registration forevents. Included in the bottom of the weekly email are links for attire, the choirdirectory, Sunday etiquette, events, the choir handbook, choir leadership, the musicschedule, Planning Center, the prayer list and how to make prayer requests.TEXTINGWhen the Music Ministry needs to send urgent communication to its members, itis done through texting. Choir members should save the number, 404-920-4839,in their contacts as ‘FBA Mass Texting.’SCREENSEach week during choir rehearsal: Screens on the wall display detailed information for choir members ofupcoming events, birthdays, choir anniversaries, new members, attendance,prayer requests, WiFi, social media information, robe room information, choiretiquette and child care. Screens overhead display the rehearsal order of music.CONNECTFACEBOOK FBAChoirWHATSAPP FBAChoirFBA Worship Choir Handbook 19
Dunwoody Fourth of July ParadeVolunteering“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, andespecially to those who are of the household of faith.”Galatians 6:10It feels good to be comfortable, but God did not call us to be comfortable. He calledus to serve to advance His Kingdom. Every choir member has talent untouched andstrength unmatched, but if a choir member stays in their comfort zone, they willnever reach their full potential. God has more in store for members when they stepout of their comfort zone.Each year, choir members are surveyed to learn where they would like to volunteerto serve in choir. Choir volunteers are the hands God uses to keep the Music Ministrymoving forward. One of the best ways to get to know others and be fulfilled throughserving is to volunteer in choir. There are several areas members can choose to serve: Care Group LeaderEventsFirst ImpressionsInventoryMember CareMusicOnboarding New Choir MembersPrayer WarriorsRecruiting New Choir MembersRobe Ministry/Costume ShopSection LeaderSign HolderTrip CaptainsWorship Team / Soloist / Special Groups (Audition with Pastor Brooks Required)GET INVOLVED TODAYFBA Worship Choir Handbook 20
Notes
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Dr. Anthony George Senior Associate Pastor A staple of the First Baptist Atlanta worship experience is the joyful sight and heavenly sound of the FBA Worship Choir. We not only listen as the choir sings, but we follow as the choir leads us—right into God's presence. Thank you for serving God with your heart and your voice in this choir.
