What does a vital music ministry look like in a healthy church? It is my belief that a vital music ministry has three key elements:
- The music ministry provides opportunities for singing God’s glory from cradle to grave.
- The music ministry is fully integrated into the life of the church.
- The music ministry leaders work collaboratively with pastors to provide vital worship.
The first question in the Westminster Shorter Catechism is: “What is the chief end of man?” Answer: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” Of course, the word “man” in this historical document is used to include all people of all ages! While there are many ways to glorify and enjoy God, music is a powerful gift that enables us to do so in a particularly poignant way. When we sing together, we praise God and we are united with one another and with God in a mysterious way that transcends mere language. A vital music ministry gives our youngest children, even babies, ways to experience music. Singing in the church nursery and in church weekday preschools is a gift to our youngest that enables them to glorify God by singing. Making space in the weekly church schedule for preschool-aged choirs, elementary school-aged choirs, youth choirs and adult choirs can sometimes be challenging, but certainly sets the stage for life-long singing. Providing opportunities for handbell ringing and instrumental playing further enables congregants to glorify God through music.
Music programming is more than just weekly rehearsals. While rehearsals are important to hone skills and learn repertoire, music that is integrated into all aspects of the church’s life is especially exhilarating. Incorporating music into Sunday school, VBS, youth activities, confirmation classes and other Christian education initiatives is vital. Singing at a community interfaith prayer service or at a church intergenerational fellowship time, we feel united with all who are gathered. Churches hosting temporarily homeless families may invite the children from those families to attend the children’s choir rehearsals. Choir members may accompany pastors and elders on visits to the sick and homebound to sing a hymn during communion with the homebound or to provide comfort to an individual in hospice care. Healthy churches may offer concerts to raise funding for and awareness of local community nonprofit services that are meeting needs compatible with the church’s mission.
Worship is the heartbeat of the church, providing the impetus for all of the church’s work. Pastors and music leaders who collaborate to select hymns and anthems that help to illuminate the Word will provide more meaningful worship for their congregants. Healthy congregations provide opportunities for even the youngest children and youth to contribute their talents to worship. Choir members of all ages who realize that their objective is to enable congregational singing as well as to offer an anthem of praise or prayer will help to accomplish our chief end — “to glorify God and enjoy him forever!”
Anne McNair is director of music at First Presbyterian Church in Savannah, Georgia.
