Worship
& Music Ministries
Hebrews 13:15 says: "Through Jesus, therefore let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise -- the fruit of lips that confess His name." Based on Scriptures like this and so many others, we know that one of God's great purposes for creating us was so that we might worship him. So the purpose of the Worship & Music Ministry at Emmanuel Church is to glorify God and help others do the same.
Of course, music is just one of the ways that we worship God! But we want to make the most of it because we so believe that music and the arts have such power to speak to the mind in ways that reach straight to the heart. When we bring our sacrifice of praise, or any sacrifice or offering, we understand that we are to bring our best. Therefore we feel called by God to give our "all" in preparation, planning, rehearsal, and personal time practicing, so that what we give here is truly our very best.
We are not pursuing excellence for the sake of excellence. We can't do what we do apart from the One who gifted us. We never want to forget that our message is not a demonstration of our own talent, but a demonstration of the Spirit's power as promoted in 1 Corinthians 2:4: "My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power."
Be a Part of the Worship and Music Ministry
If any of the areas listed below interest you, you can reach Billye Johnstone, our Director of Worship and Music, at (818) 843-0900, ext. 105. She will help find the right spot for you to serve. For example, if you are interested in Choir, Billye will put in you contact with out Choir Director, Lynda Romano.
The Worship & Music Ministry includes
Band, Choir, Worship Team, Vocal Ensembles, Sound Mixing, Lighting, Projection, Programming… and possibly Drama in the future (see below for specific descriptions of each area):
Band
The band includes drums, percussion, bass, electric and acoustic guitars, and piano, and its members serve mostly on a rotation in the Sunday services. To play in the band, you should be able to sight-read music quickly (it's often seen for the first time on Sunday morning) and have been proficient on your instrument for at least four years.
Worship Team
The Worship Team's primary goal is to model worship and lead the congregation in worship. Worship Team members most often also serve in Choir. Rehearsals are Wednesday nights after Choir rehearsal. We hold auditions for those interested in being part of the Worship Team, and suggest that, before auditioning, you should be able to sing harmony by ear, without being told what the part should be, or can sight-read music.
Vocal Ensembles
The Vocal Ensembles consist of three to eight people (usually also members of the Worship Team and Choir) who desire to use their voices to minister by sharing through music. To become a part of one of these groups, you should be able to read music, sing harmony by ear, and have some experience as a soloist.
Sound Mixing
Our Sound Engineers serve on a rotation basis in our weekly Sunday services, and at Special Events. It is preferred that those serving in this area have experience in Sound Set-Up and Mixing.
Lighting
At present, our Lighting Engineers serve primarily at Special Events and concerts. If we were to find someone who wants to commit to serving weekly in the services, we are open to enhancing our Sunday services with more meaningful lighting.
Projection
Our Projection Engineers serve each week by running the PowerPoint system, which runs during our congregational singing, often during the sermon, and occasionally during communion. We are happy to train anyone interested in serving in this simple-but-vital area.
Programming
Presently, the programming of the Worship services is handled by the department head and our pastors. If you have any ideas to share, please contact Billye Johnstone.
…and possibly Drama in the future
We don't know exactly how this will manifest itself in the future, but we are open to ideas. We'll see what God has in mind!
