Does your church have a choir?

[TheGoofster]

And if so, do you sing in it?
I've mentioned before that we have our church in our home, and that right now we have about 20 people on a given Sunday. Of the 20 people only three can actually sing on key - My wife (who sings incredibly well), one guy, and one other lady. I love to sing, but I qualify more in the joyful category than the talented one. The funny thing is though, that some of the members think we should start a choir. We keep telling them that some day that would be nice, but not just yet. Of course later on, my wife and I get a good laugh talking about it, if you could hear the way that most of us sound, I think we would drive people away in a stampede were we to actually sing as a choir. Some day, when we have more people (and a few more on-key voices) we hope to have a choir, but definately not yet. We might do the occassional special with a solo, duet, or trio though.
What about your church? And what about you?

 

[Pixiedust34]

Our church has an adult choir and a children's choir. Our kids sing in the children's choir. In fact, we're about to leave in 15 minutes to get to choir practice. The children's choir sings only on holidays or special occasions in church, but they have practice every week.

 

[TheGoofster]

Our church has an adult choir and a children's choir. Our kids sing in the children's choir. In fact, we're about to leave in 15 minutes to get to choir practice. The children's choir sings only on holidays or special occasions in church, but they have practice every week.

I love hearing a children's choir. We actually have done that here as well for special occassions. True none of the kids can sing well (including my own) nor can the kids SS teacher (which I think is one of the reasons that the kids can't sing well), but when it comes to hearing kids sing, that really doesn't matter all that much.

 

[leafette]

Our church has an adult choir and a children's choir. Our kids sing in the children's choir. In fact, we're about to leave in 15 minutes to get to choir practice. The children's choir sings only on holidays or special occasions in church, but they have practice every week.

Same here for us. If I sang in the adult choir, it would have an adverse effect on membership--definitely NOT a joyful noise! Kids have their choir practice on Wednesday after dinner.

 

[LiteBrite]

We have a band (in which I play and sing) but no choir. If we had a choir, I imagine I'd be obligated to sing in it, since it's a fairly small church and they all know already I can sing (as in, drats, my cover is blown! ).

 

[powellrj]

we have a choir of very talented singers. I am AWFUL and would never want to be heard singing with them. It would scare them!! I did use to play in the handbell choir which didn't involve singing at all!!!

 

[goofygirl]

We have a small choir of about 10 people. I'm not in it because I can't sing, plus I'm already involved in other church activities so I don't think I could fit it in.

 

[joshsmom]

We have three choirs--Traditional, Contemporary, and Children's. I belong to the Contemporary Choir and we sing at Mass every Saturday at 4 and Sunday at 10:30. The Traditional Choir sings at 8:30 Mass and the Children's Choir sings at the 10:30 Mass once a month. DS belongs to Children's Choir.

 

[Disney Doll]

We have a choir. Most of the folks have good voices. I do not have a good voice, therefore I do not sing with them officially. However I do sing all the songs at Mass and annoy the people around me I am sure, with my off key voice.

 

[HOGFAN]

yes, and IMO it is horrible. and supposedly we have one of the best choir directors in the south.

 

[pearlieq]

I can't imagine church without a choir!

I also couldn't imagine ever belonging to a church with an "auditioned" choir. I was horrified the first time I visited a church that had one! I didn't even know they existed.

I guess my formative experience was in a church where choir was for anyone who felt called to sing and everyone was welcomed without question. We wouldn't have won any Grammys, but we loved each other and loved our music. It was such an important part of my time there.

I really hope you reconsider responding to your community's request for a choir. It's not about who had a "good" voice. Most people can learn better technique with time and good direction.

 

[Keli]

I guess my formative experience was in a church where choir was for anyone who felt called to sing and everyone was welcomed without question.

That's how our choir is composed also. As for the talent, well, it ebbs and flows as people join or quit. Right now it's in a rough patch and has been for a couple of years.
Unfortunately it doesn't sound so great sometimes but I don't think those people are singing for my pleasure as much as they are singing to worship God so it's all good.

 

[Talking Hands]

We have a choir and I am technically in that ministry but I don't sing in the choir. I am the interpreter and interpret both music and sermon once in a while. Music most Sundays and sermon if the primary interpreter is not available. We also have sign choir.

 

[Mkaz]

Yes our church has a choir. I am not in the choir because I can't carry a tune in a bucket.

 

[Disneyfan63]

My church consists of 180 members, and our choir--in which I sing bass, generally on key--has eight women and four men. I've sung in it for five years, ever since the day in January, 2002 when I walked upstairs to the choir loft and was immediately in for life. Upon hearing my voice, the music director placed me as a tenor, but I soon found that I was more comfortable as a bass. Everything I know about singing, which I'm now told I do pretty well, I learned in choir; for though I've loved listening to music for over two decades, I didn't know how to sing--or to read music--until I joined.

Though some of the posters on this board claim to be poor singers, we all need to keep in mind for whom we sing. What may not be a joyful noise to human ears, is a sweet sound to Him who created us and who loves us with a love we cannot begin to comprehend.

Jim

 

[Aimeedyan]

Yes, we have a rather large (well known) music program at our church - anyone willing is welcome to join. All of it is done very well.

I love to sing but can't join the choir because I am on staff and have other responsibilities.

 

[DisneyCP2002]

My church does have an adult choir, a senior adult choir, a youth choir, & a children's choir. I sing soprano in the adult choir & I teach 3 & 4 year olds in the children's choir. I've been in adult choir since I turned 18 and graduated high school. I started teaching in the graded choirs about 8 years ago but when I returned from Disney in 2002 I ended up with the 3 & 4 year olds & that is where I have stayed.

 

[disykat]

I'm in the choir and agree that everyone should be welcome to sing. That said, it's always a relief when everyone can at least get the tune near the bucket! Most people can train their ears pretty quickly and easily learn to sing in a choir.

I wouldn't want to be part of an "audition only" church choir. However, I can see a time where you might "encourage" someone to use their gifts in another way. My experience is, however, that most people underestimate their singing abilities and the people who are truly unable to carry a tune recognize it.

 

[tkd lisa]

I go to a pretty big church (2000 members) and we do have a choir. And I sing in it. Until just this month, our choir was between 25 and 35 people which is pretty lame for such a large church. Our choir typically sang about every 6 weeks, and we usually sang on Christmas and Easter. We have praise team members who lead worship with the worship minister the rest of the time (typically 3-4 people).

But we have a new worship minister and he is very big on choir being the center of worship. So we had a membership drive (operation chocolate chip, where we baked cookies and set up a table to talk to people about joining choir), and we're running around 70 in the choir now! That first practice after operation chocolate chip, I just kept looking around and GRINNING! I'm so glad that we are expanding! We're also going to be singing at least once a month, and doing spring and fall musicals with lots of extra music in addition to the standard Christmas and Easter stuff.

Our choir is pretty much come as you are, no singing or music experience necessary. We do have a couple folks that are pretty far off-key, but we just put them by the stronger voices and it works fine. I LOVE it! In fact, we sang today!

 

[sPaRkLeSpAz]

We have a choir and none of them are the best singers in the world. Their not terribley terrible either though. I don't sing in it because I'm tone deaf.