Our Journey with Jesus Our Journey with Jesus

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Our Journey Journey with Jesus Children’s Music Ministry Handbook 2011-2012

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged,

for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

CHILDREN’S CHOIRS Cherub Choir

An introduction to group singing and movement for children who are age 3 by September 1, 2011.

SonShine Choir

Beginning children’s choirs includes singing and movement activities for 4 year olds by September 1, 2011.

Joy Choir

Focuses on beginning vocal development and movement activities as preparation for learning musical concepts for kindergarten age children.

Lyric Choir

Focuses on expanding singing skills and basic musical concepts for 1st and 2nd graders.

Celebrate Choir

Focuses on singing skills, part-singing preparation, and music reading preparation for 3rd, 4th and 5th graders.

Lyric Chimes

An introduction to tone chimes and rhythm exploration for 1st and 2nd graders.

Celebrate Chimes Focuses on learning the basic techniques of tone

chime ringing and music reading preparation for children in 3rd, 4th and 5th grades.

2011-2012 Children’s Choir Schedule and Staff Chart CHOIR

TIME

Cherub Choir

5:15-5:45

(3 years olds by Sept. 1. 2011)

DIRECTORS & ACCOMPANISTS

ROOM #

Catherine Warner Liz May Laura Lowery Charlene Martin Alex Collins

Preschool Room 154

Jennifer Mann Tina Lord

Preschool Room 155

Sarah Lawing Matthew Lawing

Preschool Room 157

Carol Reeves Cathy Felton Betty Chapeau Katie McCollum

Music Suite Room 166

Janis Maxwell Amy McCollum

Music Suite Room 162

Olivia Greene Debbie Golden Martha Beeson

Music Suite Room 162

Carol Reeves Sylvia Arant Betty Chapeau Katie McCollum

Music Suite Room 166

Erin McCollum Parissa Shedd Savannah Smith Madeline Brady

Sonshine Choir

(4 year olds by Sept. 2011)

Joy Choir

(Kindergarten)

Lyric Choir

(Grades 1 & 2)

5:15-6:00

Madeline Jackson Jennifer Golden Virginia Beth Butler

5:15-6:00

Morgan Maxwell Samantha Harvel Mary Carroll Waller

4:30-5:15

Morgan Maxwell Lauren Covington Mary Carroll Waller Millican Jarrett

Celebrate Chimes

(Grades 3, 4, & 5)

Lyric Chimes

(Grades 1 & 2)

4:30-5:15

Erin McCollum Toby Chapeau

5:15-6:00

Toby Chapeau Jacob Hadden

Celebrate Choir

(Grades 3, 4, & 5)

5:15-6:00

Lauren Covington Millican Jarrett

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

2011-2012 Calendar



August 17 (Wednesday) August 24, 31 (Wednesday) September 7, 14, 21, 28 (Wed.) October 5 (Wednesday) October 12 (Wednesday) October 19 (Wednesday) October 23 (Sunday) October 26 (Wednesday) November 2, 9, 16 (Wednesday) November 13 (Sunday) November 23 (Wednesday) November 27 (Sun. Night) November 30 (Wednesday) December 4 (Sunday Night)

1st Regular Rehearsal Regular Rehearsals Regular Rehearsals Regular Rehearsals—Sonshine Choir Parent Night Regular Rehearsals—Joy Choir Parent Night Regular Rehearsals—Cherub Choir Parent Night Stewardship Begins—Joy, Lyric, Celebrate Sing Regular Rehearsal Regular Rehearsals Stewardship Celebration—Joy, Lyric, Celebrate Sing Sing at both 9:45 and 11:00 Services NO CHOIR REHEARSAL (Thanksgiving) Lyric & Celebrate Choirs rehearse with Adult and Youth Choirs—4:30-6:00 Regular Rehearsal (Lyric & Celebrate rehearse in Sanctuary for Lessons and Carols Service)—Last Chime rehearsal until January 2012--Bring SOCKS for Community Meal Lyric & Celebrate Choirs ONLY sing this night

“Lessons in Carols” Service 5:00-6:00 pm Be at church 4:15--come to Choir Room #166

December 7 (Wednesday)

Technical rehearsal for Christmas Eve in Sanctuary

4:30-6:00 for older choirs; (4:00 for narrators) 5:00-6:00 for younger choirs (see director for times)

December 14 (Wednesday)

Dress Rehearsal for Christmas Eve Service



4:30-6:00 for older choirs; (narrators at 4:00) 4:45-6:00 younger choirs (see director for times) Run through begins at 5:00 (Younger children will portray Nativity in costumes & robes)



December 24 (Saturday)

December 21 (Wednesday) NO choir rehearsals Christmas Eve Services 4:00, 6:00, and 11:00

Children’s Choirs participate in 4:00 service w/costumes & robes; Lyric & Celebrate be at church at 3:15 Joy, Sonshine, & Cherub be at church at 3:30

NO CHILDREN’S CHOIR REHEARSALS UNTIL JANUARY 11!

January 11 (Wednesday) January 15, 22, 29 (Sunday) February 4 (Saturday) February 12 (Sunday) February 19 (Sunday) February/March (Sunday) February 29 (Wednesday) April 1 (Sunday) April 22 (Sunday) April 25 (Wednesday) May 2, 9 May 13 (Sunday)



Children’s Choir and Chime Rehearsals Resume Choral Festival Rehearsal for members in Celebrate Choir participating 4:30-5:30—Children’s Choir Room Celebrate Choir participates in Choral Festival in Atlanta Sonshine Choir sings in 11:00 Worship Wesleyan Youth Choir Variety Show Joy/Lyric/Celebrate Choirs sings in Worship TBA Cherub Choir Parent Night Palm Sunday—Lyric/Celebrate Sings at both 9:45 & 11:00 Services [Sunday School Children at 11:00 only] Children’s Spring Program AND PARTY following Program Celebrate Choir & Mother’s Day Rehearsal 5:15-6:00 Celebrate Choir & Mother’s Day Rehearsal 5:15-6:00 Mother’s Day: Celebrate Choir and Mothers sing 11:00 Worship

Why Sing? We sing for many reasons. The most important one is because God commands us to sing. God created music and He wants each of His children to sing praises to Him. 267 times in the scriptures, singing is used to express praise to God. Singing communicates texts. We can learn about history, scripture, and doctrine through singing a song. Colossians 3:16 admonishes believers to communicate and instruct one another in the faith through singing hymns and spiritual songs “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you…admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and

spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Col 3:16.)

Singing is fun and brings about joy!. Singing can change people’s moods and emotions. It brings pleasure. There is reward in singing. “Shout to the Lord, all the earth; be jubilant,shout for joy, and sing.” (Psalm 98:4)

God created man to have a need for beauty. One way we can worship God is through beauty. Singing puts people in touch with beauty because through singing beauty can be created. It is an aesthetic experience. Each of us has a desire to see and create beauty. Singing allows us to express our need to make something beautiful. “Worship the Lord in the beauty of His holiness.” (Psalm 29:2b) God created man to fellowship with Him as well as with others. God made music to be enjoyed by many; singing is a social activity. It unites us through the experience of emotion or mood. Singing is one of the gifts that God gives us, not only so we can enjoy it, but so we can offer it back to Him. “Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth; Oh sing praises to the Lord.” (Psalms 68:32) Our children are the next generation of worship leaders. Only after they truly experience God and sincerely worship Him will they be willing to serve Him. So, we must do more than teach children good music fundamentals and skills. We must teach them how to worship. “My soul,

praise the Lord, and all that is within me, praise His holy name.” (Psalms 103:1)

(The above excerpts are quoted from Sing Out Loud and Beat Activity by Pamela Calmpitt Vandewalker and Does Singing Matter to God by Melodie Cunningham))

Children’s Choir Philosophy and Goals PHILOSOPHY—The congregation is the primary choir. All people are given a voice and need the opportunity to use it well. FUMC music ministry is designed to provide both regular and special opportunities for church members and those in the community without a church home, to express their faith through song. The very best time to begin to make a joyful noise is as a child. Thus, in worship services, our children’s choirs take turns presenting selected and rehearsed anthems and hymns. The concept of praise and service also includes spiritual development. Each rehearsal has the overall goal of Christian education. Music is our tool. In this regard, our work is different from school or community singing groups. FUMC children’s choirs’ focus is that of praising God and leading people in worship. All are welcome to find a place in the music program. As the noted hymnologist and composer/arranger Alice Parker has said, “Singing is a primary gift of God. It gives us a way of communicating with each other that words alone cannot come close to.” GOALS—Children are trained in the development of their musical skills in a graded program of reading music, ear training, vocal development, pitch acuity, etc. But more than this, they are developing a sense of Whose they are and what they can become within the context of the Christian faith. Through carefully chosen scriptural and poetic texts, the basic beliefs of the Christian faith are taught. (After all, we remember what we sing!) With each age group comes the attempt to teach responsibility, professionalism, and commitment through the discipline inherent in achieving high calibre performance standards, with a focus on process as equal in importance.

Children’s Choirs Procedures ATTENDANCE AND ABSENCES—A choir is a team effort in every sense of the word, so an individual absence effects the whole group. Likewise, with our very limited rehearsal time, punctual presence at rehearsals and on choir Sundays is essential. The vocal warm-ups and listening exercises which are done at the beginning are crucial to a successful choral rehearsal. In a handbell choir, missing people means missing bells. Therefore, in the event of absence from vocal or bell choirs, please contact us. This may be done by calling the church office (543-1442, ext. 213). ATTIRE ON SUNDAYS—Each choir wears robes for Sunday morning worship services. The Celebrate Choir (grades 3, 4, and 5) will wear robes throughout the entire service. They are responsible for hanging them on the appropriate hanger at the conclusion of the worship service. The younger choirs will wear their robes until they are dismissed for Children’s Church. Our parent volunteers can assist the young children in taking off their robes after they leave the Sanctuary. Parents are asked to encourage the proper care of the robes and to assist where appropriate. SUNDAY RESPONSIBILITIES—Choirs from grade 3 and older sit together for the entire worship service. Please do not request to be dismissed early. When individual choristers get up and leave after singing, it gives the impression that what we do is merely for show, or performance, instead of being an integral part of the experience of worship. When everyone remains in the service, leading the hymn singing, listening to the scripture, focusing on the sermon, participating in the prayers, our contribution is more meaningful to us, individually, as well. Please plan accordingly on the Sunday mornings your child sings. Our younger children’s choirs will sit together until the conclusion of the Children’s Sermon. At that time, the children will leave the sanctuary to attend Children’s Church or the nursery. DROP OFF/PICK UP— Because your child’s safety is important to us, we ask that you bring your child to the designated choir room and that you pick them up at the conclusion of the rehearsal. PARENT VOLUNTEERS— Children involved with music often have parents who want to be as well! Please contact us (543-1442, ext. 213) if you would be willing to help with choir activities! CARPOOLS— If you need assistance with getting your child to rehearsals or if you would be willing to help bring other children to choir, please contact us (543-1442, ext. 213). CHURCH POLICY— Please take note that it is a church policy that there will be no flash photography during worship services. “A vital choir program trains up children with hearts and hands and voices secure in the knowledge of their faith tradition, and sets their mind on an ever growing spiritual journey.” --- Sue Ellen Page