Confessions of A Worship Team Leader
Posted Sun May 12, 2002 in
Music
It’s been a good day, although it didn’t really start out like it would.
I made it to church for rehearsal about 0730, then promptly forgot my alarm code and set off the alarm. Fortunately, one of the other worship team members showed up and remembered his code. Whew!
I plugged in my guitar, tuned it up, and then looked over the list. We were tied up Wednesday night so rehearsal was cancelled. But, the lady who picked the music did a good job and everything looked readable. I played through them quickly to refresh my memory.
The remainder of the team dribbled into the sanctuary between 0800 and 0815. We assembled, prayed together, and went through the material. It was rough and we weren’t really together. I was not encouraged.
I sat down with my classical guitar to rehearse my offeratory. I was planning on playing Andrew York’s Andecy, which is a really neat guitar piece. I worked through it and the cross-string section seemed to be doable if a little rough. So, I thought it would work out OK.
We assembled just before church. I pulled out my classical to check the tune and found that the A string had broken at the saddle. There was no spare set in the case. Furthermore, there wasn’t enough to salvage and make it work. Uh-oh, I’d have to do something else. I thought about it, grabbed my electric, and tinkered with something I’d created some years ago. It would work.
There were lots and lots of announcments this morning. I was antsy and wanted to get started playing. When I thought it was time to start, I struck a couple of chords, but got a look from the elder indicating it wasn’t time to start yet. We all laughed and I acted like I was going to walk off the stage.
It wasn’t long before I received the signal to start. I was tremendously surprised because we played and sang with passion. We had a great time, played well, and accomplished our ministry. It wasn’t perfect, but then live music seldom is. I attribute the quality of what we did to God. He was in it.
When time came for the offeratory, I took up my electric, checked the tuning, and turned up the volume. I played a fingerstyle song that I’ve been playing with for ten years. I stood and played until the deacons fnished taking the offering. It felt really good and the tone was just right for the tune. I used a blackface model with just a little delay to fill out the sound. I wish I’d made a recording so I could share it. The song was my offering to my Savior and to my friends.
Last night, we had a meeting of Work-in-Progress. It was a cook-out and families were welcome. I don’t really care at all about the management of the group; my only desire is to play. So, I took my acoustic guitar along with me. I’d had a late lunch and I wasn’t at all hungry. I sat in a ballistic nylon fold-up chair and played my guitar for five hours. It was like playing for family; sharing something special with loved ones. I listened to people talk and caught the gist of many stories and conversations, but was really into my instrument in a way I haven’t been in a very long time.
A friend sat in the chair next to me, listening. I played some of my songs (things I’ve created). At one point, he leaned over and said. “That song tells a story.”
“I know,” I said, “all of my songs tell a story” and smiled to myself.
Later, another friend sat down in that chair. Now and again, she’d reach over and pluck one of the strings. The first time, I looked down as she reached over and touched the string, then I glanced over and smiled. She repeated the exercise several times over the rest of the evening. It was funny and tender and we laughed about it. I wonder how many times children and friends have reached over and touched the strings of my instrument when I’m playing in an intimate venue like that. When I was very young, such things irritated me. They haven’t in a long time. I just smile. There’s something special about it. I think it must communicate in a non-verbal fashion.
There is something about this instrument that is a deep part of my psyche. It is an emotional and intellectual outlet and I’ve used it to communicate for most of my life. There was a ten-year period when I did little with it. Graduate school, work, and family all took their toll on that part of my life. But then, about ten years ago, God gave the music back. I began playing again with renewed passion and dedication. There’s a story there that I will tell sometime, but not today.
Thanks for that one, David.
— dan 13 May 2002, 06:44 #You know, I wish there was some way for me to share some of the guitar work I do here. I have a little minidisc recorder, but it's been acting up of late and will have to be sent in for service. When I do that, and get it back, I think I'll make some simple recordings and post them here for friends to listen to.
It just seems like the thing to do.
— ruminator 13 May 2002, 15:41 #