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Why
we want to be uniform in our attire?
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Earrings:
when is it okay to wear them.
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Pants:
why ladies generally don't wear them in the choir stand; what to do
if you wear them under robes
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Open-toe
shoes: should they ever be worn when singing?
If so, when is it appropriate?
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Following
the director: standing, sitting, and clapping?
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Paying
attention/talking: during rehearsal, during the teaching of songs,
during announcements, in the vestibule, during service?
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Hygiene
tips
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Entering
& exiting the choir stand during service: when, how, for what
reasons, etc.
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Drinking
water/eating mints/passing notes/etc. during service: is it ever
okay? If so, when it's
okay and how to do it.
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Hair
Ornaments
1.
Why we want to be uniform in our attire?
A
choir is a body of believer coming together with many different gift
as a units. Uniforms signify unity.
2.
Earrings: when is it okay to wear them
It
is really not a good thing to wear earrings or any flashy jewelry while
Ministering to God's people. Jewelry
is flashy and can cause a weak or a strong Christian to take their mind
off the music ministry. No
matter how slight, that brief moment may cause the message being
delivered in song to be lost.
3.
Pants: why ladies generally don't wear them in the choir stand; what to
do if you wear them under robes
Many churches require
ladies to wear a skirt or dress into the sanctuary. There is no
scripture reference stating ladies should not ware pants. However, if
the Music ministry is in agreement with pants being worn under the robe,
the color should be black so that the color does not draw attention.
I suggest if you are singing at another church, that your choir President
call to make sure it is ok to wear pants.
4.
Open-toe shoes: should they ever be worn when singing?
If so, when is it appropriate?
Once
again we get into a borderline area.
Closed-toe shoe is a way of being in uniform. It is a sign of
unity. Please, choir member, take note when you attend other churches.
Pay close attention to the choirs attire. A well dressed,
structured body is pleasing to the eye and, once again, signifies unity.
We should not be so concerned as to why but obedience is better
than sacrifice. We have
leaders in our music ministry that have been trained well to transfer
knowledge to each choir member. Unity, one Body in Christ is what its
all about.
5.
Following the director: standing, sitting, and clapping
It
is very important that everyone follow his or her director. Everyone cannot be in charge.
Your directors are Spiritual facilitator who have been trained to
teach and introduce music, show you breathing techniques, and teach
choir decorum.
You
must sit up straight in the choir stand as not to draw attention to
yourself. If the choir
director is asking you to clap, again, as a sign of unity, we should all
clap. When you stand you
should stand straight, head and shoulder up, so your voice will project
outward. Please don’t put
your hands in you pocket, cross them, nor put them on your hip.
6.
Paying attention/talking: during rehearsal, during the teaching of
songs, during announcements, in the vestibule, during service?
This is not acceptable. Once
you have devotion, your mind should be on ministering in song.
Talking distracts the choir director, and it starts a chain
reaction of conversation. If
you are in the choir stand, the congregation can see you, and you may cause
them to focus on you, rather than the word.
7.
Hygiene tips
Personal hygiene is very
important in a choir. You must take out the time to cleanse every part of your body
before entering the choir stand. Bad
odor from the body and breath will cause your fellow choir members to
loose focus. A suggestion is to keep disposable washcloths in the choir
room along with deodorants, baby powder & Listerine strips so you
can refresh yourselves between services.
8.
Entering & exiting the choir stand during service: when, how, for
what reasons, etc
Once
you have entered the choir loft, you should not leave unless it is
absolutely necessary. Walking
in and out of the choir stand is not acceptable.
It is very distracting to your fellow choir members as well as
the Pastor and congregation. If
you do have to leave, make sure you first inform your choir president
ahead of time, and arrange your self in the choir stand so you don’t
have to cross over a lot of people to exit.
Leave at a time when you won’t draw attention to yourself (i.e.
after the choir sings it’s last selection before the sermon).
Do not walk out of the choir stand and walk down the center aisle
to make your exit. If you are late and the choir has already entered the
choir stand, please use the side doors to enter, and enter at a time
when there is movement in the congregation (i.e. Alter Call).
Please don’t make leaving early and entering late a habit.
9.
Drinking water/eating mints/passing notes/etc. during service: is it
ever okay? If so, when it's
okay and how to do it.
Carrying water bottles has
become a FAD. Drinking water does not help your vocal chords, as a matter
of fact, cold water on a warm throat can damage your vocal chords, as
well as eating a lot of candy with sugar in it.
So, if you need water, drink it before entering the choir loft,
and after you exit. Water
should only be used if you have a medical condition that requires you to
drink a minimum amount water through out the day.
Of course if you are choking the Ushers can bring you some water.
If you are singing you should drink warm water, it should never be cold.
I
believe we all need a mint or two after we sing, because singing causes
dry mouth, which leads to an odor. A small mint or cough drop in the
mouth after you sing is ok. But
remember, too much sugar on your vocal chords will cause vocal problems
in the end. Do not visibly
pass mints or cough drops in the choir.
Please do not sing with gum or mints in your mouth.
You may choke or cause it to get lodged in your throat.
10.
Hair Ornaments
Please
don’t wear a lot of different hair ornaments in the choir stand, it is
also distracting. No hats or bows. If
you have to put your hair up, make sure you use something black.
Respectfully
Submitted,
Cassandra Carter, Adult Choir Director
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