“Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!” – Psalm 150:6
Why do we worship?
We were created to worship, enjoy fellowship with, and faithfully serve God.
As a Music Ministry, we seek to encourage and facilitate the worship of God through Jesus Christ, empowered by the Spirit, to the glory of God the Father, so that the gathered saints may be fully equipped for ministry.
Why do we worship through music?
We worship through music and song because everything that God has created is singing and making joyful noise in praise. Mountains burst into song, rivers and waves and trees clap their hands, the goings of the morning and evening shout for joy. We were made to join that chorus, crown it with our own voices, and offer it all up to God: a sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise.
Even so, music is not synonymous with worship. Worship encompasses everything we do Sunday morning and beyond in our walk with Christ. Music, rather, is merely a means to an end: that we would worship.
As Anglicans, we believe that Sunday worship reaches its climax in theSacrament of the Lord’s Supper. Here we encounter and have intimate fellowship with the risen Christ and are refreshed and energized for ministry. In light of this, our Music Ministry does not craft music to entertain or create an energizing experience. Our goal is to lead Christians to the table of the Lord.
What do we sing?
On a typical Sunday we may sing a great processional hymn followed by a lively contemporary song or listen as the choir offers a reflection. In drawing on cherished hymnody and newer pieces, the music in our worship is textured and dynamic, celebrating our tradition while embracing new authorship and creativity.
Lyrically we are anchored in the Psalms of Israel and the hymns of the early Church. Some songs are for confession of Christian truth and belief, others for the building up of the saints. Some are words of thankfulness, broken hearts, and joyful praise, while others plumb inexpressible grief.
As a Music Ministry, we understand that we often do not know how to pray. All words and melodies are given in the hope that they will accompany us as we go to love and serve our listening King.
Participating in Music Ministry
As Christian musicians, our aim is not to serve the art, but to serve the God of all art who takes pleasure in us. It is for this reason that above all we ask those who participate in making music to be worshipers.
Though we love to make music and treasure the fellowship we have as a ministry, we recognize that this activity does not fully encompass our participation in the life of the church. We encourage and enable our musicians to join home groups, take Discipleship classes, and volunteer for other ministries.