Pre-service (after sound check sharing)
Present : Eunice, Jeffrey, Mark, Adele, Erica, Grace, Collin, Darryl and Angie.
Guest : Michael Seng from Team B...thank you for playing with us.
Absent : Chris, Gabriel and Esther (we missed you!!)
"Crazy" Scribe : Angie
Gerald commented on & frowned upon our relaxed dress-code.
Eunice shared how she would start the worship by reading from Psalm 47 and then explain to the congregation why we clap our hands to God especially since we had the Urban Kids join us for service. She then went on to the special time of worship that tne band experienced during practice on Friday night and she encouraged the musos to share with those who weren't present.
Adele started by saying that she had always believed in solving problems on her own but that Friday night, she sensed God telling her that she is the apple of His eye and she knew that she would never be alone. She also asked Erica if the special time of worship is a norm during band prac or an exception. Erica repiled that it was an exception. Adele concluded it had to be her because the last time round when she played bass, the band also had a special time of worship. :P No offense Gabes, God loves u & so do we!!!
Darryl was next and he mentioned that during that time of worship, he was reminded to draw close to God and to return to that first love. He told of how he observed his Muslim roomy with whom he shares a room during this period of in-training, who religiously prays throughout the set times and on seeing this, Darryl felt God telling him to draw close to Him.
Collin echoed the same sentiment as Darryl. He shared how he's been busy of late and felt God telling him "I miss you"
Next Eunice told of how a thought crossed her mind as she was driving. She was thinking on how in a marriage relationship, after having been married for a number of years, the relationship between spouses sort of wanes. She was thinking how this translates into our relationship with God and how do we then keep our relationship with God alive. She was also reminded of returning to our first love. How do we return to our first love ie when we first believed in God and the initial stage of excitement because the reality of God in our lives is evident? How do we go back to that?
Gerald closed us in prayer and we went on.
Debrief :
Michael was conscious of himself because he couldn't get the right sound ie tone etc from his monitor, so he held back as he didn't like the bright & thin sound. He felt during the quiet moment after Beautiful Saviour, he didn't think he should play more and he didn't feel the need to play. He felt that it was alright to let the music/mood/moment/atmosphere dip.
Erica felt overall worship was good. The silent moment was a suspense because she didn't know what to expect and what was coming so she moved into the 1 & 4 chord progression, and adding a 7th note on chord 4??? is this right??? She was looking to Michael and Collin. Collin however was looking at Michael. So Erica had to go it alone. Michael or was it Eunice then added that if Michael had taken the lead, then Erica wouldn't have gone into the 1 & 4 progression and what happened during worship wouldn't have happened.
Eunice noticed that the sound level increased when we went live. She was elated after service and felt that the congregation responded/participated during worship after she had read from Psalm 47 and explained to them why we clap our hands. They were released to participate and worship. She was waiting for that moment and when Erica played the 1, 4 progression, Eunice latched onto it and broke into her spontaneous song. After that Eunice led the congregation in 2 songs out of the song-list as a response to God. Eunice received feedback from 1 member of the congregation that he/she realize that Team C's worship style is interactive.
Adele & Erica both told Eunice that it's not funny to suddenly change songs like that coz they not prepared...testing our musos musical skills haha!! kudos to our wonderful Erica and the others team :p
Mark, Jeff & Adele enjoyed themselves during worship. Adele like the free worship and she was forced to listen because she didn't know what the chord prgression was. She also commented that having Pastor Darren as the service pastor helped because he is sensitive to the worship flow. Eunice said she will be informing us in the email who the service pastor and speaker/preacher will be so that we can pray for them.
Pamela observed that a more relaxed dresscode helped the singers. The free worship took on a new dimension. She also said that normally during the announcement, the flow of the worship would inadvertently be cut but today, it wasn't ended abruptly. Eunice added that with the music continuing in the background instead of being cut provided a platform for the service pastor to "ride on".
Unofficial/off the record : dress down more!!!
Darryl shared the sentiment as everyone else that worship was good.He didn't feel the need to do much. He also said that being confident and having the freedom to play was important. Michael chorused. One additional point for Darryl was that he placed himself as part of the congregation and he sang whilst playing. He found that to be helpful.
Collin noted that actual was different from practice. The dynamics was different between live and practice. But he said the end result that is important is the congregation's response in worshipping God. He stuck as much as possible to what was practiced but when we went live, it was different and he was mindful of the starts and stops.
Grace was exhausted physically because of intense and demanding musical preparation. She was disturbed that she felt her voice straining and she was worried. But after Jeff prayed for her just before we went on, there was a word that she got "you shall go out with joy" and she sensed the mood of the service/worship was joyous.
End of journal.
I'd like to add that the spontaneous song was a call from God to all to recognise His everlasting, unfailing love. How He longed to cover/shower/overshadow us with His love. And how we've been careless/not believing/by-passing/taking Him lightly in return. It was a call to deep love replationship with Him. To run into His embrace - just the way we are, warts and all. (of course I didn't say "warts & all" on stage. ;)
Then we responed with "There is none like you" and "And Lord we want to lift your Name on high..we trust in your unfailing love..". We need not fear coming face to face with God to experience Him - be it His Holiness or Great Compassion..Christ's Blood has covered us so we can always enter boldly, tho not carelessly or presumtuously.
If anyone got more to share re what happened to you during this moment of spotaneous song, PLEASE SHARE!
euniceHi Mike and Gang,
can I add my 2 cents worth?? (like you have a choice now that I'm
writing rite??)
I felt that the worship team entered into worship with anticipation
for God to show up. And He did. Having shared the idea and meaning of
clapping made the congregation clap and sing louder, hence the increase
in overall service volume. Not a bad thing per say, just that there was
this lady who came over and looked over at my sound pressure level
meter and gave me a nasty look. We were peaking at 96dBA at times..
that's quite loud and I was actually trying to tone down the mix but
the stage levels made it difficult to get a clear mix coz the spill
from stage makes it muddy.
The musos did a quick on your toes switch in songs.. we should always
be prepared for things like that. Flowed well into spontaneous part
with Eunice. Felt that one of the key songs "Beautiful Saviour" needed
to be even less busy and facilitate the congregation even more. This
song is one of the most powerful songs I've played in recent years and
the times where I've played it, keeping it absolutely tight and simple
was the key. Something that I noted that mike, if you had played more
chord work instead of going into lead lines during this song, it would
have brought the whole song into a different intensity. Noticed that
you echoed the melody line and when that happened, there was a void in
the mix which I couldn't fill with other instruments.. Adele, if you
could sit a little heavier with Daryl during the bridge and chorus
parts, it would also move the groove tighter. Colin did a good job
coming in. I think if you had used capo for G progression instead of a
E progression, it would sound less bright and more full. The singers
were going for it man!!!! You guys love this song don't you??
Technicalities aside, the key is to as Daryl put, play as if you were
part of the congregation. That's always been the way I try to play.
Practice the right things and remembering it frees us to worship when
we step on stage.
Maybe to share a little from joining the team on Friday nite just to
play alittle. I was blessed to have had that short hour with you guys
on my guitar. Feels great to be able to pickup a guitar and just be
able to play with the team to enter into worship. Felt that God has a
special place in His heart for this team (that's everyone, not just the
musos) and that He just wanted the team to find rest in Him during that
friday nite practice. Think He just wanted to let you guys know that
you are special to Him. So be blessed.
John Heng
wah..! after listening to the recording then i fully fully appreicate the guitar line going alongside melody line of "I will sing forever..Jesus I love you.."..sori to give you all another hair-raising experience of my shrieking voice. I really should try not to fall sick so easily or shout too much..but..but..well..ahem..am recovering well now..tks to antiBs & TCM..been downing it for 4 solid days!!
Great job, Team! I hear the musicians roar, I hear the singers chiong! It was like the sound of a mighty river indeed!! ha! Perhaps that's why we still get feedback from congregation saying that they can't hear me when I talk. I already tried to slow down, enunciate, repeat what I sang..dunno what else to do. Guess that's what happens when you stand next to Victoria Falls or Niagara Falls..deafening!!
eunice
eunice
