ORCHESTRATING THE MELODIES OF THE CHURCH
AND ITS MEMBERS
National Institute in Church Finance and Administration
Summer Session 1991
Candler School of Theology Emory University Atlanta, Georgia
by
Phillip A. Nall
Present Address: Northeast Baptist Church 4046 Chamblee-Tucker Rd. Doraville, Georgia 30340 Phone: (404) 938-8333
Permanent Address: cjo Mrs. J. D. Nall Route 2 Box 85A Ashford, Alabama 36312 Phone: (205) 792-8623
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface. . • . . . • . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . 1
Purpose. . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . 3
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . • • . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Exposition ................................................ 5
The Score - God's Mission ............................ 5
The Orchestra- God's Church ...........•............. 7
The sound- The Church in Harmony ..........•......... ll
The Audience- The Community and the World ........... 20
The Themes- The Melodies of the Church .............. 21
The Instruments- The Members of the Church .......... 27
Development .............................•................. 4 0
In God 1 s Orchestra ................................... 4 0
Searching for a Melody ..........•.•............. 42 Notating the Melody ...........•................. 4 3 Voicing the Melody .............................. 45 Playing the Melody ..•.....•..................... 47 Hearing the Melody ........•................••... 48
In God's Instruments ................................. 50
Searching for the Voices ........................ 51 Notating the Parts .............................. 53 Voicing the Parts ............................... 54 Playing the Parts ......................•........ 55 Hearing the Parts ............................... 57
Celebrating the Melodies of the Church and its Members ................... 58
Recapitulation ............................................ 59
Bibliography .............................................. 61
1
:Preface
I have been amazed at the number of administrators and
writers on leadership that have a background in music. It is,
as Luther wrote, the art that makes one "fit for any task,
for it produces fine and skillful people. 111 Through the study
of music, one establishes a sense of rhythm and feeling, an
ear for intonation and harmony, and an eye for movement and
contrast.
After many years of participation in the music program
at First Baptist Church of Auburndale, Florida, I decided to
pursue a degree in Music Education at Samford University, in
Birmingham, Alabama. The program acquainted me with music
theory and history. It introduced me to the sound of
beautiful music. This music was captivating, yet, freeing.
Upon completion of my B.M.E. degree, I was hired by the
university as an admissions counselor. After a year of work,
I was given the opportunity to continue my education. I was
admitted to the M.B.A. program and in three years I completed
my degree.
After several years of applying my new skills in the
area of college administration, I felt God leading me to full-
time church work. This meant a move to Louisville, Kentucky
to enroll in the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Some
of my credits were transferred and in a year and a half I had
1 Wilfrid Mellers, Bach and the Dance of God (New York: Oxford University Press, 1981), pp. 81-82.
2
completed the necessary requirements for a Master's in
Christian Education.
Music, business, and Christian education is
there a connection? To view these degrees on a resume, one
would ask, "why can't you make up your mind?" However, if one
were to look and listen more closely, the connection is there.
This paper is a result of looking and listening.
A special thanks goes out to the following individuals
who have listened, read, and critiqued as this paper has
developed.
Dr. Ernest White is the Gaines s. Dobbins Professor
of Church Administration and Leadership at The Southern
Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Dr.
White is my supervisor in the EdD program at Southern. He is
a friend, a colleague, and one who appreciates good music.
Dr. Robert Fulbright is the Minister of Christian
Education at Kirkwood Baptist Church in St. Louis, Missouri.
He is also the Church Curriculum Design Editor for Smyth &
Helwys Publishing Company in Greenville, south Carolina. Bob
is my mentor. He is a model Christian educator and one who
knows how to orchestrate the melodies of the church and its
members. Bob provided insight in terms of applicab.ility of
this project to the local church.
Rev. Paul Peak is Minister of Education at First
Baptist Church in Murphreesboro, Tennessee. He is a fellow
student in the National Institute in Church Finance and
3
Administration. He provided a view of the project reflecting
on previous projects read. He was also able to view the
project from a church or ministeria1 setting.
Mark Price and Chris Henson are both fellow EdD
students at Southern Seminary. They provided needed
information with regard to the mechanics of the paper and
connectedness. Mark provided encouragement and affirmation,
pushing me to do my very best. Chris provided a female look
at the project. She insured that I remained inclusive
throughout, and provided some editorial changes to enhance the
project.
Lisa Nall is my wife and my friend. She is the first
one I ask about an idea and she is the last one to review a
paper before it is presented. Lisa has a Bachelor's Degree
in f:lusic from Samford University. She is an excellent
musician. It is the careful eye of a sight reader that
catches those errors which others fail to see.
PUrpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide an
understanding of the church and its mission and purpose by
addressing the church as God's orchestra, a harmonious system
of diverse instruments seeking to perform and fulfill God's
intent. The paper hopes to achieve this by pointing out God's
purpose for the world and how the church, God's orchestra, is
to assist in·carrying out that purpose. It then looks at the
church as a harmonious system of diverse instruments which are
4
united and moving toward a common purpose. Finally, by
looking at the various melodies of the church, God's
orchestra, and its members or instruments, the orchestration
of these elements is examined and developed.
rntroduction
A hush sweeps across the crowd as the conductor raises
the baton. The orchestra and the audience anticipate the
preparatory beat. When it comes, the basses pierce the
silence. The vibrating strings seem connected to the room
for the walls are shaken by each note. The entrance of the
violins lifts the timbre and soon the room is transformed with
stratas of sound. The voices of a hundred instruments
harmonize. The blending of voices brings a sense of awe to
the room. The composer'smessage is communicated to the ears,
hearts, and minds of the orchestra and the audience. As if
in a dance, one is caught up in the movement of each line and
the emotion of each moment. Lives are touched by the beauty
of each note, and with the melodies resounding in their ears,
the orchestra and the audience journey onward.
Like the orchestra, the church is in performance.
Using aural imagination, one can hear with the mind's ear the
sound of each orchestral passage. Listen. What is being
played by the church? Are walls being shaken by the sound?
Are rooms being transformed? Are voices in harmony? Do the
melodies blend? Is the composer's message being communicated?
Are lives being touched?
5
EXPOSITION
The Score - God's Mission
Since the initial disharmony between humans and God,
God has endeavored to bring harmony back into the
relationship. God's purpose is reconciliation and redemption.
God's plan is to accomplish this task through instruments
which will allow God to work through them, with them, and in
them. These instruments are called to a task, a mission.
This mission, God's purpose, is the score. It is not
comprised of black marks on white paper. It is more than just
facts. How easy it would be if all that was required was for
each instrument to merely mechanically reproduce what has been
notated. As in music, "the performer can either perform it
or not, as he[sic] wishes, because he[sic] is free. The
listener can listen with an open mind, or listen already
prejudiced against it. That is freedom; and those who indulge
in such prejudice are their own enemies. 112 According to
Leonard Bernstein, "the purpose of an orchestra is to transmit
as accurately as possible, as movingly as possible, the
intention of the composer that it is performing. If an
orchestra has its own sound in every piece that it plays, it
cannot have the sound of the composer."3
2 Robert Chesterman, Conversations with Conductors (London: Robson Books), p. 124.
3 b' I ld., p. 69.
6
God's score communicates reconciliation and
redemption. This is the score's mission, purpose, or
teleology. Teleology is the purpose of a system or the goal
toward which a system is directed.
God called and gifted various instruments to play a
part of the score and to allow God to work in them and through
them to fulfill the teleology of God's creation. Among these
instruments were Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and
Jacob and Rachel. Although willing to be instruments, they
lost the intent of the composition which they were playing.
They lost the focus of the mission. As if playing from a
different score, the music communicated an idea about the
composer which was not true and resulted in various attempts
by the composer to straighten out the situation. Through the
use of prophets, God hoped to get the instruments back in
harmony with the intended purpose and back to reading the
score. However, as if their ears were closed, the music
produced was the same "sound."
In an attempt to bring back harmony, the conductor
became incarnate. The conductor became the very instrument
in which and through which the score was played. Many were
touched by the instrument's melodies. Many walls were shaken.
The score's purpose was illustrated. A new music was
born. A new covenant was created. An orchestra was formed.
The church, God's orchestra, is "both human and divine. It
is divine in that it is the Body of Christ, the continuing
7
sign of God's work in the world. It is human in that it bears
the marks of humanity - fallibility, mortality, brokenness,
and vulnerability. 114
Leaving the incarnate state, God left to this
orchestra an air, the Holy Spirit, to assist them in playing
the score and fulfilling the intention of the composer.
God's mission has not changed. God still seeks reconciliation
and redemption. This is the mission of the church, and like
"a bridge between earth and heaven, 115 the church is God's
orchestra "with the power and the love of God flowing down
through it out into the world. 116
The church, God's orchestra, is in performance. The
score is God's mission and purpose. The composer's intent is
reconciliation and redemption.
The orchestra: God•s Church
The church is the means of Christ's continued work
in the world. The church is Christ's hands and feet, Christ 1 s
mouth and voice. The church is "the instrument of His
gospel. 117 The church has been called to play the score and
communicate the composer's intent. The church has been
4 Bill Leonard, The Nature of the Church (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1986), p. 10.
5 Harold DeWolf, A Hard Rain and a Cross (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1966), p. 104.
6 Ibid. 7 Alan Richardson, An Introduction to the Theology of
the New Testament (New York: Harper & Row, 1959), p. 256.
8
called to participate with God toward a common purpose, a
mission. The church is the orchestra called to continue
Christ's ministry. The church is the instrument in which and
through which God's score is to be played.
In the Septuagint, laos is used for the Hebrew word
'am which applies almost exclusively to Israel, the chosen
people of God. Laos refers to a specific people, a people
connected because of their unique call of God.
The church is called to be the people of God. It is
called to carry out God's mission in the world. All
Christians are a part of this community, this laos.
The word laity has lost the symbolism of laos, from
which it is derived. Often contrasted with clergy, laity is
viewed as a lower position in the church. As a people of God,
carrying out God's mission requires that all participate and
remain connected, equal participants.
Connectedness is the crucial ingredient found in
Paul's image of the church as the body of Christ in Ephesians
4:15-16. There one reads,
We must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body's growth in building itself up in love.
The relationship of each of a body's parts determines how
properly the body will function. The connectedness of each
part in an intimate relationship and the contribution of each
part to the others as it functions within that relationship
are essential.
9
Lack of these relationships leads to
distancing and a failure to connect.
Peter's image of the church as a "living temple"
identifies the church in terms of the connectedness of "living
stones." In 1 Peter 2:5, one reads, "Like living stones, let
yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy
priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God
through Jesus Christ." These "stones" are set apart for God
rather than from the world. Connected these "stones" form a
temple. Separate, they are not able to carry out the mission
they have been called to perform.
In the Old Covenant, one family was set aside to
function in the priestly ministry. When God became incarnate,
a new priesthood was initiated. This new priesthood opened
up the ministry, or the carrying out of God's mission, to
every believer. As part of a priesthood, each individual is
a ministering person.
As a minister, one is called to assist in carrying
out God's purpose, reconciliation and redemption. With a
common purpose, the church is comprised of ministers of
reconciliation. Arnold Come, in his book, Agents of
Reconciliation, points out that the translation of diakonia
as ministry rather than as service adds meaning to one 1 s
calling. A servant obeys the master but does not participate
in the master's life and purpose. Donald Smith says that
"'Service 1 becomes 'ministry' when the someone and the
10
something served become immanent in the life of the servant,
when the life and cause of the Served become the life and
cause of the servant - joyfully, actively, voluntarily. 118 The
church is called not to service but to ministry. The church
is God's instrument of reconciliation in the world.
Identifying with one of the Biblical images, be it
the people of God, the body of Christ, the living temple, a
royal priesthood, or ministers of reconciliation, a church
sees itself as an organism in which each part plays a crucial
role. In establishing an image, the church defines for itself
a "mental model of the universe. 119 It is through this image
that the church operates and determines its behavior as it
seeks to fulfill its mission. With ,a shared mission and a
shared image, the church becomes "an entity of interrelated
parts which transforms the organization or the environment. 1110
The church, God's orchestra, is in performance. The
image portrayed by its performance determines the measure of
interrelatedness, interdependence, and its connectedness with
its purpose or mission. By establishing a shared image, God's
orchestra can achieve connectedness and a unity of diverse
parts.
8 Donald Smith, Congregations Alive (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1981), p. 30.
9 Ernest White, "Leadership" Lectures, The Southern Baptist Theological seminary, Fall, 1989.
10 Ibid·
11
The sound: The Church in Harmony
In Acts, the author refers to the church as Koinonia.
The root meaning of this word is "common." This does not
suggest something inferior. Common speaks of a participation
in God's mission which is not exclusive. It is a way for
everyone to share· in the task, or mission. Koinonia
represents a sharing community. In the early church, one will
find the sharing of a common faith, meals, possessions,
worship, and life. Dr. Alan Neely says that "the word we use
today that most nearly expresses this ancient idea and
practice of Koinonia is the word 'solidarity,' that is, a
manifest unity of heart, purpose, and behavior. " 11 Through
Christ, the church experiences unity. This unity is without
a loss of identity, for each part remains interdependent.
Koinonia involves a dual partnership with God and
with other persons. It is in this partnership that the church
experiences wholeness and unity as it shares in Christ's
presence. Koinonia is a "nonnegotiable characteristic of
Christ's church. 1112 As a communion of persons sharing with one
another and sharing a relationship with Christ, the love of
Christ received must be shared with others. This love is not
to be shared selectively for in koinonia, inequality does not
11 Alan Neely, "Pentecost: The Church as a Sharing Community," Sunday school lesson written for Kirkwood Baptist Church, May 19, 1991.
12 Leonard, Nature, p.43.
12
exist. 13
The sound of the church, God's orchestra, is
comprised of various elements: melody, harmony, rhythm, tempo,
and timbre. The melody is that which is most easily heard.
The melody is that "which guides our ear through a
composition. " 14 Often referred to as the plot or theme, the
melody is the basic idea of music. The melody is the
essential unit of the sound of the church as it seeks to
communicate the message of the score, God's mission. The
melody should be easily heard by the audience. Upon hearing
it, individuals remember it and are often heard humming it.
The melody heard by one listener may not be the melody heard
by another. The absence of a definite melody results in a
sound which lacks direction or purpose.
The melody is often heard against a background of
harmony. Harmony adds richness and color to the melody. It
adds depth. Harmony "clarifies direction and creates
meaning." 15 Direction is formed by the movement and
relationship of chords, or a combination of several notes
played simultaneously. Chords are the framework of a
composition. Holding the composition together, the chords
have meaning only in relation to other chords, as one chord
13 Ibid. 14 Joseph Machlis, The Enjoyment of Music (New York:
W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1963), p. 15. 15 Ibid, p. 19.
13
moves to another. Harmony implies movement. Like the melody,
harmony must be purposeful. It must move toward a goal, and
not left up to chance. 16
The sound of harmony may be one of dissonance or
consonance. Dissonance is that sound which represents
unresolved activity. Dissonance is the tension felt before
resolution of a chord. Consonance is the sound which
represents fulfillment. Without dissonance, a composition
would sound like a drama without suspense or conflict.
Dissonance and consonance complement each other as the
composition moves toward its intended goal. 17
The sound of the church may be a sound of harmony or
disharmony. As mentioned, harmony includes dissonance and
consonance. The sound of the church will often be dissonant
in that there is a tension or unresolved activity. It is
through dissonance that movement is made toward resolution or
consonance.
The sound of the church in disharmony is the sound
which lacks direction or purpose. Unlike dissonance,
instruments or members are playing from their own score, not
listening to the other instruments, or failing to watch the
conductor's lead. The chords do not lead to resolution. The
dissonance is constant, leading in no direction. In order to
bring harmony, direction must be given.
16 Ibid, p. 21.
17 Ibid, p. 22.
14
Rhythm is often referred to as "the heartbeat of
music. " 18 Meaning "flow" in Greek, rhythm is the controlled
movement of music in time. Rhythm brings organization to
music as it regulates the duration of tones. Imagine an
orchestra where the violins are playing one rhythm and the
trumpets are playing another. Rhythm, in the church, brings
everyone in step and in the "flow. 11 It provides order instead
of chaos.
Tempo is the speed or the pace the music is played.
The tempo is set by the conductor. It establishes the
character or mood of a composition. From a very slow or grave
composition to a quick or prestissimo composition, the tempo
sets the pace.
The tempo of the church, like of the orchestra,
is set by the conductor or leader. And, like the orchestra,
there are churches that are moving very slowly. Yet, there
are other churches that are moving very fast.
The sound of the church is comprised of various
timbres. Timbre is the characteristic color of each
instrument. Timbre is the qualities that an instrument can
add to a musical setting. Selecting the appropriate
instrument for a part is often based on the instrument's
timbre.
In the church, each individual, like the instruments
in the orchestra, has a timbre which sets them apart from
18 Ibid, p. 24.
15
other individuals. Being aware of individual timbres is an
important part of orchestration.
The sound of the church, God's orchestra, relies on
each of these elements to fulfill the intent of the score,
God's mission. The melody, the harmony, the rhythm, the
tempo, and the timbre of the instruments each make up a
system, the church. A system is "a set of units with
relationships among them. " 19 A system may also be defined as
"a set of components that work together for the overall
objective of the whole. ,zo As a system, unity is synergy or
"the focused and combined force of interrelated elements for
a common purpose. "21
In the church, one will find the following
characteristics: a mission or purpose, interdependence and
interrelatedness, unity or wholeness. These are
characteristics which are basic to a system. In addition to
systemic characteristics, the properties of a system's
elements, as defined by Russell Ackoff, can also be found in
the church. These properties point out the interrelatedness
of elements within a system. If the behavior of an element
changes, it affects the behavior of the overall system. The
19 Ludwig von Bertalanffy, General Systems Theory (New York: George Braziller, 1968), p.J.
2° C. West Churchman, The Systems Approach (New York: Dell Publishing Company, 1968, rev. ed. 1979), p. 11.
21 Tim Lines, "Systems Glossary," The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fall, 1989.
16
behavior of an element, which affects the whole, depends on
the behavior of another element within the system. The
behavior of any combination of elements within the system can
affect the whole and is affected by other elements. 22
These characteristics and properties of the systems
view related to the church can best be illustrated by looking
at the church as God's orchestra. The score provides the
orchestra a mission or a purpose as the orchestra seeks to
recreate the "music in the same spirit of nobility and depth
out of which it was written. " 23 The orchestra must function
as a whole directed toward a common purpose. It is toward
this goal that each instrument in the orchestra must focus its
attention.
some faults that occur when the orchestra fails to
function as a whole are as follows:
1. The sectional effect. This occurs when a group of instruments is used constantly or when contrasting groups of instruments are used in turn.
2. Thickness. This results when the harmony line is placed in a low or "grumpy" register. It often results because of a desire to give an instrument or group of instruments something to do.
3. Thinness. This occurs when there is too much in the high register and lack of depth.
22 Russell Ackoff, Redesigning the Future (New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1974), p. 13.
23 Chesterman, Conversations, p. 60.
17
4. Use of the brass and drums solely as noise-makers. 24
How many times in the church is one group used? How often do
members "simply listen, learn, and follow without becoming
functioning members of the body? 1125 Why do churches think they
have to find a job for someone to do? Pointless meandering
in the score by various instruments will not help achieve the
overall purpose. Why is it that churches resort to activities
that give more volume forfeiting those activities that bring
depth? Individuals in churches that cause the most noise are
often used merely for that purpose, noise. Noisemakers can
frequently be used in a pianissimo section with excellent
effect. The same is true in the church.
Leopold Stokowski says that "the great necessity in
a symphonic orchestra is co-operation, that we work
together. " 26 Through the blending or fusion of various groups
with one another, continuity and homogeneity can be achieved.
In The study of Orchestration, Samuel Adler points
out that "the inexperienced orchestrator may either use the
entire body for too long an unrelieved stretch, or utilize
such a great variety of different effects that the structure
24 Gordon Jacob, orchestral Technique: A Manual for students, 3rd ed. (London: oxford University Press, 1982), p. 94.
25 Jerry Wofford & Kenneth Leadership in the Local Church, 1973). p. 134.
Kilinski, Organization and (Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
26 Chesterman, Conversations, p. 123.
18
of the work is put in jeopardy by the constant flux of color
and texture. 1127 He says that in order to achieve clarity and
the best orchestral sound, one must balance the colors and use
discrimination in selecting musical elements. 28 The art
critic, Jacques Moroges, says that "the greatest colorists
have always obtained the maximum brilliance and vibration with
a minimum of color."
Gordon Jacob speaks of orchestration as "a colouristic
and decorative art." He says, "the ear should be intrigued,
not distracted by the play of color. 1129 Church programs are
often the only melodies that are heard from the church in the
community. It is possible for a church, like an orchestra,
to have too much going on which makes it "impossible to make
the highlights or 'peak-points' stand out sufficiently from
the rest. 1130
Using Letty Russell's metaphor, a partnership exists
in the church, God's orchestra. There is "a new focus of
relationship in which there is continuing commitment and
common struggle in interaction with a wider community
27 Samuel Adler, The Study of Orchestration (New York: w. W. Norton and Co., 1982), p. 409.
u Ibid.
Orchestral, p. 2.
Jacob, Orchestral, p.2.
19
context. 1131 The qualities of commitment, a common struggle,
and contextuality help link the view of the church as an
orchestra with a systemic view. Commitment "involves
responsibility, vulnerability, equality and trust among
persons or groups who share a variety of gifts or resources. 1132
It is commitment that illustrates interdependence and
diversity. In God's orchestra, commitment is crucial.
Without commitment, a part in the score may be lacking or may
be merely mechanically reproducing what is notated.
The quality of a common struggle reminds one of the
mission or purpose of a system. Russell states that a common
struggle involves risk. It involves continued growth and a
hope of "moving toward a goal or purpose transcending the
group itself. 1133 God's orchestra has a mission. This mission
calls for the church to become more than a group of
instruments playing separate melodies. This mission calls for
the orchestration of these voices into the clearest and most
appropriate orchestral form in order to carry out the intent
of the composer.
The church, God's orchestra, is in performance.
Each instrument is aware of the intent of the score, God's
purpose. With this intent in mind, instruments blend their
31 Letty M. Russell, The Future (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1979),
32 Ibid. , p. 18. 33 Russell, Future, p. 18.
of Partnership p. 199.
20
voices resulting in a sound of harmonious wholeness.nE
seeks to maintain wholeness in the presence of diversity.
God's orchestra is a system. It is comprised of a number of
instruments which are related to one another as they seek to
fulfill a common purpose.
The Audience: The Community and the World
The orchestra, in performance, communicates with the
audience. The message may vary with each individual. It is
in the context of the performance that the orchestra interacts
"with a wider community of persons, social structures, values
and beliefs, correctives, or negative feedback. "34 It is
through this interaction with the audience, the church
environment, that the church, God's orchestra, is affirmed for
its performance or made aware of areas that need improvement
as it seeks to fulfill its mission or purpose.
The church that neglects to know its audience is the
church that is caught up in hearing itself perform. The
church is unaware of the message that is being heard.
Attempts to communicate the message heard from the church are
futile. The church continues playing from a score which fails
to communicate redemption and reconciliation. Failing to
recognize the audience will eventually result in an auditorium
where only the orchestra is present.
The church that is aware of its audience is the church
34 Ibid·
21
that responds to the audience's needs and desires.
Discovering the messages that are being heard by the church's
performance, the church is made aware of the music that is
carrying out the intent of the score. The church is made
aware of those areas that communicate redemption and
reconciliation. The church is also made aware of those areas
that need tuning or improvement in terms of there not meeting
the intent of the score.
Recognizing the audience makes the audience part of
the performance. Failing to recognize the audience does not
fulfill the intent of God's score.
The church, God's orchestra, is in performance. The
instruments, or members, practice their parts individually and
corporately. Individual practice consist of one's own
spiritual discipiline. Corporate practice is the church
planning and listening. Who is in the audience? What does
the audience hear? Is the music the church is playing the
same music that is being heard? Can the church expect to
fulfill its mission without seeing who is in the audience?
No, for the audience is the only way for the church to measure
its performance. Listen. Are there applause for the church's
performance? Or, is there silence?
The Themes: The Melodies of the Church
As a system, God's orchestra is more than an aggregate
of parts. In an aggregate, the parts are added to obtain the
22
sum of the whole. In a system, the parts are arranged, and
the sum of the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
If one were to listen to each part of the orchestra
separately, the result would be the hearing of a number of
melodies which are not connected. However, when the melodies
are brought together and blended, the result is a unity. In
1 Corinthians 12, Paul speaks of conflicts due to possession
of different spiritual gifts. He pictures the church as a
corporate entity where believers accept Christ as the head but
serve him in different ways. The various gifts are like the
interdependent parts of a body, and each part is crucial in
order for the body to function properly. 35 Letty Russell says
that "when such a relationship is alive and growing we usually
find the gifts of synergy, serendipity, and sharing. That is,
partners produce an overspill of energy that is greater than
the sum of the parts, and display unexpected or serendipitous
gifts and the impulses to share that energy with others. 1136
As mentioned, through the use of one's aural
imagination, one can hear with the mind's ear the sound of
each orchestral passage being played by God's orchestra. What
is the sound that is produced when individual voices are
blended together? What are the melodies that the church,
35 Alvin J. Lindgren, Church Administration (New York:
Foundations for Purposeful Abingdon Press, 1965), p. 47.
36 Russell, Future, p. 19.
23
God's orchestra, communicates to its audience or
In Fashion Me A People, Maria Harris points out the
activities of ecclesial ministry in the first Christian
community. These activities are as follows:
1. Kerygma - proclaiming the word of Jesus• resurrection. 2. Didache - the activity of teaching. 3. Leiturgia - coming together to pray and to re-present
Jesus the breaking of bread. 4. Koinonia - community. 5. Diakonia - caring for those in need. 38
She states that these activities are the "primary curriculum
of the church, the course of the church 1 s life. 1139 By
"fashioning" these forms or activities, one is fashioning the
church, and its people. These are the melodies of the church,
God's orchestra, for these melodies require the blending of
individual voices. These melodies are not for solo
performance.
The ministries of the word are those melodies of the
church, God • s orchestra, which are extensions of Christ's
teaching ministry. These ministries represent the activities
of kerygma and didache addressed by Harris. Kerygma is "the
announcement of the saving events in history of God's action
in his Son to reveal his character and to introduce a new age
37 The melodies of the church refer to the gifts the church has to offer to the community both internally and externally.
38 Maria Harris, Fashion Me A People (Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1989), p. 16.
39 Ibid. , p. l 7.
24
of grace and salvation. 114° Kerygma is the act of proclaiming
and that which is proclaimed. The proclamation is the life,
death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That which is
proclaimed takes on the flesh of the one for whom the words
are about. The word becomes flesh. . Didache or teaching
represents those areas of ministry that bring about direction
or instruction, provide information, or offer guidance to
fellow travelers. Among the ministries of the word are
preaching, religious education, Bible study, evangelism, and
other activities where the message of the gospel takes on life
through application and communication with people. 41
The ministries of the sacraments are those melodies
of the church, God's orchestra, which are extensions of
Christ's table fellowship. These ministries represent the
activities of leiturgia and koinonia addressed by Harris.
Leiturgia often refers to the church in worship and in prayer.
John Westerhoff says that leiturgia includes both corporate
worship and prayer as well as one's daily worship and prayer.
Koinonia, as stated earlier, represents a sharing, inclusive
community. Koinonia is the church in harmony, in communion.
Among the ministries of the sacraments are the celebration of
the Lord's supper, the church at worship, the celebration of
40 Ralph P. Martin, New Testament Foundations: A Guide for Christian Students (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1978), p. 419.
41 Marianne Sawicki, The Gospel in History: Portrait of g Teaching Church: The Origins of Christian Education (New York: Paulist Press, 1988), p. 36.
25
baptism or marriage, and other activities which assist the
church in recalling the fellowship found at the table of
Christ and his friends. 42
The ministries of service are those melodies of the
church, God's orchestra, which are extensions of Christ's care
for each individual's physical and psychological well-being.
These ministries represent the activity of diakonia addressed
by Harris. Diakonia or ministry encompasses the serving and
ministering activities of the community. This is active
engagement of the church in ministry. Among the ministries
of service are feeding the hungry, healing the sick, clothing
the naked, listening, being present, and other activities
which show the love and care of Christ in the world.G
If the church is to carry on Christ's work in the
world, it seems logical that the church should follow by being
an extension of Christ's ministry through the word, through
the sacraments, and through service. 44 These ministries
represent the ministry of Christ, God incarnate, who became
the instrument in which and through which God's score was
played. These ministries are diverse yet each is related to
the other. As in Christ, these ministries must have unity.
Without unity, God's purpose is not achieved. Without unity,
the composer's intent is not communicated. Without unity, the
42 'd Ibl. , p. 36. 43 Ibid. 44 Ibid, p. 17.
26
church fails to be an extension of Christ's ministry in the
world.
In order for the church to fulfill its calling to
serve as God's instrument in bringing reconciliation and
redemption to the world, the church, God's orchestra, must
keep God's purpose in mind. In orchestrating a composition,
one must have a knowledge of.the composer's intent. Once the
intent is known, one may set out to orchestrate the melodies
in order to best fulfill this intent. The church, God's
orchestra, is aware of the composer's intent. The melodies
of the church, God's orchestra, are those set forth in the
life of Christ. orchestrating these melodies involves paying
close attention to where God's orchestra is in score and
where the orchestra envisions being.
Addressing negative feedback is essential to the
process of orchestration. What is being heard? Do the
melodies blend? Are the melodies communicating the proper
message? If not, what changes need to be made? Making the
necessary changes called for by negative feedback is often
referred to as cybernetics. Taken from the Greek word for
steersman, cybernetics provides the needed corrections in a
system as it strives to reach its goal. These corrections
are based on an evaluation of the system, the regulation of
the system as it moves toward its goal, and the guiding of
the system toward its goal. These corrections are determined
by the system's previous experiences and responses to previous
27
experiences.
The church, God's orchestra, is in performance.
Melodies are being played. Using one's aural imagination,
these melodies can be heard. Are the melodies being heard
similar to the melodies that Christ played? Are the melodies
being heard leading toward God's intent for the score? If
not, what is the church's mission or purpose? And, from what
score is the church playing? If the melodies being heard are
similar to the melodies Christ played and lead toward God's
intent for the score, where is the church in the score? And,
what is the orchestration for the next movement?
The Instruments - The Members of the Church
Fulfilling the mission or purpose of God's orchestra
requires each individual's voice. This voice is a reflection
of one being created "in God's image" (Gen. 1:27). The use
of this voice as a steward of God's creation is a part of
one's individual calling to serve as an instrument in carrying
out God' s purpose. 45
When God breathed into each instrument the breath of
life, God bestowed upon persons a uniqueness, and the capacity
to be in relationship with God and one another. Through
relationship, one discovers his or her voice and this varies
from person to person.
45 The voices of individual members refers to the spiritual gifts but is not limited by the list found in 1 Corinthians 12.
28
orchestrating the voices of each member in conjunction
with the orchestration of the melodies of the church requires
that the blending of the individual voices be done with the
melodies of the church in mind. Merely blending the
individual voices will result in an aggregate of voices
producing a sound that is not harmonic and lacks direction and
focus.
Donald Smith, in Congregations Alive, says that
ministering congregations see each individual playing a part
in carrying out the church's mission. They believe that the
gifts or voices needed to carry out God's mission are
supplied. 46
Voicing varies from instrument to instrument. In 1
Corinthians, Paul's concern was that there not be a division
in the church. He compares the church to the human body with
all members in relationship striving for a common goal. "If
one member suffers, all suffer together" (1 Cor. 12:26) Paul
clearly points out that the purpose of individual gifts or
voices is "to excel in them for building up the church" (1
Cor. 14: 12).
God's orchestra may never be aware of all the
individual voices which comprise its make-up. However, since
the Spirit establishes the body, "in each part resides the
potential of fulfilling whatever functions the body may
" Smith, Congregations, p. 109.
29
ultimately require from that member of the body. " 47 The Spirit
calls forth the necessary voices or gifts.
The mission or purpose of God's orchestra cannot be
fulfilled by clergy alone. The voice of the clergy represents
only a part of the total composition. Ministry involves every
instrument in God's orchestra. Each instrument has a specific
calling or voice which is her or his unique contribution to
the composition. One's understanding of ministry must be
expanded if it does not include every member as a vital part.
Voices have been given to instruments within the orchestra to
be used. However, God's orchestra must remember that in order
to carry out its mission, the orchestration of these voices
must be in the clearest and most appropriate orchestral form
in order to carry out the intent of the composer.
God calls instruments to play a part of the score.
Some instruments are called to play more than others. Because
each instrument is striving toward the same goal, competition
is not present. The parts that each instrument plays are not
ends in themselves but are means of service to others.
Different voices are needed and these voices emerge in
different settings. Discovering these voices requires that
one's view of the church, God's orchestra, be one of wholeness
and interrelatedness rather than one of structural authority.
The latter view will find one assuming that only those
47 Ibid., p. 110 •
30
appointed or called have a voice to offer to the composition. 48
In order to discover the voices in God's orchestra,
one must not limit the voices to those found in 1 Corinthians
12. One must seek to discover for herself or himself the part
that God desires for her or him to play. Dennis Geaney says,
naming our gifts [voices], or having others name them for us, can be a integrating force in our lives. The naming can pull us together and give us direction . . . . If we understand a talent we have as a gift of God, then it ceases to be a self-possession. . . . A gift is not given to be buried in the field, but to be traded, that is, to be put in the service of others, to develop it so that it becomes something more than it is through usage. 49
In order to effectively orchestrate the voices of
each member, one must endorse a concept of persons. This
concept sees the diversity of individual voices. Under this
concept, every person brings a voice to God's orchestra.
In the process of orchestrating these voices, strength
does not lie only in the leader's abilities, but in the vast,
multiple voices of others. It is through the process of
really contributing that others are made stronger. 50 It is
said that an ant, working alone, can carry 232 gm of earth
every six hours. If another ant is added, the first ant's
load increases to 765 gm. A single individual cannot carry
48 Russell, Future, pp.59-68. 49 Dennis Geaney, Emerging Lay Ministries (Kansas City:
Andrews and McMeel, Inc., 1979), pp. 20-21. 5° Charles c. Manz and Henry P. Sims, Jr.,
Superleadership: Leading others to Lead Themselves (New York: Prentice Hall Press, 1989), p. xvi.
31
out the mission or purpose of a church. It requires the
orchestration of individual voices. This blending of voices
results in cooperation and a corporate desire to achieve the
mission or goal.
Gaining insight into diversity enables one to see
that each individual is needed. Max De Pree says that
"diversity also enables one to begin to think about being
abandoned to the strengths of others, of admitting that he or
she cannot know or do everything. 1151
Equating voices with people requires the acceptance
of individuals not where they are but where they could be.
This acceptance frees individuals to take risks. They can
afford to fail. Acceptance communicates to individuals that
they are important and that their voices play a vital part in
God's orchestra.
Orchestrating the voices of the members of the church
requires a knowledge of each instrument's, or member's, range,
qualities, and varied capabilities. It is important that one
note the difference in tone between a big horn and a little
one in the orchestra. In addition to this knowledge, one must
have a mastery of the essentials of harmony.
As an orchestrator, one must be a good listener. One
must be able to hear each instrument singly and in several
groups. One must be able to name each instrument by its
51 Max De Pree, Leadership is an Art (New York: Dell Publishing, 1989), p. 9.
32
sound. One must also be a part of God's orchestra and listen.
Using one's aural imagination, one must listen to every part.
Focus the mind • s ear on an instrument. Now, focus on another.
Listen to each small group as it comes to play.
Acquaintance with various instruments is crucial to
orchestrating. One should get to know various instruments and
"learn the 'feel' of them qUite as a child makes his or her
acquaintance with every object within his or her reach. 1152
The instruments of the symphony orchestra are usually
divided into four groups, strings, wood, brass, and
percussion. The strings are comprised of violins, violas,
cellos, and basses. The violins do not differ from each other
as instruments, but their functions in a group vary widely.
The first violins often carry the melody line or are used for
brillance and dramatic effect. The second violins often lack
personality but their service is indispensable. When playing
with the first violins, they should not be asked to play as
high as the firsts. The violas are known for the
characteristic deep quality of the low string. A third violin
may be substituted in the violas• absence but nothing else can
effectively fill the hole that is caused by the absence of the
violas. The double bass is a transposing instrument. The
music played is written an octave higher than the way it will
sound. It is the only transposing instrument among the
52 Arthur Edward Heacox, Mus.B., Project Lessons in Orchestration (Bryn Mawr, PA: Oliver Ditson Co., 1928), pp. lff.
33
strings. The strings are the richest and most expressive
group in the orchestra. The timbre of the strings embraces
perfect homogeneity at any extreme of its musical limits. In
orchestration, poor treatment of the strings leads to poor
orchestration. 53
The individual qualities of the wood-winds give them
the character of soloists. They often enter singly, in pairs,
or in groups . They are heard answering the strings, or
talking to one another. This occurs with or without
accompaniment. The wood-winds need some breathing room and
opportunities for rest. They each have a register of notes
which suits each instrument best. The wood-winds in the
orchestra are the flute, the oboe, the clarinet, and the
bassoon. The flute is known for its grace and ornamental
charm. It is often heard playing the upper harmony but also
has the ability to express melancholy or mystery when in its
lower register. If one is seeking an instrument which
penetrates, it is the oboe. The timbre of the oboe stands
out. The quality of its sound will modify that of any
instrument with which it is doubled but it will not blend with
any instrument. The clarinet is referred to as the "soul of
the wood-wind group. 1154 It has a mellow tone and is capable of
great flexibility in terms of voicing. The bassoon is an
instrument that is suited to ensembles. When blended with
pp. 6ff. 54 • t Heacox, Pro1ec Lessons, pp. 74ff.
34
the clarinet and horns, their tones acquire something of the
richness and body of the bassoon. Isolated, the tone is
rather meager. The bassoon cannot play as loud as other
instruments of similar pitch and it cannot play as soft as the
clarinet. 55
The brass provide a brilliance and power. This is
ofteri heard in military pomp and when the full orchestra
plays. The brass section is comprised of horns, trumpets,
cornets, trombones, and tubas. The horn's tone is rich,
noble, dignified, and mysterious. It blends well with other
.groups. Its range is flexible. The most brilliant of the
brass group are the trumpet and the cornet. They have a
flexibility like the flute. They are incisive and are often
heard over the orchestra. The trombones have a dynamic
versatility. They are at their best when playing broad
sustained chords. 56 The tuba is known for its enormous size.
For its size, it is surprising how flexible it is. Its
dynamics range from pianissimo to fortissimo, where it becomes
a "dominating monster. " 57
The percussion group consists of the timpani, the
side-drum, the bass-drum, the triangle, the cymbals, the
chimes, the glockenspiel, and the xylophone. The percussion
group is often thought of as noisemakers. This group can help
55 Ibid.
56 Heacox, Proiect Lessons, p. 188. 57 Ibid., pp. 188ff.
35
mark the accent (bass-drum) , help develop a crescendo or
climax (timpani and bass-drum), and top a climax (triangle or
cymbals).
A separate "instrument" in the orchestra is the
conductor. Watching the moves of the conductor during an
orchestra's performance, one sees that the conductor cues the
other instruments for entrances and cut-offs. It is often
thought that the conductor is in charge. But, if one were to
look closely during the orchestra's performance, one would
see, by watching the eyes of both the conductor and the other
instrumentalists, that they are all watching the score.
However, the conductor must be present to set the tempo, to
cue dynamics, and by indicating the principal and subordinate
lines, listens for balance. The conductor is "to bring the
ensemble to life, to impose upon it a unifying conception, and
to mold the group into a perfectly coordinated body. " 58
An orchestrator is often compared to a weaver
intertwining strands of wool of various hues or a painter
mixing colors on a palette. An orchestrator envisions the
color scheme of the timbres of various instruments as these
instruments are blended or contrasted. Selecting the
appropriate instruments to present the themes most
effectively, an orchestrator fashions the score so that "the
58 Machlis, The Enjoyment, p. 56.
36
melody will stand out clearly against the background. " 59
With a knowledge of each instrument, it is important
to keep in mind two values when orchestrating the voices of
each instrument. These two values are the relation of tones
and the relation of color. There are some instruments one
would not want to pair together. However, the sound of some
instruments is enhanced when paired with other instruments.
Careful selection of instrument voicing will enhance the
composition and will help achieve the composer's intent.
orchestrating the voices of various instruments in
the orchestra is crucial to the performance of a composition.
The wrong voicing can turn a beautiful piece of music into one
that lacks harmony and fails to achieve the composer's intent.
The use of one group of instruments extensively often palls
the audience. Balancing color and blending texture will
result in the best orchestral sound. In those cases where
instruments are missing from the orchestra, an orchestrator
must make provisions for these parts to be covered.
aware of each instruments tone and color enables
Being
the
orchestrator to select the appropriate instrument to "fill in"
for a missing part. In order to achieve this, a knowledge of
the instruments is crucial.
Orchestrating the voices of individuals within God's
orchestra, the church, requires a similar process as that of
the symphony orchestra. One must first be aware of the
59 Ibid, p. 57.
37
individual voices that exist in the church, God's orchestra,
before orchestration can take place. Awareness of these
voices is similar to awareness of each instrument within the
orchestra. Once one is familiar with the individuals, or
instruments, in God's orchestra and is aware of their various
qualities, one can begin to orchestrate these voices in order
to fulfill the intent of the composition.
Becoming aware of individual voices within the church
requires the assistance of each member. The process involves
the following: searching for the voices, notating the parts,
voicing the parts, playing the parts, hearing the parts, and
celebrating the parts. In the development section of this
report, this process is laid out in detail. For now, a brief
overview will be given.
Searching for the voices is the first step in the
process of becoming aware of individual voices. This step
requires exploration. Each individual must look at her or his
own personal life, and her or his life in community, for
talents or gifts. Each individual needs to explore those
areas where she or he finds the greatest fulfillment in terms
of ministry and where she or he senses the Holy Spirit
touching someone through her or him.
When an individual has located areas of fulfillment,
talents, or gifts, it is important that this be notated, which
is the next step in the process. Notating the part is simply
a process of putting down some ideas that seem to fit the
38
individual's personality and background.
Voicing is the process of adjusting or regulating to
produce the proper musical sound. In the process of
determining one's part, one must make some necessary
adjustments. This means that, of those ideas notated in the
second step, some ideas will need to be thrown out because the
fit is not exactly right. This step in the process will leave
only those ideas that, when acted upon, will produce the
proper musical sound because of the appropriate fit.
Playing the part allows one to actually experience
the part for himself or herself. It is in playing the part
that one can sense the tone and color which is characteristic
of his or her voice. By playing the part, one has reached
the point where he or she decides that the part seems right
or that it takes great effort to play.
Upon playing the part, one hears what the part sounds
like. One hears the texture. One hears the quality. Hearing
the part calls for evaluation and critique. What do others
think? Is there a fit?
When the part fits, everything seems right. There
is affirmation from other individuals and knowing that this
is his or her part calls for a celebration. The last step of
the process is celebrating the part. This is a crucial part
of the process. For, in celebrating, there is affirmation and
through affirmation there is commitment.
39
Throughout this process, individuals can assist other
individuals by supporting them and assisting them as they
search for the voice which will enhance God's orchestra.
People discover their own voices because others affirm that
they have them. This can be enhanced by affirming that all
have a voice. 60
Thomas Gray writes,
Full many a gem of purest ray serene, The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear: Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, And waste its sweetness on the desert air.
How many voices have been overlooked by God's orchestra? How
many voices have been snuffed silent because of structural
authority?
The church, God's orchestra, is in performance. What
melodies are being played? Do the melodies pierce the silence?
Are any walls shaken by the notes? Are there any rooms that
are being transformed by the stratas of sound? Is there
harmony in the sound? Do the various melodies blend? Is the
composer's message being communicated? Is each individual
heard or represented? Are lives being touched? What are the
melodies that are resounding in the ears of the audience of
God's orchestra as· each member of the audience journeys
onward?
60 Smith, Congregations, p. 124.
40
Development
The purpose of this section is to provide a process
by which the orchestrating of the melodies of the church and
its members may occur. It is not the intent of this paper to
map out a proven procedure for every situation. As with the
orchestra, each church has its own style and approach to the
composition. A number of elements may need to be changed and
some things will need to be added. The information given is
in hopes of igniting the reader's own creativity.
Development . . . in God•s orchestra
This section consists of six sessions which are
designed to bring the church to discuss various components.
In The Handbook for Congregational Studies, these components
are listed as program, process, context, and identity. The
program is "those organizational structures, plans and
activities through which a congregation expresses its mission
and ministry both to its own members and those outside the
membership. 1161 The program is what the church has done in the
past, is doing in the present, and what the church hopes to
do in the future. The program is the meiodies of the church.
The process is "the underlying flow and dynamics of
a congregation that knit it together in its common life and
61 Jackson w. Carroll, Carl s. Dudley, and William McKinney, ed. , Handbook for Congregational Studies (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1990), p. 11.
41
affect its morale and climate. " 62 The process is how the
church carries out its programs. It is how the melodies are
played. Are they played by one individual? one group? or,
by the whole church?
The context is "the setting, local and global, in
which a congregation finds itself and to which it responds."63
The context is the audience the congregation is called to
perform for.
performance.
Knowing the audience is crucial for a good
The identity of.the church is "that persistent set of
beliefs, values, patterns, symbols, stories and style that
make a congregation distinctively Identity is the
image of the church. Viewed as an orchestra, the church will
seek to perform in harmony with each person playing a part.
Viewed as a hierarchy, the church will operate under strict
rules and guidelines, and some instruments will do little
unless told to do it.
These sessions may be carried out as a church body or
in a select group of church leaders. Should the size of the
church require that only the leadership participate, be sure
that each segment of the congregation is represented.
The facilitator should be familiar with the content
found in the exposition section of this paper before carrying
62 Ibid.
63 Ibid, p. 12.
Ibid.
42
out the sessions. Being familiar with this material will
enable additional input during the lecturette material which
should be provided at each session. However, input from the
participants is a crucial part of each session. Be sure to
allow plenty of time for participant input. If these sessions
are done in conjunction with the "Development in God's
Instruments" sessions, be sure to note that session six is a
combination of each. If these sessions, "Development .
in God's Orchestra," are done alone, session six can be a part
of a regular worship service in the church.
session 1: searching for a Melody
Purpose: To hear the church's story - past, present, and future.
Resources: * History of the Church
Format:
Overview
* Individuals who know the church's story * Church Minutes and Membership Records
Describe each session and give dates each session will meet.
Introduction - A skit performed by a member or members which portrays a memory of the church past.
Song
Large Group
11 0 God, Our Help in Ages Past"
Note: It may be important to prepare the church for these questions ahead of time by an article in the newsletter, etc.
* Ask, "Where have we been as a church?
(Allow time for response and record responses. )
)
Skit
Song
Large Group
Skit
Song
Large Group
Closing Prayer:
43
* Ask, "What are some events that always come to your mind when looking back at our church history?
(Record responses)
* Ask, What ministries have we as a church performed?
Have an individual be prepared to make announcements for the upcoming week in the church or have an individual or individuals present a skit representing church present.
"The Church's One Foundation"
Ask, "What are we doing now as a church in ministry? (Record responses)
* How does our current ministry reflect our past?
Have an individual or individuals present a skit that represents the church future.
"Savior, Like A Shepherd Lead Us"
Ask, "What are the church's plans for ministry in the future?
What are we doing now to meet these plans?
Have three individuals pray, one thanking God for the church past, one thanking God for the church present and one thanking God for the church future.
Session 2: Notating the Melody
Purpose: To record the strengths of the church found in the church's story.
Resources: Responses from "Searching for a Melody" Session
Content Material
44
Format:
Introduction
Solo
Lecturette
Group Experience
Word of Affirmation
A brief review of the first session. Responses should be visible to those present either on a handout or posted on newsprint around the room.
"We are His Hands"
We, as a church, are called to fulfill the work of Christ . . . (see content material for additional information). Christ's ·ministry has been divided into three areas ..• (see content material).
(Note: Prepare handouts with the three areas of Christ's ministry listed with space after each one for response.)
Divide into small groups of ten or less. This may be done at the beginning of the session by having the room set up for small groups or by using name tags of various colors cut in the shape of body parts, musical symbols, etc.
As a group, the responses on past, present, and future ministry from "Searching for a Melody" need to be placed in the appropriate area of Christ's ministry on the handout.
(Allow ample time for each group to respond.)
Being called to fulfill the work of Christ, we as a church have carried out, are carrying out or will carry out the following ministries:
Ministries of the Word (A spokesperson from each group
responds, one at a time.) Ministries of the Sacraments
(Group response) Ministries of Service
(Group response)
(Note: You might need to number groups in order to avoid chaos during the response.)
Prayer of Affirlllation
Closing
45
Thank God.for guidance and assistance in carrying out the ministry of the church. Thank God for each individual that participates in ministry.
Ask the participants to be thinking about the church during the week. What does the church mean? What image comes to mind?
Session 3: Voicing the Melody
Purpose: To deterllline the strengths that "fit" the church's character.
Resources: Handouts which include responses from the "Notating the Melody" session
Content material on the church, its mission, and its image.
Forlllat:
Introduction
Song
Group Experience
Large Group
Lecturette
A brief review of the previous sessions and an overview of this session.
"I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord" or 11 0 Church of God, Triumphant"
Divide into small groups of ten individuals or less. This may be done, as in the previous session, with name tags cut out in the shape of a church in various colors representing various groups.
In small groups, address the following questions:
What is the church? What image comes to mind when you think of our church?
Have each small group inform the large group of their response. Record all responses.
In the scriptures, we find a number of images referring to God's instruments to
46
Small Groups
Large Group
Closing Prayer
fulfill God's divine purpose, among these are the people of God, . • . (see content material).
Having an image is crucial. Tell the group why (see content material), linking image to ministries and ministries to God's mission and purpose.
Referring to the ministries we laid out last week, what image is portrayed by the ministries listed? Why?
What are the small group responses? Can a corporate image of the church be reached? If so, do it. If not, ask why? What are the characteristics that result in having various images?
We are the church, the body of Christ (or, whatever image is decided on),
Session 4: Playing the Melody
Purpose: To play out the strengths that fit the church.
Resources: Material gathered during each of the previous sessions.
Format:
Introduction - Skit - Have an individual play an instrument which he or she is very familiar with (e. g. flute). After his or her solo, have someone bring him or her an instrument which he or she is not familiar with and have him or her to attempt to play the same song on a different instrument (e.g. violin).
Lecturette - As a church, we are given the melodies or gifts needed to carry out our ministry. We are not called to perform any activity which we are not capable of performing.
Song - "We are Called to be God's People"
Small Group Experience:
Large Group:
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Say, "With God's mission, the church's image, and the church's strengths in mind, answer the following questions: Will the ministries we have planned for the future be using our strengths? Will they be reflecting the church's image? Will they be focusing on God's mission?
If so, link each ministry to a strength, point out how it reflects the image, and
how it focuses on God's mission.
If the ministries do not use the church's strengths, do not reflect the church's image, or do not fulfill God's mission, what can be done? What types of ministries can be developed which do these things?"
Ask for response from the small groups and record their response.
After responses, list the ministries and say, "these are the ministries that use the strengths of the church. They reflect the image of this church which is the body of Christ (use the image arrived at during the 'Voicing the Melody' Session). These ministries focus on carrying out God's mission and purpose."
"For the next three months, let's listen and observe these ministries or melodies of the church. (Note: should there be any listed that have not been implemented, be sure that arrangements are made for these ideas to be passed on and acted upon by the appropriate party. This would be an excellent opportunity to involve some of the participants of these sessions or the sessions for individuals.) As you observe these ministries, pay close attention to who is involved, what strengths or gifts are being used, how the image of the church is reflected, and how we as a church are focusing on God's mission."
"Any on Put
questions? Our next meeting will be ( 3 months from now) . It--on your-calendar.
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Closing Prayer
(Note: Following this session, a list of the ministries will need to be sent to each participant, along with appropriate questions to be answered. You will also need to be sure to send reminder cards of the next session.)
Pray to God for help as the church plays the melodies that focus on God's mission and purpose.
session s: Hearing the Melody
Purpose: To evaluate the church's performance in ministries identified during the last session.
Resources: Handouts showing ministries to be evaluated.
Format:
Introduction
Song
Skit
Lecturette
Small Group Experience
A brief overview of the past sessions to bring everyone up-to-date. Remember, it has been three months since this group has met.
"He Keeps Me Singing"
Have individuals act out an ensemble (preferably instrumental) who just can't get their act together. Trying to play a simple melody, they don't blend and they are not in tune.
Review the material on the church as a system and addressing negative feedback found in the content material and do a brief lecturette. Lead into the lecturette with a comment about blending and the importance of blending.
In small groups, review the ministries handout and discuss each of the ministries carried out during the past three months. Address the following questions: Who was involved in the ministry? What strengths or gifts were used? How was the image of the church reflected? How did the ministry
.'
Large Group
Skit
Small Group Experience
Large Group
song
Closing Prayer
focus on God's mission?
Call for responses and record each response.
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Ask, "What do you think? Do these ministries fit our church? Do they reflect our image? Are there ministries that are lacking?"
Have individuals in first skit come back and perform similar skit but this time everything goes right. They are in tune and blend well together as they perform a number for the group. (Note: It is very important that this group does well this time. If not, intent of skit could be lost.)
After hearing the church's melodies for the past three months, do you think the melodies blend and the church is in tune? If so, what do you attribute this to? If there is not a blend, what can bring about harmony? Call for responses and summarize what has taken place during this session. What are the results? What are the plans? What are the ministries that fit? Inform the group that the next session will be a celebration of these ministries and an affirmation of the church in continuing these ministries.
"We Are God's People" Tune: Symphony
Pray thanking God for the Church and the ministries which God has called the church to perform.
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Development . . . in God•a Instruments
This section consists of six sessions designed to
assist individuals in discovering more about who they are and
the part they can best play in God's orchestra, the church.
The sessions use both the large group and small groups. The
size of the small groups should be limited to seven or less
individuals. This will insure participation by each
individual present. Remember, as in the orchestra, each
instrument plays a part. During the sessions allow time for
interaction in the small groups.
The facilitator should be familiar with the content
found in the exposition section of this paper before carrying
out the sessions. The information and format provided is to
stir the facilitator's imagination. With each situation,
format may need to be changed or information may need to be
added.
If these sessions are done in conjunction with the
"Development . in God's orchestra" sessions, be sure to
note that session six is a culmination of each. If these
sessions, "Development in God's Instruments," are done
alone, session six can be a part of a regular worship service
in the church.
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Session 1: Searching for the Voices
Opener:
Lecturette:
Small-Group:
As individuals arrive give them a name tag cut in the shape of an instrument or a musical note. Also give them a slip of paper with the name of a song which they are to whistle. They are to whistle the tune until they locate the other members of their group.
Using the content material and other resources, talk briefly about the church being God's orchestra and how each individual is an instrument in the orchestra. As an instrument, each individual has a voice. Point out that melodies are not designed to be played alone but in concert with others. During this session, we will be looking at some characteristics of various voices of instruments found in the orchestra.
Listen to the sounds of various instruments in the orchestra playing alone and in a group. I would suggest the following recordings which are probably available at the local library or school music program.
Strings: Violin:
Viola:
Cello:
Bass:
Woodwinds: Oboe:
English Horn:
symphony #9 - Final Movement by Ludwig Van Beethoven
Sinfonia Concertante for Violin & Viola by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Cello Concerto in c Maier Opus 101 by Franz Joseph Haydn
carnival of Animals - The Elephant by Camille saint-Saens
Oboe concerto in c - Allegretto by Franz Joseph Haydn
Concertina for Cor Anglais & orchestra by Gaetano Donizetti
Bassoon: Carmen Suite - Dragoons of Alcala
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by George Bizet
Double Bassoon: Mother Goose Suite - Beauty and the Beast
by Maurice Ravel
Clarinet:Concerto No. 1 in F Minor for Clarinet and orchestra
Flute:
by Carl Maria von Weber
Mother Goose Suite - Pavanne by Ma-qrice Ravel
Piccolo: Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa
Brass: Trumpet: Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra in E
flat Major
French Horn:
by Franz Joseph Haydn
Midsummer Night's Dream- Nocturne by Felix Mendelssohn
Trombone:Concerto for Trombone and Military Band by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Tuba:
Percussion:
Tubby the Tuba by George Klessinger
Theme - Variation for Percussion by BurinjKymlicka
As each instrument plays, have each individual record various characteristics of that instrument. Give the instrument a personality. Have individuals hold their response until each person has had a chance to listen and respond. (Note: Vary the instrument family to break up the monotony. Play a string instrument then play a brass, etc.)
Large Group: On newsprint, note the various group responses.
Small Group: Play a recording or several recordings where instruments are playing together. In the small groups, have individuals discuss what they heard. Questions that
Debrief:
Closing:
Song:
Refreshments:
53
might be addressed are: Were there any instruments that did not blend? Were there any instruments that stood out from the rest? What is communicated by the sound of the instruments (e.g. unity, harmony, togetherness}?
What did you think of the process? What were your feelings? What,insights were gained? What understanding of the characteristics of voices and blending was received?
Say, "For the next session, ask yourself the question, what are my characteristics?"
"Bless Be the Tie That Binds"
cookies cut in musical shapes Coffee and Tea
session 2: Notating the Parts
Opener:
Lecturette:
As individuals enter the room, have each individual write the name of his or her favorite song on one side of a slip of paper and put his or her name on the other side. When it is time to begin, read the name of the favorite song and see if the group can guess whose favorite song it is.
Review last weeks session. Point out the various characteristics described for each of the instruments.
Point out the need to write down a melody. What are the advantages of writing down a melody as opposed to keeping it in your head?
Group Experience: In small groups, look at each instrument heard last week and the characteristics of each. If these instruments were human, what roles would you see them playing in the church? (Example: The trumpet is incisive. The trumpet will probably be the Chairman of the Finance Committee.)
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Large Group:
Lecturette:
Debrief:
Closing:
Closing word:
Refreshments:
What are the responses of the groups?
Like the instruments in the orchestra, we too have various characteristics. Looking at your personality and how you relate in groups, take a moment and list your personality characteristics.
After a moment, ask if the personal characteristics listed match up with the character}stics displayed by the instruments in the orchestra.
Say, "Turn to an individual near you and share your findings. Based on these findings, discuss some of the roles you could see yourself playing in the church and have your partner write them down.
In small groups, talk about the process. What insights were gained? What were your feelings? How do you feel being compared to an instrument?
Prayer of thankfulness for our individuality, our voices which are varied.
During the week, look at the various roles which you could see yourself playing in the church.
Sheet cake decorated with a musical staff and notes of an appropriate song.
Coffee and Tea
session 3: Voicing the Parts
Opener:
Lecturette:
As members enter have them select a cut-out of the musical instrument that best characterizes them. After selecting the cut-out, ask them to take a seat in the orchestra. Chairs have been set up in a standard orchestra seating design. Make sure chairs are marked using similar cut -outs so individuals will know where to sit.
Review last week's session.
Orchestral
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Say, "What did you discover during the week about the various roles you could see yourself playing in the church? Share your answer with someone sitting near you.
Group Experience: Get together in groups according to your instrumental group (e.g. 1st violins, trumpets, etc.). As a group, look again at the characteristics of the instrument you are representing. Then, look at the characteristics of each individual in the
Is there a match? Are individuals in your group very similar? What are the roles that each individual could see himself or herself performing? Are the roles similar? Do the roles fit the characteristics of the individual?
Large Group: Call for responses from orchestral
Debrief:
Closing:
Closing Word:
Refreshments:
groups.
Return to the small groups which were created during the first session to allow time to debrief.
What are your thoughts on the process? What were some of your feelings? Could you identify with some of the others in your group of instruments? Could you identify characteristics within you that match a role you selected?
Pray thanking God for the events that we experience that bring growth and nurture.
During the week, select one of the roles in the church you thought fit your characteristics.
Fruit: Brassy bananas, Woodwindy watermelon, Percussive pineapple, Stringy Strawberries.
Coffee and Tea
Session 4: Playing the Parts
Opener: As individuals enter the room, have them fill out a name tag that is preprinted with a musical staff so that the name can
56
Lecturette:
Skit:
Lecturette:
Small Group:
Debrief:
Closing:
be written between the treble and bass clef. on the back of the name tag, have them put the role in the church which they think best fits their characteristics (e. g. Sunday school teacher). No one is to know what role they have selected.
Review last week's session.
Have several individuals act out the Parable 9f the Talents while it is being read.
"One must seek to discover for herself or himself the part that God desires for him or her to play. Dennis Geaney says,
(see content material) every person brings a voice to God's orchestra."
In small groups, look at the characteristics of each individual. Begin with one person and go around the circle. Without the individual's input, describe his or her characteristics and try to determine what role he or she selected would best fit his or her characteristics. After several guesses, have the individual tell which role he or she picked. As a group, respond to his or her selection by affirming or questioning why the role was selected.
After each person has responded, each member of the group is to lay out plans to play his or her part in the next month. Each group will keep a list which shows the members' names, roles played, activities to be performed, and dates of the activities. Each group will covenant together to accomplish these tasks.
What are you feeling? What did you think of the process? How did it feel to tell the role you had selected? How did it feel to be affirmed for your selection? How did it feel to be questioned about your pick? How do you feel about carrying out this task?
We each have a part to play in the month ahead. As you play your part,
Closing Prayer:
Refreshments:
57
note your feelings, your response, and others• responses. We will meet again on
(one month from now).
Pray that God will be with each individual as he or she plays the part that he or she has been given.
"Make your own melody" Sundae Coffee and Tea
Session 5: Hearing the Parts
Opener:
Lecturette:
As individuals enter the room, give them a name tag which has either a sharp or a flat on it.
Review the past sessions. Remember it has been a month since this group met.
Sharp/Flat Groups:Divide into two groups, a sharp group and a flat group, based on the symbol that is on the name tag.
Large Group:
Small Groups:
The sharp group is to come up with as many characteristics as possible of a church that is in perfect harmony.
The flat group is to come up with as many characteristics as possible of a church that is in disharmony.
Call on a representative from each group to read their list.
Say, "Have you ever been around someone who didn't have anything good to say about anything or anybody?"
"There are going to be times for each of us when it seems that nothing goes right. During the past month, you may have experienced this. If so, I hope you have not given up hope. Take a few moments and share with a person near you what occurred during the past month in your life and in playing out your part. What did you hear? What did you observe?"
In your small groups, review the list put together during the last session. Discuss
58
Debrief:
Closing:
with each individual problems incurred, joys, etc. Affirm each other for the jobs performed and carried out.
Share your feelings and frustrations during this past month. Talk about the process. What are you going to do now?
Say, "our next session will be our closing session. During this time, you will be ask to present to the group your part. In the week ahead, think of an object that represents your part and bring it to symbolize your offering your part to assist in carrying out God's mission and purpose."
Closing Prayer:· Pray that God will help each individual to be a good steward of the voice that has been given.
Refreshments: B Flat and B Sharp Cookies Coffee and Tea
Session 6: Ce1ebratinq the Me1odies of the Church and its members
This should be a worship service bringing together
those who attended the "Development in God' s Orchestra"
sessions and the "Development . in God's Instruments"
sessions. The format of this service is entirely up to the
church. The purpose is for the church to celebrate as a
church the melodies or ministries of the church developed
during the sessions. These ministries need to be presented
in some way and linked to God's overall mission and purpose.
It is also important during this time for the individual
members to be affirmed and given an opportunity to share the
symbols which represent their voices. This may be built
around the time of offering. Following the individual
offerings,
59
it is crucial that someone point out how
individual voices or ministries link up to the ministries of
the church which link up to God's mission and purpose. Prior
to each activity, it is important that information be shared
in order for those who were not present in the sessions to
know what is going on.
Recapitulation
The church, God's orchestra, is in performance.
Individual melodies are orchestrated to play the melodies of
the church, which are orchestrated to fulfill the intent of
God's composition and purpose. Failure to listen for blend,
appropriate tone color and timbre, when orchestrating
melodies, will produce lack of harmony. This sound will
communicate to the audience, disjointedness and fragmentation.
This sound will not communicate the intent of the composition.
The attentive ear that seeks proper blending, is
selective in determining the appropriate voice, and is aware
of each instruments characteristics and the intention of the
composition, is the ear of an orchestrator. It is with the
attentive ear that individual voices can be blended into a
harmony which represents the melodies of the church and,
fulfills the intent of the score, God's purpose.
The church, God's orchestra, is in performance. Like
Schubert's "Unfinished Symphony," the ending has yet to be
determined. But, the measures that exist notate a blending
60
of voices, a harmony of instruments of various color, and a
unity represented by each melody as it moves with another
seeking to fulfill the intent of the composition.
Voices enter. Voices exit. Dynamics vary.
T e m p o s change. God's orchestra plays
Individual voices are in in chorus.
their range.
Called to play, with God's tending,
to an audience, in need God's orchestra plays
Do we care if anyone
of repair. in chorus.
is there?
Can the silence still be broken? Can the voices harmonize?
God's orchestra plays in chorus. Hear with your ears, not with your eyes.
Are lives touched by the beauty of each note
God's orchestra Blending melodies,
Are walls built, or
and of plays
your's
Are walls shaken, By the stratas of
God's orchestra plays 'Til the baton is
each line? in chorus,
and mine.
each sound? in chorus, put down.
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B:IBL:IOGRAPHY
Ackoff, Russell L. Redesigning the Future. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1974.
Adler, Samuel. The study of orchestration. New York: W. W. Norton and Co., 1982.
Bertalanffy, Ludwig von. General system Theory. New York: George Braziller, 1968.
Callahan, Kennon L. Twelve Keys to gn Effective Church. San Francisco: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1983.
Carroll, Jackson W., CarlS. Dudley, and William McKinney, ed. Handbook for Congregational Studies. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1990.
Chesterman, Robert. Conversations with Conductors. London: Robson Books.
Churchman, c. West. The Systems Approach. New York: Dell Publishing Company, 1968, rev. ed. 1979.
De Free, Max. Leadership is gn Art. New York: Dell Publishing, 1989.
DeWolf, Harold. h Hard Rain and 2 Cross. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1966.
Edge, Findley B. The Greening of the Church. 1981.
Geaney, Dennis. Emerging Lay Ministries. Kansas City: Andrews and McMeel, Inc., 1979.
Harris, Maria. Fashion Me A People. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1989.
Heacox, Arthur Edward, Mus.B. Proiect Lessons in orchestration. Bryn Mawr, PA: Oliver Ditson Co., 1928.
Jacob, Gordon, orchestral Technique: A Manual for Students Jrd ed. London: Oxford University Press, 1982.
Leonard, Bill J. The Nature of the Church. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1986.
Lindgren, Alvin J. Foundations for Purposeful Church Administration. New York: Abingdon Press, 1965.
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Lines, Tim, "Systems Glossary." The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fall, 1989.
Machlis, Joseph, The Enjoyment of Music. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1963.
Manz, Charles c. and Henry P. Sims, Jr. Superleadership: Leading Others to Themselves. New York: Prentice Hall Press, 1989.
Martin, Ralph P. New Testament Foundations: A Guide for Christian students. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1978.
Neely, Alan. "Pentecost: The Church as a Sharing Community." sunday School lesson written for Kirkwood Baptist Church, May 19, 1991.
Richardson, Alan. An Introduction to the Theology of the New Testament. New York: Harper & Row, 1959.
Russell, Letty M. The Future of Partnership. · The Westminster Press, 1979.
Philadelphia:
Sawicki, Marianne. The Gospel in History: Portrait of £ Teaching Church: The Origins of Christian Education. New York: Paulist Press, 1988.
Smith, Donald. Congregations Alive. Philadelphia: The westminister Press, 1981.
White, Ernest. "Leadership" Lectures. The Southern Baptist Theological seminary, Fall, 1989.
Wofford, Jerry and Kenneth Kilinski. Organization and Leadership in the Local Church, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1973.
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