Revitalizing the Orchestra Ministry at West Conroe Baptist Church in Conroe, TX

Summary of Ministry Project

This ministry project began with prayer and an eagerness to meet a need in the worship arts ministry. The initial thought was the ministry needed more musicians to meet the demands of weekly meetings requesting volunteers for leading small groups in worship. In the end, this project served a greater need; enhancing the Sunday worship experience in our traditional service.

The Method

The method for surveying the congregation for musicians was handing out small survey cards asking simple questions and contact information on musical background. Next the collection and follow up process began with potential musicians. Eight hundred bulletins with survey cards went out and a grand total of twelve cards were turned in; 1 flute, 2 clarinet, 2 alto saxophones, 1 trombone, 2 trumpet, 1 euphonium, 2 violinists, 1 piano player, a bass player, and 1 electric guitar player. The majority of the musicians have spend significant time not playing their instrument while only a few are frequent players. Finally a volunteer came forward with conducting and composing experience that assured musicians that the orchestra would be lead with competency.

Once the musicians were contacted through email and phone calls, the first informational meeting was scheduled twenty minutes before Sunday morning Life Groups. This allowed us to avoid scheduling conflicts during the week. Each musician introduced themselves and shared about their musical experience and what their hopes for the group. A common theme in each testimony was that they each were praying and searching for a way to use their musical talents in the church. This not only affirmed the direction of leadership but encouraged the other musicians in their decision to take steps in serving.

At the conclusion of the first meeting rehearsal schedules were handed out, planning center online invites were sent out, and all that remained was to choose the music. The Sunday service would be the third week in November and the third week in December. The Sunday in November was Orphan Sunday and the Sunday in December was the Christmas service. The electric guitarist and the bass player were scheduled for the upcoming contemporary rehearsals and the other musicians went home, dusted off their instruments, and began working to practice and regain their amburture.

The Debut

The Sunday for the orchestra to debut was unique; Orphan Sunday was meant to highlight the call of the church to care for the orphan, interview a couple currently fostering children, create awareness about Foster family ministries at the church, and give the church opportunities to take steps in serving these families within the church and the community. The hymn choses was “My Jesus I Love Thee: from the Hymns for Praise and Worship collection by Travis Cottrell. This song was chosen because of the congregation’s familiarity with the song and it was going to be sung the same Sunday as the invitation hymn.

The orchestra would open with one hymn to start the service. To avoid overwhelming musicians and create an opportunity to succeed, it was decided to only play one song as opposed to 20 minutes of hymns. The musicians agreed that it would take a few more weeks of building up amburture.

The Feedback

The feedback from the congregation was positive and in the following weeks the desire to have the orchestra return in the spring semester on a regular basis was a common request. For the sake of space, the consensus that perhaps the enhancement in the music would draw families from the contemporary service to the traditional to create more breathing room in the crowded service. However, I doubt that it will draw second service families with established routines. For the sake of evangelism, the hope is that the orchestra ministry will draw more student participating in band and in orchestra in their schools. While in it’s beginnings, the orchestra has gained attention and the feedback from participants is that more ensembles can be formed and featured to serve the music portion of worship.

The recruitment and networking phase of the project never ends. It was in conversation with folks while serving on Sunday’s mornings and Wednesday nights in the church that I discovered more musicians. I would encourage anyone feeling led to start an orchestra to start there — conversations.