Thanks for your interest in volunteering on the Creekwood UMC Worship Team! The purpose of this ministry is to bring glory to God by leading the church in meaningful and authentic worship. Serving on this team is a significant commitment of your time and energy, please carefully read below about the application process and expectations of worship team members and prayerfully consider your involvement before completing the application form.
Spiritual Commitment: In order to lead people in corporate worship, it's important that worship is a regular part of your own life. Worship team members are expected to pursue an intimate relationship with God through the study of scripture, prayer, and by living out their faith all throughout the week. Team members are also expected to be active participants in the church by attending and participating in services, even when not scheduled to play. The weeks that you are scheduled, it is important to remember that leading worship is not a performance; it is a time to glorify God, and not ourselves.
Practice & Rehearsal: Worship team members are committed to their craft. They are expected to learn the songs and know their parts well by the time they show up for rehearsal. For weeks with new songs, this could mean several hours of practice during the week. Setlists, chord charts, and sample music is provided through Planning Center Online at least a week before the service. Sheet music is not provided so musicians will need to be able to learn the songs using on the chord charts and their ears. When a team member is scheduled, they should review the materials as early in the week as possible and ask the worship leader any questions they may have before the rehearsal. Team members are expected to be set up and ready to play at the time when rehearsal starts. Rehearsal times are subject to change, but typically begins about an hour and a half before the service on Sunday morning. Some weeks, a mid-week rehearsal may be required. Of course, we respect your time, so these instances will be communicated well in advance.
Flexibility: Even with careful planning, last minute changes are inevitable. Team members are flexible, able to make adjustments to their parts on the fly, and keep a positive attitude when this happens.
Scheduling: Band members are expected to share their availability and blackout dates through Planning Center Online as early as possible. No one is guaranteed to be scheduled as often as they may want to, but band members keep a positive attitude and support the team that is scheduled for each service, regardless of whether they're playing or not. While we understand that people get sick and cars break down, we ask that you give us as much notice as possible if you're not able to make it on a week that you're scheduled.
Step 1: Complete the application form below.
Step 2: The worship committee will review your application, as well as your demo materials individually. At the next Worship Committee meeting, we'll go over any applications we've received, and thoughtfully and prayerfully consider each person's involvement. Please understand that even the most talented applicants may not be considered immediately if there is not a need for the particular skill set at that time. For instance, if we already have 2 lead guitarists in the regular rotation and another fill in, we would most likely not take on another. While we would love to include everyone in the band, we believe that the church is best served by a smaller band that is very comfortable playing with one another.
Step 3: If the committee decides that the applicant is a good fit for the church and there is a need for their talent, they will recommend the applicant to the band. At the next band meeting, the application will go through a similar process to ensure that everyone is comfortable adding a new member.
Step 4: If the committee decides that the applicant is a good fit for the church and there is a need for their talent, they will be asked to begin attending weekly rehearsals. They will rehearse with the band for several weeks, to become familiar with the rehearsal process, the songs, and the dynamics of the band. During this time, even though they won't be playing during the worship services, they're expected to learn their parts and come prepared to rehearse. This is also an opportunity for the existing band to provide feedback to the applicant and express any potential concerns about adding the new team member.
Step 5: If everything goes well during the rehearsal period, the worship leader will begin scheduling the applicant for worship services!